TUČAPSKÝ, ANTONÍN (1928-2014)

Antonín Tučapský (born on March 27, 1928 in Vyškov, near Brno, Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic) is a Czech composer who lived and worked in England. After receiving his education at Masaryk University and the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno, he embarked on a busy career as a composer and conductor, particularly of choral music. For ten years, he was director of the famous Moravian Teachers' Choir with whom he toured Europe making broadcastings and recordings, some of which are still available in today's catalogues. His marriage in the early 1970's to an English singer, however, combined with Czechoslovakia's changed political climate after 1968 still under the communist regime, resulted in an abrupt and mysterious end to his musical activities. Dismissed from his posts and forced to accept work as a manual worker at a building site, Tučapský eventually took the option to leave his country and settle in London where he had lived and worked ever since.

 

Appointed professor of composition at Trinity College of Music, London, he has continued to compose prolifically in a variety of genres, but with choral music at the fore. In terms of genres and style, he has written varied works ranging from songs for solo voices and choral compositions, a cappella or with the accompaniment of various instruments, cantatas, oratorios and an opera, The Undertaker. Even though Tučapský has written major orchestral, chamber and instrumental compositions for various forces, he is still primarily regarded as a composer of vocal and vocal-symphonic music, eg. his oratorios, Missa Serena, Stabat Mater, Mary Magdalene. His Concerto for Violin and Concerto for Viola and Orchestra were issued on a CD by SOMM Recordings. This same label also has two CDs of his choral music. Over the years Tučapský's work has been awarded prizes at many competitions. On July 5, 2011, the Collegium of Czech Bishops from the Archbishopric of Olomo honored Antonín Tučapský with the Order of St. Cyril and Methodius a very distinguished honor bestowed upon someone who has made significant contributions through science, literature, music, or art to the church and world at large.

 

Antonín Tučapský died on September 9, 2014 at the age of 86.