Risto Savin (Žalec, July 11, 1859 – Zagreb, December 15, 1948), born Fridrich Širca,[1] was a Slovenian composer. He is one of the composers credited with creating a Slovenian national tradition of opera.[2]

Risto Savin

Risto Savin was a pseudonym adopted by Fridrich Širca, a general in the army.[3] He studied composition with Robert Fuchs in Vienna and became notable as one of the composers of Slovenian-language opera. His opera Lepa Vida (Lovely Vida, 1907) is one of the Slovenian operas to show the influence of Wagner.[4] The house where Risto Savin was born in Žalec is now a museum.

Works

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Operas

  • Poslednja straža (Last Watch, 1898)
  • Lepa Vida (Pretty Vida, 1907)
  • Gosposvetski sen (1921)
  • Matija Gubec (1923)

Ballets

  • Plesna legendica (1918)
  • Čajna punčka (The Tea Girl, 1922)

Songs

  • "Pismo" (The Letter, Oton Župančič)
  • "To je tako" (Oton Župančič)
  • "Svetla noč" (Oton Župančič)
  • "Marica" (Oton Župančič)
  • "Ljubica, zdaj je dan" (Anton Aškerc)

Selected recordings

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  • Music for cello and piano Grieg, Savin, Martinu, Pucihar Nikolaj Sajko and pianist Miha Haas.

References

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  1. ^ Taufbuch. Žalec. 1851–1870. p. 101. Retrieved May 28, 2022. Fridrich Franc. Xav. Širca / Schirza{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Hindley, Geoffrey. 1994. Larousse Encyclopedia of Music, p. 576 "Davorin Jenko (1835-1914) is considered as the founder of Slovene national music; Risto Savin (1859-1948) created a national tradition of opera"
  3. ^ Cvetko, Dragotin. 1967. Histoire de la musique Slovène. "Le premier de cette génération fut Risto Savin, dont le vrai nom était Friderik Širca (1858 — 1948). Il fut officier de profession et il obtint le grade de général. Il étudia la composition chez Robert Fuchs à Vienne."
  4. ^ Jim Samson Cambridge History of Music 2001 "Slovenian composers well into the twentieth century developed a cosmopolitan late Romantic idiom influenced by Brahms and Dvorak and occasionally, as in Risto Savin's 1907 opera Lepa Vida (Lovely Vida), by Wagner"