Josef Seger (born Josef Ferdinand Norbert Segert, last name also Seeger or Seegr) (21 March 1716 -- 22 April 1782) was a Bohemian organist, composer, and educator. After graduating in philosophy from the Charles University in Prague and studying music under Bohuslav Matěj Černohorský, Jan Zach, and others, Seger became organist of two churches in Prague and remained there until his death.
An extremely prolific composer, Seger became of the most important representatives of the Czech organ school of the 18th century. He was also an influential teacher: his pupils included Jan Antonín Koželuh and Josef Mysliveček,[1] and his figured bass exercises served many generations of teachers.
Seger was born in Řepín, near Mělník, in Bohemia. He studied at the Jesuit Gymnasium in Prague and later graduated in philosophy at the Charles University. He also studied organ playing with Bohuslav Matěj Černohorský, counterpoint with Jan Zach and František Tůma, and, according to Dlabacž, figured bass with Felix Benda.[2] Around 1741 Seger became organist to the Church of Our Lady in front of Týn and in 1745 he acquired a similar post at the Crusaders' church in Prague.[1] He held both positions until his death. In 1781 Emperor Joseph II was sufficiently impressed with Seger's playing and offered the composer a court appointment, but Seger died in Prague in 1782 before the confirming document arrived.[2]
None of Seger's compositions were published during his lifetime, but he was an important teacher and educator. His pupils included Karel Blažej Kopřiva, Jan Antonín Koželuh, Jan Křtitel Kuchař, Josef Mysliveček, and many other distinguished Bohemian composers and musicians.[1][2] A few of Seger's pieces appeared in print in 1790s; a selection of eight organ fugues was published by D. G. Türk in 1793.[1] In 1803, J. Polt published Seger's ten preludes for organ, and a few more works followed in the next few decades. Particularly important was the publication of a portion of his figured bass exercises, which were used by teachers for decades after his death.
Seger was the most prolific Czech organ composer of the 18th century. Hundreds of preludes, fugues, toccatas and other organ pieces survive in manuscript copies, although the attribution to Seger of some of these works is problematic. Generally speaking, his preludes and fugues are short works (their length probably dictated by the limitations imposed by the Catholic liturgy), but they exhibit a fertile harmonic imagination and a perfect grasp of late Baroque counterpoint practice. He also composed masses, motets and psalm settings; all also dominated by archaic counterpoint.
Josef Ferdinand Norbert Seger (auch Seeg(e)r, Segert; * 21. März 1716 in Řepín; † 22. April 1782 in Prag) war ein böhmischer Organist und Komponist und einer der bedeutendsten Vertreter der Altböhmischen Schule.
Seger war ein Schüler von Bohuslav Matej Černohorský. Er wirkte als Sänger und Violinist an verschiedenen Prager Kirchen. 1741 wurde er Organist an der Teynkirche und 1745 an der Kreuzherrenkirche. Seine bedeutendsten Schüler waren Jan Koželuh und Josef Mysliveček. 1782 beabsichtigte Kaiser Joseph II., der von Segers Orgelspiel begeistert war, ihm die Stelle als Hoforganist in Wien zu übertragen, Seger verstarb aber vor dem Erhalt des Anstellungsdekrets.
Seger war ein überaus produktiver Komponist. Er schrieb mehrere hundert Orgelstücke (Präludien, Toccaten und Fugen), Messen, Motetten, Psalmen und Litaneien. Seine Werke waren lange Zeit vergessen und wurden erst zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts wiederentdeckt.
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Bohuslav Matej Cernohorsky Fugue in C minorby harpsichordRB1,751 views
"plays Milan JELEN" - really? Sounds like a midi-player.
Nuk1eus 9 months ago