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Jan Nepomuk Škroup

Johann Nepomuk Skraup

Škroup, Jan Nepomuk (1811-1892). Czech composer and conductor, brother of František Jan. Of a provincial musical background and education, Jan Nepomuk arrived in Prague in 1836 and held posts as the choirmaster (1836) and later (1840) second Kapellmeister of the Estates Theatre before becoming director of the important musical institute the Žofín Academy (1844-49).  He was also engaged as the conductor of Stöger’s Czech Theatre in Růžova ulice (1842), was the director of the choir in the church u Křížovníků (from 1838) and in the Cathedral of St Vitus (from 1845). This brought him into contact with the royal family of the former Emperor Ferdinand for whom he was sometimes involved in organizing private musical events. His last important post was again as second Kapellmeister of the Estates Theatre (1870-1882). Škroup’s output as a composer was substantial, including many church works, three operas (including the Czech-language Švedové v Praze [The Swedes in Prague]), and various songs and choruses. He also wrote and published a number of important theoretical and didactic volumes covering from sacred music to a singing tutor. One such work was described in detail by the German-language Prague newspaper Tagesbote aus Böhmen 28/6/1857, which reported: ‘The Court Kapellmeister Mr Johann N. Skraup [Jan Nepomuk Škroup], who is very active in the field of church music and church singing, has now embarked upon a work that is as practical as it is meritorious, and which will certainly have artistic worth. For choral singers, especially those ignorant of the Latin language, there has never been available a standardized church chant songbook. The said Mr Skraup is working on a Book of Ceremonies [Ceremonienbuch] for the whole liturgical year. All comments and annotations are added in German and Czech, all Prayers, Lessons, Pronouncements [Prophezeien] etc are included and scansion added, so that anyone ignorant of Latin can sing correctly with accurate stress. The chorale melodies are taken from the Salzburg Choralbuch audited and sanctioned by Pope Urban VIII, which munificently for this purpose has been lent by His Eminence the Archbishop Prince Schwarzenberg. This work, which will appear under the title Manuale pro sacris functionibus quae per anni ecclesiastici decursum cum cantu celebrantur, ad usum directorum chori et cantorum, costs unbound 6fl.’ Several days later, on 9/7/1857, Tagesbote aus Böhmen published further news about Škroup, reporting that he had just received an award of a gold medal from the reigning Queen of Sweden, who was at that time passing through Prague, in recognition of his composition of a Volksmesse performed in the Court Chapel in Stockholm. On one side of the medal was an image of the Queen inscribed ‘Josephina Sveciae et Norvegiae Regina’, on the other within a laurel wreath ‘Tessera memoriae.’

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Events in which this person participated as a director of ensemble