Забутий Олександр Бережницький

Abstract

У статті на підставі матеріалів родинного архіву вперше подано життєпис Олександра Бережницького (1879–1916) – юриста за освітою, музично-громадського діяча, скрипаля, педагога, музичного критика. Висвітлено участь митця у «Бояні», у заснуванні та перших роках діяльності «Союзу співацьких і музичних товариств», Вищого музичного інституту, у заснуванні та редагуванні «Артистичного вістника». Розглянуто його діяльність як музичного критика.

В статье на материале семейного архива впервые подано биографию Александра Бережницкого (1879–1916) – юриста по образованию, музыкально-общественного деятеля, скрипача, педагога, музыкального критика. Раскрывается его участие в деятельности общества «Боян», в основании и первых годах деятельности «Союза певческих и музыкальных обществ во Львове», Высшего музыкального института, в основании и редагировании «Артистического вестника». Рассматривается его деятельность как музыкального критика.

Oleksandr Berezhnytskyi (1879–1916) entered Ukrainian Galician culture of the end of the XIX – the beginning of the XX century as a lawyer, a music and public figure, a violinist, a teacher, an editor, a music critic. As a person of various interests, the artist immediately entered the community of professional musicians and assisted the foundation of the basis of professional musical education for Ukrainians in Galicia. The article for the first time presents the artist’s biography based on the materials of the family archive. O. Berezhnytskyi’s life counted only 37 years, and thus the artist didn’t managed to completely express his talents. He was born on the 12 of December 1879 in Zolochiv and received a double name Oleksandr-Andrii. His father Theophil Berezhnytsky (1836-1895) was a judge, a Galician public figure, an ambassador to Galician Saim, one of the founders of the society «Dnister» in Lviv. Besides Oleksandr, Theophil Berezhnytskyi had a daughter Olena and a son Bohdan, later a famous cello player. Oleksandr received his primary education at first at Sambir primary school (1885–1889), then at cesar-royal higher gymnasium in Sambir (1890–1894), an after that at Academic Gymnasium in Lviv (1894–1897). O. Berezhnytskyi continued his education at a law department of Lviv University (1897–1901). Numerous facts prove his extraordinary musical gifts, but the origin of his music education (especially as a violinist) remains unknown. In 1903 the Union of Singers and Music Societies was created. During 1903–1904 O. Berezhnytskyi participated in the meetings of the Departmen of the Society, and immediately entered its board. In September 1903 the Higher Music Institute was opened as a part of the Society. O. Berezhnytskyi was a secretary of the Institute at the beginning. After his military service in 1903– 1904 O. Berezhnytskyi returned to his work at the Institute and taught violin and alt, thus creating the foundation of Ukrainian violin school in Galicia. From 1903, during his work at the Institute O. Berezhnytskyi is often published in newspapers as a music critic and a publicist. In 1904 in The Music Almanac O. Berezhnytskyi published his famous article «Violin, its history and importance for solo and orchestra music», where he tells the origin of violin, mentions famous violin makers, and describes its structure. O. Berezhnytskyi was a professional music critic whose style had much in common with the reviews by S. Liudkevych, V. Sadovskyi, M. Voloshyn. His reviews characterize not only the performed compositions but also the performers, their professional skills and achievement on artistic tasks. For example his reviews on Shevchenko concert in Lviv (1905) and the performance of the choir «Banduryst» (1906). In 1905 the journal «Artistic Gerald» was first published. The Union took patronage of its publishing. O. Berezhnytskyi became the journal executive editor. The journal became the scene for scientific art and music performances, discussions of high scientific quality. In this journal O. Berezhnytskyi published the article «Our musicians». The article was about Galician composers Anatol Vakhnianyn, Ostap Nyzhankivskyi, Henryk Topolnytskyi, Filaret Kolessa, Iosif Kyshakevych, Stanislav Liudkevych. Their merits and the value of their work differentiate them from the general mass of Galician musicians. In 1905 O. Berezhnytskyi founded a string quartet where he played the leading violin. The reviews of their performances show the quartet’s high professional level and success. By organizing this quartet O. Berezhnytskyi contributed to the development of Ukrainian chamber instrumental music. In 1906 O. Berezhnytskyi married Olena-Kostyantyna Telishevska, a doughter of a famous Galician politician, an ambassador to Austrian parlament and Galician Saim Kostyantyn Telishevsky (1851–1913) who, at that time worked as a notary in Kolomyia. In 1906 or 1907 the married couple moved to Kolomyia where O. Berezhnytskyi worked as a lawyer. Their daughter Olga was born in Kolomyia on the 12 of April 1908. In Kolomyia O. Berezhnytskyi worked as a notary assistant with Kostyantyn Telishevsky. After Telishevskyis death O. Berezhnytskyi took over his position (the 24-th of April 1913) and worked there for a year until the war significantly changed his life. There no documents covering O. Berezhnytskyis last years and and the circumstances of his death. The author was told by O. Berezhnytskyis granddaughter that in 1914 O. Berezhnytskyi was taken hostage as one of the influential lawyers in Kolomyia. He was kept a hostage in prison for more than a year and a half . Having undermined his health in prison O. Berezhnytskyi died in 1916.