Blagoje Bersa

Croatian composer

Blagoje Bersa (born as Benito Bersa, 21 December 1873 – 1 January 1934) was a Croatian musical composer of substantial influence.^[1]

Bersa was born in Dubrovnik. He studied in Zagreb with Ivan Zajc and at the Vienna Conservatory with Robert Fuchs and Julius Epstein. In 1919 he returned to Zagreb, where he worked as a composition teacher at the music academy. He remained there until his death.

Works

Operas

Der Eisenhammer (Oganj), Opera, 1911
Der Schuster von Delft (Postolar od Delfta), Opera after Hans Christian Andersen, 1914.
Jelka, Opera, 1901

Popular works

Sablasti (Apparitions) & Sunčana polja (Sunny Fields), symphonic diptych
Sinfonia tragica "Quattro ricordi della mia vita" (Tragic symphony - Four memories of my life) in C-minor

Overture drammatica (Dramatic Overture), Op. 25a
Idillio "Il giorno delle mie nozze" (Idyll - The Day of my Wedding), Op. 25b
Capriccio-Scherzo, Op. 25c
Finale "Vita nuova" (Finale - New Life), Op. 25d (unfinished; piano sketch. Orchestrated by his student Zvonimir Bradić, who Bersa gave the exclusive right to do so before he died)

Hamlet, symphonic poem
Povero Tonin, elegy for violin and piano
Andante sostenuto for orchestra

Piano works (not a complete list)

(with Opus number)

Valzer in A Major, Op. 3
Minuet, Op. 11
Theme & Variations, Op. 15
Bagatella, Op. 16
Rondo-Polonaise, Op. 18
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major, Op. 19
Piano Sonata No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 20
Marcia trionfale, Op. 24
Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op. 27
Ora triste, Op. 37
Notturno, Op. 38
Fantasia breve, Op. 56
Venecijanska barkarola, Op. 58
Riso e lamento, Op. 63
Ballade in D Minor, Op. 65
Novelette, Op. 69
Valse-Mélancolique in A minor, Op. 76 (NB: there are two works published as Opus 76. In spite of their similar titles, they are not related)
Mélancolie in F-sharp minor, Op. 76 (NB: there are two works published as Opus 76. In spite of their similar titles, they are not related)