(Ger. Kaschau; Hung. Kassa).
Town in eastern Slovakia. The oldest musical documents, mostly vocal music, include the Epistola venerabilis (13th–14th centuries), Pontifical strigoniensis (14th century), Liber conventus Cassoviensis (14th–15th centuries) and the Missal of Košice parish (15th–16th centuries). The two-volume gradual of Košice represents imported polyphonic music from the 16th century and demonstrates a high musical standard. The illuminations portray the oldest views of Košice and its surroundings.
Guilds played an important role in cultivating secular music; flautists and violinists played at their feasts. Sebestyén Tinódi's Cronica (1554) includes a musical entertainment for the Royal Captain of Košice. The Protestant minister Gál Husár was the first Košice printer of music (1560); a permanent music printing firm was founded in 1610. The University of Košice was established in 1657 and sacred music was performed in its church, where a Slovak passion play has been preserved. At the end of the 18th century, Viennese symphonic music was heard at the cathedral. Chamber music was performed in the homes of the nobility and the middle class.
Theatre music began in the 14th century with plays in the markets and schools. Travelling groups performed at the old permanent theatre building (1789) and then at the present theatre (1899). Performances were in German, Hungarian, Italian, Czech and Slovak and included contemporary operas and operettas. The Košice State Opera, founded in 1945, presents the standard repertory and some native compositions. The Slovak national opera Krútňava (‘Whirlpool’) by Eugen Suchoň was first performed in Košice in 1953.
The system of educating professional organists and instrumentalists at college level (schola musices), established in 1784, continued through the 20th century. In 1951 a new college of music was established for teachers; in 1961 it became a conservatory. Choral singing was cultivated at elementary schools and churches. Civic choirs were established in the 19th century, at first German (Gesangverein) and later Hungarian and Slovak groups. There were also workers' choirs. The best-known choirs in the late 20th century were the Cantica Veterinaria, the Košice Teachers Choir and the cathedral choir of St Cecilia.
In 1927 the General Orchestra, the Military Orchestra and the Theatre Orchestra were joined by the Radio Orchestra. In 1969 the State PO was established; its regular concert season culminates in the Košice Musical Spring Festival. Since 1970 an annual International Organ Festival has been held. The Košice Quartet, the Košice Chamber Orchestra, brass ensembles and military orchestras perform at various celebrations. Among numerous folk ensembles, Carnica excels.
Notable among Košice composers have been F.X. Zomb (1779–1823; also a music critic), Josef Zomb (1791–1850), Jozef Janigh (1782–1837), Josef Kerner (1851–1914), Oldrich Hemerka (1862–1946), Josef Grešák (1907–87), Josef Podprocký (b 1944) and Norbert Bodnár (b 1955).
Hudobný život Košíc [Musical life in Košice] (Košice, 1981)
M. Potemrová: Hudobný život v Košiciach v rokoch 1848–1918 [Musical life in Košice] (Košice, 1981)
200 rokov hudobného školstva v Košiciach 1784–1984 [200 years of music education in Košice] (Košice, 1984)
60 rokov hudobného vysielania z rozhlasového študia Košice [60 years of music broadcast from Radio Košice] (Košice, 1987)
M. Potemrová: ‘Konservatorium v Košiciach v rokoch 1951–1986’, Historica carpatica, xix (1988), 161–75
Hudobné divaldo v Košiciach 1789–1989: Košice 1989
MARIA POTEMROVÁ