Slavko Osterc in Maribor

Abstract

Although Slavko Osterc spent only a part of his youth in Maribor he kept up with the musical development there through his friends, musical colleagues and pupils until death. In Maribor he received the basis of musical instruction at the teachers' training college from H. Druzovič and E. Beran. In Maribor Osterc (almost certainly) started to compose. Maribor reproductive musicians (orchestras, choruses, individuals) were performing in Maribor, on Ptuj, at Celje and in Belgrade a great many of his early works from the so-called 'amateur' creative period (from 1920 to 1925, or to 1927 resp.). It is thanks to them that Osterc's name was already at an early time and frequently mentioned in Slovene, Yugoslav, and in Slovenia issued German, newspapers. In Maribor Osterc had several respectable friends, thus the bandmaster F. Herzog and the notary I. Ašič. Especially the latter was also Osterc's adviser, supporter, as well as performer of his lieder. By extending financial support he made it possible for Osterc to continue his studies in Prague, which was of decisive significance for Osterc's further development as a composer. Today Osterc's early works (those written up to 1923) remain almost unmentioned because he renounced them. Judging by the response they had been met with by the reviewers at that time they should, however, be made known again if we are to arrive at a complete picture of Osterc as a composer. Osterc was in Maribor (up to the 1925-26 season) undoubtedly the most often performed composer. This is true also of the period when he was active at Celje, as many of his compositions were here as well played by Maribor artists, in this way we can perhaps speak of 'Osterc's period' in the Slovene music (from 1922 to 1926) in Štajersko (Styria).