In 1969, on the initiative of local residents and the Club of Old Gorizia Students, a stone memorial plaque was attached to the birthplace of composer Ivan Laharnar in Šentviška Gora, which bears the inscription:
“Behold, both a farmer and musician
Ploughs land – sings songs
Slovenian composer
Ivan Laharnar
Born in this house on 6 May 1866
Died on 27 December 1944
Club of Old Gorizia Students
Compatriots
1969”
Ivan Laharnar
Ivan Laharnar (1866–1944) was a Slovenian composer and organist. Throughout his professional career he scored over 600 compositions, mostly sacred choral works and other vocal pieces.
Ivan showed a natural flair for, and interest in, music as early as in primary school. His talent was recognised by the local parish priest, Franc Ilovar, who started to instruct him in music. When Ilovar had no more to teach him, Laharnar’s father decided to enrol Ivan in Anton Foerster’s Organ School. However, this was frustrated by the fact that they missed the enrolment deadline. Thus, Ilovar referred them to Adolf Harmel for further instruction in music. Under Harmel, Laharnar studied music theory, music history, counterpoint and choral conducting for three years, and gradually scored his first compositions. One of his earliest songs was Vina brž na mizo (Quickly Serve Us Wine). His last music teacher was composer and folk song collector Ivan Kokošar, who further encouraged Laharnar to dedicate himself to composing musical works independently. It was early on that Laharnar also took the posts of organist and choirmaster of his local church.
While pursuing the career of an organist and composer throughout most of his life, Laharnar also devoted himself to collecting folk and church songs with composers Ivan Kokošar and Danilo Fajgelj. His output comprises predominantly compositions of a religious nature, most of them short vocal compositions, and some larger Masses. His greatest composing achievement was Ora pro nobis, a mass for mixed choir scored in 1892, on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the local parish. His works were published in various music periodicals, mostly by the Mohorjeva družba Gorica (Gorizia) and under the aegis of the Caecilian Society. As many of his compositions are lost, the full scope of Laharnar’s body of work is unknown. Nevertheless, several of his compositions still form part of the choral repertoire.
Anja Biščak
