On the centennial of the birth of Franc Premrl, in 1984, a commemorative plaque was attached to his birthplace. It marks the place where during Premrl’s lifetime composers Stanko Premrl, Matija Tomc, Franc Kimovec and others used to meet in the evenings.
Franc Premrl
Choirmaster and composer Franc Premrl (1884–1948) devoted himself primarily to vocal music. Testifying to his composing accomplishments, some of his choral pieces are recognised as pre-eminent examples of Slovenian church music.
Initially a self-taught musician, Premrl played the organ in the parish church of his hometown of Vrhpolje in the vicinity of Vipava. Subsequently, he obtained formal music education by attending the Caecilian Society’s Organ School in Ljubljana, graduating in 1911. He conducted a number of choirs in his birthplace, as well as in Ajdovščina and Šturje, served as organist to the parish churches in Vipava and, between 1929 and 1941, Šmartno pod Šmarno goro, where he first applied himself to composing. During World War II, Premrl fled to Ljubljana to escape the German occupying forces, and returned to Vrhpolje after the war, where he soon met his death.
He scored a number of sacred choral compositions, liturgical works performed during worship, for male-, female-voice and mixed choirs. Among his countless published scores are a Slovenian mass for mixed choir and organ, K oltarju božjemu stopimo (Let Us Approach the Holy Altar, 1937), a collection of five Easter pieces for mixed and male-voice choirs, Odpre se grob (The Tomb Opens, 1937), Himna Kristusu Kralju (Hymn to Jesus, Our King, 1939) and a mass for two voices intended for young singers, Jezus, Tvoji ljubljenci (Jesus, Your Beloved Children, 1942).
Maia Juvanc
