Otto Albert Tichý
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Otto Albert Tichý (August 14, 1890 – October 21, 1973) was a Czech composer, teacher and organist.
[edit] Life
Otto Albert Tichý was born in Martínkov, Moravia, in a typical family of a provincial teacher and Catholic persuasion. He had studied different instruments and playing organ too from his early age. He decided to be a musician, he composed his early compositions just when he was a boy. He became a devoted student of Vítězslav Novák at the Prague Conservatory. But early after he started his study, he decided due to his own inner strggle to interrupt it and for nine years he works at the most spiritual publisher's of this time, Josef Florian Tichý works there for his idealism only for dwelling and feed. This life he survive until 1919, when, hasted his longing of music, started his study like a pupil of a great French composer and teacher Vincent d'Indy at the Schola Cantorum. At this prestigious school Tichý meets a lot of musical inspiration studying organ, Gregorian chant, and composition directly by Vicent d'Indy. Tichý respected his teacher very much. In next years studyied Tichý contrapunt and concord as well. At Schola Cantorum he obtained the occasion to meet music from 16th to 18th century in practice and the vocal polyphony too. After he successfully finished his study, he lived on like a private music teacher and organist. He spent six years in France and after his marriage he found with his family a good place for living in Lausanne, where he worked as organist in the cathedral Notre Dame and as professor of music at Dominican gymnasium. In Switzerland spent Tichý the most successful ten years of his life. In 1936 he had by serious personal reason to leave loved country for returning home. Only after next ten years he became an established person, when he obtained except the engagement of choirmaster and organist at st. Vitus cathedral in Prague and employment as a teacher at Prague Conservatory as well. He taught choir singing, Gregorian chant, improvisation, organ accompaniment, conducting, Latin, French. Only a few time for teaching organ paying rested him for several pupils. During communist empire has Tichý a lot of problems, but he stayed at Prague Conservatory as a teacher thank to Conservatory then director Václav Holzknecht and thanks to Tichý's own wide knowledges and skills especially in languages and music for long twenty years. Otto Albert Tichý left Prague Conservatory in the age of 75. He also finished his work as the organist at st. Vitus cathedral in Prague. But until the end of his life he continually wrote the music and translated books without any hope for edition. Otto Albert Tichý died in the age of 83 at the end of his orderly visit on Holy mass in st. Vitus cathedral, closely to his organ-loft.
Few of Otto Albert Tichý's works are performed regularly today. His best known pieces are probably the Missa festival in honorem Sti Alberti Magni, Missa pastoralis in honorem Jesu Infantis in Praga or A Notre-Dame du Chene , and Tantum ergo sacramentum, and Ave Maria, and some other vocal comopsitions and very nice compositions for small chamber brass or string ansambles.
Among Otto Albert Tichý's other works are other orchestral music, chamber music, piano music and songs.
