Darja Koter
The Academy of Music at the University of Ljubljana
BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE
AND PERFORMING LIFE
Abstract: The article introduces Bojan Adamiè as a broadly educated, versatile and multi-talented
musician, focusing on his general and musical education, and his activities in several other areas.
Emphasis is placed the reciprocity of Adamiè’s performing and creative activities in classical music,
jazz, dance music, compositions for various brass ensembles, and in his creations in film music,
popular song, and chanson.
Keywords: education, talent, creativity, performance art, classical music, jazz, film music, dance
music, brass ensembles, popular song, chanson.
Bojan Adamiè, (1912-1995), born in Ribnica, was a pianist, composer, conductor, music
arranger, editor, versatile music performer, and a photographer.1 At the time of Bojan’s
birth, his father Anton (brother of the composer Emil Adamiè) was working as a tax
official in Ribnica in the Dolenjska region, where he also married Marija Nosan. Bojan’s
future musical vocation was mapped out within the family circle. His father, an amateur
pianist and choir conductor, started to give his son piano lessons at the age of four, while
his mother, who also had a talent for music, often sang to her children. The Ribnica brass
band also played an important role in Bojan’s interest in music. According to an anecdote,
he hung around the musicians so much that they eventually named him “our conductor
with a broom”, because he used a broomstick to beat time while the orchestra played their
marches. In 1921 the Adamiè family moved to Ljubljana, where Bojan completed primary
school (he attended the six-year municipal boys’ school, later renamed Ledina Primary
School. He attended piano lessons at the music school of the Glasbena Matica Music
Society from the age of ten. When he was sixteen (school year 1928/29), he entered the
Conservatoire in Ljubljana and became a student of Anton Ravnik (1895-1989), a pianist
of excellent education, who remained his professor even when Adamiè attained a higher
level of education.2 Remembering his early years of piano study, Adamiè said: “I felt as if
a whole new world would open up for me. I was 14 when I had my first public
performance. My hands were very deft already and in this respect I was a real surprise for
my professor. Technique was not a particular problem for me; however, if I had practiced
more, I would have been better.”3 After primary school, he enrolled in the II. State
Secondary Grammar School, later renamed Gimnazija Poljane Upper Secondary School,
and graduated in 1931. As a grammar school student he took an interest in various
activities, one of them gliding, eventually passing the glider pilot exam and testing his
gliding skills in Velike Bloke during vacations. He also learned to play the organ and even
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Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
1 The authors acknowledge the financial support from the state budget of the Slovenian Research Agency
(project No. P6-0376).
2 Biographical data on Bojan Adamiè were resumed after composer’s documented memoirs and other
sources from the family archive kept by his daughter Alenka, as well as after websites that have edited his
sister Antonija Levart and his daughter Alenka Adamiè according to preserved documents and short
biographical publications existing so far.
3 Biographical data with quotations are published on website Bojan Adamiè, accessible at
http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija#uvodinbio, May 14th, 2012.
claimed that it became his favourite instrument. At the age of 15, entirely of his own
accord, he started to play organ in the church of St. Joseph in Ljubljana, which he enjoyed
immensely because the church’s catechist “overlooked” his improvisations on popular
tunes from films that he rearranged in a choral music style. The congregation was very
happy with his performances and his playing apparently enticed young musicians and
grammar school professors to attend the services at St. Joseph more frequently.
Adamiè continued to admire brass band music while attending grammar school. He
would follow the Ljubljana brass band as they accompanied funeral processions on their
way to ale cemetery and then back to the city, where the bandsmen would give way to
playing popular music. His favoured route for a stroll in Ljubljana city centre was around
the Mikliè Hotel coffee room (later the Yugoslav National Army Hall). It was from this
spot that he could hear the popular music that he found so very appealing and that later, at
18 years of age, became his addiction. Adamiè discovered at a young age that he had an
excellent musical memory, remarking: “My memory was already remarkable at that time.
I heard a tune just once, maybe twice and I memorized it along with all the harmonies. But
I never tried to play such tunes at home, because I still worshipped Beethoven, Mozart,
Chopin […]”4. At first he played at dance parties where the Ljubljana young enjoyed
American rhythms, which Adamiè described in the following way: “What we were
listening to at the time was actually not jazz, it was the beginning of a different music,
disconnected from operetta or classical music. That was soon after 1920.”5 The few
records and score editions sold in some shops and publishing houses in Ljubljana were
almost the only existing sources of jazz music. The first Slovenian group to play dance
music (foxtrot, step, swing) and music comprising jazz elements (at the time still without
improvisation) was a four-man band Original Jazz Negode (founded in 1922 in Ljubljana
by Miljutin Negode from Trieste). They were also the first group to contain a saxophone
player (from 1924 the group had five members; the saxophone player was Janko Gregorc,
a composer and versatile musician). It was at this time that the saxophone came to be
classified as a typical jazz instrument, so groups with saxophones were often considered
jazz bands, even though they did not perform real jazz. A scattering of similar bands
played in Slovenia over the following years: Cvirnovi fantje, parlour trio Odeon, and
Sonny Boy Jazz, while Merkur and Jazz Zarja were best known among the bands
originating from cultural societies. All of them looked to film music for inspiration, since
American cinematography had also made its way to smaller cities like Ljubljana.6 As a
young pianist accompanying dance lessons, Bojan Adamiè was one of the first in town to
try musical improvisation: “I would take a refrain and then I would play it to my own
liking […] It was just some kind of improvisation though far from what was performed
later or even today.”7 His interest in music continued to grow; besides learning the piano
at secondary level, he took additional courses in organ (Stanko Premrl), trumpet
(František Karas), and composition (Slavko Osterc). He also took a university degree in
piano and a secondary level qualification in the organ.8 Beside these “compulsory”
6
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
4 Ibidem.
5 Cited from: Ana Kajzer, Razvoj slovenskega jazza v luèi drubenih sprememb, degree essay, Ljubljana:
Fakulteta za drubene vede, 2003, p. 19.
6 Ibidem, pp.19-21; compare Peter Amalietti, Zgodbe o jazzu, Ljubljana: DZS, 1986, pp. 5-7.
7 P. Amalietti »Mojster Bojan Adamiè«, Glasbena mladina 6 (1985), pp. 20-21.
8 School certificates are kept by his daughter Alenka Adamiè.
instruments, he played the accordion, saxophone, and clarinet, making progress with the
support of his friend Miloš Ziherl, with whom he had much in common.9 At the age of 18,
before he joined Danèi Pestotnik’s band Rony, Adamiè wrote compositions and mostly
arranged American film music.
Photo 1: Bojan Adamiè as saxophonist (third from bottom) with the Ronny ensemble in 1932 in
Rogaška Slatina (family archives).
In Rony, he played the accordion and later also the saxophone - like other ensembles in
Ljubljana they pioneered the performing of popular music and dabbled in playing jazz. It
was playing in the ensemble, which performed in a prestigious casino in Bled for no less
than 6 months in 1933, that most probably decided his fate. In other words, from that point
on he pursued two paths; he continued his formal education in classical music while
gaining experience in popular music, which not only became as appealing to him as
classical music but was also becoming more popular among the young. Respecting his
parents’ wishes, he entered the faculty of law after high school graduation, completing his
studies in five years, passing the state judiciary exam (1934), and finally graduating.10
Alongside studying law, he continued to study piano until he graduated from the Academy
of Music in 1941, with a public performance of the Piano Concerto No. 1 in E- flat major
by Franz Liszt. The conductor of the orchestra was Samo Hubad, who later became one of
the most eminent conductors in Slovenia.11 According to Adamiè, it was his piano
professor Anton Ravnik who spotted his capacity for music and who encouraged him to
pursue a career in it. While Ravnik disapproved of his student’s interest in popular music,
Adamiè highly respected him, both as a person and a teacher.12 The beginning of the war
brought Bojan’s career as a pianist to a halt temporarily, but he held on to his desire to
continue his studies for many years to come.
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Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
9 Accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-sebi, October 10h, 2012.
10 Documentation is kept in the family archive by his daughter, Alenka Adamiè; partially accessible at
http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija#uvodinbio, May 14th, 2012.
11 Certificate of graduation in piano, dated January 1941, kept in the family archive by his daughter, Alenka
Adamiè.
12 Accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-sebi, October 20th, 2012.
Photo 2: Bojan Adamiè – pianist, 1932 (family archive).
The pre-war period was rather more favourable in terms of dance and jazz music
recognition, particularly in tourist resorts where the ensembles performed popular
sections of classical music and operettas or jazz and dance music at afternoon concerts.
The Ronny ensemble often performed at such venues and events, although it seems that the
visitors to these resorts were not particularly enthusiastic about jazz.13 After the group fell
apart in 1936 Adamiè founded his own ensemble in the company of Samo Hubad and
Vlado Golob; the latter worked for years after war as the principal of Maribor secondary
music school. The ensemble became extremely popular among the Ljubljana young,
especially for their jazz improvisation, which was led by Adamiè. Because of his immense
perseverance and relentless attitude toward the other members of the band, he acquired the
nickname “Master”; it was meant as a joke at first, but through the years he justified it in a
variety of ways until it became his trademark.14 In that period the trumpet was becoming
synonymous with jazz. According to Adamiè, there was only one trumpet player involved
with dance music at that time in Ljubljana; unfortunately, he was not familiar with jazz
principles, which provided Bojan with the impetus to learn and practice until he finally
took the place of the trumpet player in the ensemble. He said that playing the trumpet
“transferred him into heavenly spheres”.15 His ability to develop improvisation, as well as
the accessibility of records and Hollywood films imbued with swing, resulted in the
establishment of new and bigger ensembles (such as the student New Star orchestra that
later developed into the even larger Broadway), which became equally successful. Jazz
started to spread unstoppably throughout Slovenian lands, gaining an ever increasing
number of fans. Before the war, Adamiè and some other first-rate musicians had joined the
Broadway orchestra that played in the prestigious Kazino in Bled, where they caused a
sensation. After Broadway was dissolved at the beginning of the war, he founded his own
group under the name the Bojan Adamiè Orchestra. As regards education, the musicians
8
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
13 Ibidem.
14 Bojan Adamiè, accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija#uvodinbio, May 14th, 2012.
15 From Adamiè’s memoirs; typescript is kept in the family archive, accessible at
http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-sebi, October 21st, 2012.
were left to their own devices; professional musicians and particularly the professors at the
Academy of Music were prejudiced, and indeed, wholly opposed to jazz.16 Jazz enjoyed
its biggest following among students, especially among those who were members of the
democratically oriented Sokol movement. However, it was not accepted among students
influenced by Catholic ideology and among young communists; they assumed that jazz
promoted a more (or excessively) spontaneous and unorthodox youth lifestyle. In their
opinion jazz was the herald of the decline of western civilisation. However, in Slovenia at
least, there was never a serious counter-jazz movement and jazz remained on the level of
urban subculture despite its popularity. The beginning of World War II changed the
common perception of jazz, as its social role was looked upon more favourably as a result
of its close connection with the allies. The Italian and German authorities, however,
rejected it for its American origin.17
The Bojan Adamiè Orchestra was still operating after the beginning of the war and
donating its entire income to the Slovenian Liberation Front (OF) movement, which
Adamiè had signed up to early. In 1943 he joined the partisans in the Dolenjska region,
acquiring the partisan name Gregor; he played in a small cultural group there along with
his friends until he was severely wounded during a German attack in his role as a machine
gunner. At the beginning of 1944, after recovering from his injuries, he was assigned to
the headquarters of the National Liberation Army (NOV) to organize a military band. As
they were starting from scratch, they decided to announce an appeal for musicians; a few
some partisans, some disabled and wounded soldiers, and amateur musicians with
instruments responded. Many of them were lacking a proper musical education, yet under
Adamiè’s leadership they made considerable progress and were soon able to perform
compositions suitable for the times, such as marches and compositions with a
revolutionary theme. He transferred his enthusiasm for jazz into battle songs by arranging
marches into evergreens and by employing popular themes, such as jazz, and American
popular music ensembles. Initially, these arrangements met with the severe disapproval of
the “political bosses”, but when two of the headquarters’ high commanders, commissar
Boris Kidriè and commander Franc Rozman – Stane, grew fond of his music, his actions
were “approved”. At first the members of the military brass band were also quite reluctant
to meet his demands for entirely different rhythms and melodies in playing and singing.
Adamiè developed his own style by veering away from traditional Slovenian brass band
music and approaching the trends of West European and American dance music. He
described the direction he took in the following way: “At the very beginning I introduced
my own style by composing all partisan marches as evergreens with the refrain in the
middle. That was a complete novelty, but I made my musicians believe it was logical and
normal. The band played on and on and then only the drum and two woodwinds kept on.
Everybody was singing, rhythmically, in syncope […].”18
In the summer of 1944 a renowned miners’ brass band from Hrastnik under the
bandmaster Joe Brun joined the partisans, bringing along both their instruments and
score archive. Bruno’s skilled musicians played marches and sections from the operas of
9
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
16 Bojan Adamiè legacy contains a variety of autobiographic articles or written memoirs about his work in
the field of jazz. For the most part, they are undated.
17 Gregor Tomc, Druga Slovenija. Zgodovina mladinskih gibanj na Slovenskem v 20. stoletju, Ljubljana:
Zaloba Krt, 1989, p. 53.
18 Bojan Adamiè, accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija/#uvodinbio, May 14th, 2012.
European composers. Their performance impressed Adamiè, who decided to include their
youngest musicians in his smaller amateur band despite Bruno’s opposition; he was
entitled to do so on account of his important position at the time.19 Consequently, from
August 1944, there were two bands operating in the liberated territory in Bela krajina:
Bruno’s band of the VII corps and Adamiè’s band of the headquarters of the National
Liberation army, each numbering about forty members. They operated according to
military organisation principles and attended political meetings as well as music practise;
both bands performed at meetings, cultural events in nearby villages, in partisan units, as
well as on OF radio broadcasts. The bands played marches by Joe Brun, Bojan Adamiè
and Drago Lorbek (an excellent musician and arranger) as well as other compositions,
such as the arrangements of partisan songs by Slovenian composers, Slovenian folk songs
and Russian song potpourris, as well as opera sections.20
Adamiè’s wartime list of the original works and arrangements comprises more than
150 compositions; unfortunately, the greater part of them was lost. He also described
having written some arrangements of Beethoven’s works by memory from his student
years, saying subsequently: “I sincerely hope that the late Ludwig van was not able to hear
“his” compositions over the pandemonium of war […].”21 Besides a number of
compositions for brass bands, Adamiè wrote some choir compositions as well as solo
songs (Pesem talcev, text by K. Destovnik - Kajuh; Zdravo tovariš, text by T. Seliškar,
etc.), and instrumental compositions for chamber ensembles.22 As a musician, his
cooperation with OF Radio was invaluable; he assumed various roles, even as a pianist
and accordion player. For his war-time efforts, Adamiè was decorated for his merits and
saw liberation with the rank of second lieutenant, later enjoying a promotion to the rank of
major. In 1946 he was awarded a high state decoration for bravery, conferred by the
Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the Federative People’s Republic of Yugoslavia,
which resulted in a definite career boost. Furthermore, thanks to his well deserved honour,
he was able to make some progress in the development of jazz, which was otherwise
renounced by the new authorities, who considered jazz a creation of capitalist culture.
Wartime brought Adamiè both ups and downs, as well as his acquaintance with Barbara
Èerniè, whom he met in the partisans and married after the war, when their daughter
Alenka was also born.
Despite the principled inclusion of communist ideology into everyday life, another set
of “rules” also existed in Yugoslav post-war society. For the select few, especially for
individuals awarded “merit for the nation” the new era brought ample opportunity to move
around and advance according to their strengths. Adamiè, thanks to his status as partisan
and influential cultural figure, overcame the common aversion towards western popular
and jazz music, and established the Radio Ljubljana Dance Orchestra (Plesni orkester
radia Ljubljana, also called PORL) immediately after the war. In actual fact, PORL had
already begun in 1929 with the establishment of the Ronny ensemble. Adamiè was
10
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
19 Emina Mašiæ, Razvoj pevske in instrumentalne dejavnosti ter rudarske godbe v Hrastniku, graduation
thesis, Ljubljana: Academy of Music, 2012, pp. 48-51.
20 Compare: Jani Šalamon, »Joe Brun – partizanski dirigent in skladatelj«, manuscript, paper at the
symposium »Kultura v èasu druge svetovne vojne (1939-1945)«, Maribor, June 2012.
21 Accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-sebi, October 21st, 2012.
22 The complete bibliography of Adamiè’s opera has not been published yet. On the compositions from his
partisan period compare the website http://www.bojan-adamic.si/glasba/ , December 15th , 2012; also
compare the articles by Franc Krinar and Domen Prezelj in the present publication.
appointed PORL conductor and they made their first appearance at the opening ceremony
of the Postojna caves on June 27th 1945. From the autumn of the same year, PORL
operated as the professional ensemble of Ljubljana Radio and its members were granted
the status of professional musicians. The ensemble, also known as Big Band, was among
the first of its kind in postwar Europe. Adamiè had to deal with a number of problems, as
he had to comply with the directives of the new socialist and pro-Soviet society, which
required music for the masses, such as compositions in the revolutionary and proletarian
spirit and popular songs “for the benefit of the nation”. Adamiè commented that,
fortunately, the period of bad marches and hit tunes came to an end quickly, so jazz grew
irrepressibly within Yugoslav society, finding many devotees among the young in
particular, who adopted it as a lifestyle. Consequently, the number of Yugoslav jazz
ensembles grew again, operating under the auspices of cultural and arts societies. Adamiè
compared the quality of jazz in Slovenia in with the other republics and claimed that while
Slovenian musicians were less successful in improvisation, which he saw as the
fundamental characteristic of jazz, they were generally better educated, since most of them
had attended the Academy of Music.23 In May 1945 Adamiè was assigned to the posts of
PORL conductor, head of the music department and assistant manager at Ljubljana Radio
– all of which suited his ambitions. 24 However, the political leadership were convinced
that a man of his type, a former partisan and highly educated musician, was obliged to
assume a political position; they offered him influential positions, such as a directorship in
the Ljubljana Opera, the Slovenian Philharmonic and other political-musical roles. He
declined all such offers and emphasized that he was content with his position. As a result,
he was “punished” for his arbitrariness with the consistent rejection of his applications for
further education.25 In other words, despite the long break in his piano playing career, he
strove to continue his studies and make himself even more proficient in his radio role.
Adamiè claimed that as far back as in 1944, he and the composer Marjan Kozina had been
promised a scholarship to study in Moscow. Nevertheless, his frequent appeals on the
matter seemed to be in vain, since the Ljubljana Radio superiors justified their decision
with the claim that Adamiè could not go abroad as they were unable to find a substitute for
him. He was convinced that he was treated unfairly, especially as many other musicians
had been given the opportunity to study even before the war in so-called “old Yugoslavia”.
Yet, after the war, one would expect that society would somehow advance in this respect;
apparently, in Adamiè’s case, this was impossible for a variety of unconvincing reasons.
Still, in 1949, Adamiè stuck to his guns and submitted an application through the British
Council in Belgrade for a scholarship to continue his piano studies in London. Had he
succeeded, he would also have been given the opportunity to hone his radio skills by
working at the BBC as an editor, conductor, arranger etc., similar to his work at Ljubljana
Radio. His application was apparently approved, but he never went to study in London or
anywhere else for that matter.26
11
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
23 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, based on Adamiè’s typescript »Jazz v Sloveniji« [Jazz in
Slovenia].
24 Alenka Adamiè keeps the documentation in the family archive.
25 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, based on autobiographic material.
26 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, documentary material, British Council letter dated January
3rd, 1949 and Adamiè’s letter to London, addressed to a certain Mrs. Dunja, dated October 24th, 1949.
Adamiè continued to work as a radio editor and assistant manager, as well as a
committed and multitalented radio musician, which allowed him a certain degree of
artistic license. He managed to shape the programme profile of the orchestra by
conforming minimally to the directives and was even able to write a number of
compositions and arrangements for them. One of their first significant appearances,
actually the first jazz concert in postwar Yugoslavia, took place in 1947 in Belgrade.
There were numerous employees of the American embassy in the audience, who
applauded loudly; as a result, the orchestra leadership had to undergo brainwashing
treatment and were ordered to renounce jazz. At that time jazz bore the brunt of capitalist
propaganda and was publicized as music without aesthetic or artistic value. As a former
partisan, Adamiè was spared some of the consequences of the incident by the authorities,
but not for long. Soon after the concert in Belgrade (probably by the end of 1947, right
before Informbiro) and after the dispute he had with the then manager of the Radio, who
disapproved of his music, the government issued a decree that sent him to Albania for
“re-education”. In other words, the problems of the orchestra related to socialist ideology
intensified in Ljubljana as well. Newspaper articles critical of the orchestra and jazz in
general appeared frequently, thus putting significant pressure on the Ljubljana Radio
management, which almost led to the disbanding of the orchestra who were described as
“the main pollutant of the Slovenian soul”.27 The Radio management almost succumbed to
public pressure, but eventually found a solution by sending Adamiè to forced
“re-education”. Conducting the local radio orchestra was the highlight of his stay in
Albania. His so-called captivity lasted for several months. Trapped in the back of beyond
he was unable to obtain any information about the current political situation at home. It
seemed as if he had been completely forgotten, seeing that the contacts that he was obliged
to keep with the political authorities in Belgrade became more infrequent month after
month. Apparently, the people responsible for Adamiè’s fate were preoccupied with the
developments around Informbiro, so they ignored his appeals regarding his unbearable
circumstances. He was released from this peculiar captivity due to a tragic coincidence.
Some strangers had burned down his hotel room, so he sent a report about the incident to
Belgrade and obtained permission to return to Ljubljana. On his return home, he had to
write a report on the matter, which the authorities stigmatized as a science fiction story.28
The struggle for the recognition of jazz continued even after the radio stations literally
erased Soviet music from their programmes and returned to domestic tunes, and even
though popular music was spreading throughout the country thanks to the American film
industry.29 Around 1949 Adamiè produced a clearly defined plan for PORL. His
programme reveals an excellent grasp of the then circumstances and potential for progress
in the Slovenian music scene. He planned to direct the orchestra in a variety of activities
such performing dance music live on central radio, accompanying the popular songs and
chansons of the so-called Jeek group in the Union Hotel’s concert hall in Ljubljana,
performing “Soviet and in part partisan songs, proper chansons”, playing and recording
12
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
27 Accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-svoji-maturi, October 21st, 2012.
28 Peter Lukoviæ, »Veèni fant s trobento. Paberki iz ivljenja in dela Bojana Adamièa«, Nedeljski dnevnik;
issued in installments from August 13th to December 18th, 1988.
29 From Adamiè’s memoirs, compare with www.bojan-adamic.si/ (accessible: May 29th, 2012); also
compare the discussion with Adamiè in Nedeljski dnevnik, Petar Lukoviæ, »Veèni fant s trobento”,
Nedeljski dnevnik, November 20th, 1988.
film music, and last but not least, performing in concerts they organized themselves,
“which could be very interesting for wider audiences, as evident from our experience so
far”.30 He also mentioned the financial side of the programme in his vision. The orchestra
was practically on the verge of bankruptcy but with such enthusiastic engagement, the
ensemble could improve its financial situation. In 1949 Adamiè complained to the
management that the poor terms offered to PORL employees often meant that they went to
work for the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra31. In the meantime jazz remained a
controversial issue, and at the beginning of the ‘50s, a special federal committee was
appointed to investigate the suitability of jazz in socialist society. After extensive
discussion, a presentation of the arguments for and against, and after it seemed that jazz
would finally be banned, the committee found in its favour. Adamiè even fought for its
“survival” by pleading with Josip Broz Tito and other influential political figures, such as
Moša Pijade.32
The exchange of views in political circles on the corrosive influence of jazz was harsh,
but the era of opposition was slowly coming to an end, followed by the post-1955 period,
which was more benevolent as regards jazz and popular music. In 1955 the Ljubljana Jazz
Ensemble came into existence, made up of musicians from the Ljubljana Dance Orchestra.
The newly established ensemble, led by Urban Koder, played jazz of an older style. A few
years later, the Mojmir Sepe Ansemble was founded, which was the first to play the latest
jazz (at the time cool jazz, westcoats jazz, etc.). After the establishment of the first
Yugoslav jazz festival in Bled (1960), jazz spread throughout Slovenia, gaining an
increasing number of fans.33 Throughout, Adamiè’s Radio Ljubljana Dance Orchestra
was still playing the most important role in the popularization of jazz and despite the
chronic problems they faced, the ensemble survived, due in no small part to Adamiè, the
determined and knowledgeable master, capable not only of surmounting all hurdles but
also winning recognition in Europe. The ensemble made the greatest progress in the
second half of the ‘50s, when they were offered more opportunities to publically perform
in Slovenia and other parts of Yugoslavia. They were invited to almost all the important
festivals and first-rate events in this area and the success they enjoyed in their homeland
brought invitations for guest appearances abroad. In the second half of the ‘50s the
ensemble performed in Poland, Hungary and in the Soviet Union - their performances
caused a sensation. In Hungary, for example, they managed to fill venues with more than
ten thousand spectators.34 There are many anecdotes, as well as more grounded stories
about the relationships between the members of the ensemble; however, throughout his
leadership, Adamiè struggled devotedly for the existence and progress of the orchestra,
and for the acknowledgement of all its respective members. In keeping with a bad
Slovenian habit, it was a series of misunderstandings, or intrigues that brought his
involvement with the orchestra to an end. Adamiè decided to give up full-time leadership
13
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
30 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, Naèrt o programih in ciljih PORL-a [Plan of the programme
and objectives of PORL], typescript, around 1949.
31 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, letter to the management of Ljubljana Radio, October 12th,
1949.
32 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, autobiographic note: »O jazzu in njegovi vlogi v Jugoslaviji«
[About jazz and its role in Yugoslavia].
33 Compare with Peter Amalietti, Zgodbe o jazzu, Ljubljana: DZS, 1986, p. 7.
34 Accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija#koncerti, November 15th, 2012.
in 1962, yet, on rare occasions, he still appeared as PORL’s conductor.35 Officially, he was
employed as the conductor of PORL at Ljubljana Radio from the end of August 1962 until
the end of July 1980.36 However, during that period he actually spent more time in
Belgrade and other Yugoslav cities, where he was engaged in a number of activities. He
was also a frequent guest of the big-band scenes in Europe and beyond.
Adamiè had his own show on Ljubljana Radio from as early as 1948. His programme
was based on a musical request format and was a predecessor of the renowned broadcast
“eleli ste, poslušajte”, which he hosted until 1952 and which is still on air today. He
became an extremely popular figure through his broadcasts and he received numerous
letters of appreciation from his grateful audience. Regular on-air performances by PORL
also met with a wide and gratifying response from audiences in Slovenia, Zagreb, as well
as the wider Croatian area.37 Bojan Adamiè belonged to the group of musicians who could
find nothing sinful or morally deficient in the ascension of popular music of all varieties.
On the contrary, he saw popular music as meeting a common need, bringing with it a host
of benefits. According to him, popular music was “the main cause of sinfulness among the
young […] or maybe it was just forced to play the role of scapegoat, when a more
appropriate cause was not available. With revolt, not only of the followers and defenders,
but above all among the ordinary, who had seen it a life necessity, popular music
gradually ascended to its present level and onto a pedestal, where it reigns upon
somewhat tortuous, proportionless and unstable legs. Many still consider it a public
nuisance, whereas to many others, it is indispensable – it is a part of our life. In some
sections it has risen to an artistic form, while elsewhere it has declined to the level of
composing in the folk spirit; in parts it subsists on the accordion, and in parts it reigns in
festivals, performed by excellent singers and orchestras.” He added that popular music
reached its peak when it managed “to supersede the import of foreign popular songs.
[…]”.38 He was convinced socialist Yugoslavia conatined many gifted pop singers and
other talented individuals. He added that the authorities’ negative attitude made it
impossible for a Slovenian artist to breakthrough or to participate at European or even
global festivals. The recognition of Slovenian popular music also grew with the
contribution of singers like Irma Flis and later Jelka Cvetear, who was the first performer
of a very popular song by Adamiè Ko boš prišla na Bled (‘When you come to Bled’). The
contribution of visiting performers in Slovenia from the other Yugoslav republics, such as
Ivo Robiè, was equally valuable; the first time Adamiè heard him sing was in Zagreb in
1943 (before he joined the partisans). In Zagreb especially popular music and jazz had
reached a high level of quality even before the war. The first Yugoslav festival of popular
music was organized at the beginning of the 50’s in Belgrade and Bojan Adamiè was the
main conductor and arranger of the festival in three consecutive years. In 1953 the festival
was moved from Belgrade to Opatija, where the upswing in popular music began, again
with the regular participation of Adamiè, who took part in the festival as a member of the
jury, composer, arranger, and conductor. Opatija festival became a model for new and
similar events: in 1962, partly due to Adamiè’s influence, another festival named
14
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
35 Accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija#optimist, November 26th, 2012.
36 From the family archive of his daughter, Alenka Adamiè.
37 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folder: Pisma [Letters].
38 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, autobiographic note: “Nekaj misli o zabavni glasbi v
Jugoslaviji” [Reflections about popular music in Yugoslavia].
Slovenska popevka appeared in Bled. The festival was moved to Ljubljana two years later.
Adamiè wrote his first popular songs as early as the late 40’s (compositions such as
Barbara, 1949).
Photo 3: Radio Ljubljana Dance Orchestra with Bojan Adamiè and Majda Sepe (family archive).
He frequently worked with singers such as Marjana Deraj, Beti Jurkoviè, and Majda
Sepe. He had an excellent sense for discovering talent and should be credited with helping
to launch the successful career of many singers from the former Yugoslav scene. Among
others, he discovered Gabi Novak in 1957 when he heard her voice in the synchronization
of Croatian animated films. He wrote the arrangements for her debut in Zagreb, where she
was hugely successful. Having an outstanding sense for recognizing musical capacities,
he was capable of perceiving both the strengths and weaknesses of singers, as was the case
at his first meeting with Vice Vukov at the Opatija festival in 1959. Vukov was a
promising singer, which Adamiè recognized immediately, and he made the effort to
correct his singing as well as to encourage him to perfect it. Later, Vukov enjoyed success
as an international star. Similarly, Adamiè recognized the singing abilities of Ðorðe
Marjanoviæ, whom he especially appreciated for his interpretation abilities. The list of
popular songs that Adamiè wrote are so numerous, it is almost impossible to put a number
on them. The compositions he authored were quite different in comparison with other
contemporary works. In all probability they contained a little too much of his own artistic
charge, seeing as they never scored much success, at least not with juries, and that he was
never awarded an acknowledgement or prize in this particular genre. It seemed as if
Adamiè would rather stand by his principles and his own high criteria than to indulge or
comply with the taste of the masses. His greatest success as regards popular songs was the
composition Zlati april (‘Golden April’), performed by Marjana Deraj, which reached
the finals for the selection of the Yugoslavia Eurovision entry in 1964.39 Throughout his
life, Adamiè actively participated in various roles at pop song festivals, such as Vesela
jesen (Maribor), Kajkavska popevka in Krapina (Croatia), Melodije Istre in Kvarnerja
15
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
39 From Adamiè’s memoirs, accessible at http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija#festivali, November 26th,
1912.
(Reka, Croatia)), pop song festivals in Zagreb and Split (both Croatia), the children’s song
festival in Krško, etc.40 Due to his vigorous spirit, Adamiè was well acquainted with other
varieties of popular music and also worked with much younger musicians, such as the
rocker Marko Brecelj, songwriter-singer Jani Kovaèiè, and Toma Domicelj; they
considered him a mentor and great inspiration.
Adamiè modelled his work on a number of composers from the world of classical
music as well the jazz masters. He was creative in a variety of genres and composed with
responsibility at all levels as well as with great sensibility for the respective medium. He
also wrote rather quickly, otherwise, with all his other responsibilities, he could not have
managed to write around a thousand score units, not to mention the works that have been
misplaced or even lost. He wrote the compositions for dance orchestras, composed jazz
music that he supplemented with distinctive personal characteristics, film music for
documentaries and feature-length films; he edited music for theatre, as well as for puppet
theatre performances and for all kinds of radio broadcasts for adults and for children; he
composed popular songs, chansons, music for orchestras and wind orchestras, music for
solemn celebrations and sporting events, ballets, musicals, choir and chamber music. The
greater part of the most important international acknowledgements he achieved with the
Radio Ljubljana Dance Orchestra. In 15 years of Adamiè’s leadership, the ensemble
promoted Slovenian jazz and Slovenian pop music until they finally transcended national
boundaries and gained recognition throughout Europe. The second important element in
his creative work was the film music that raised him to the top rank of Slovenian and
Yugoslav creativity. Adamiè also composed film music for studios in Europe and in the
United States and more or less by chance, soon after the war, he involved in film and
incidental music. At the time he was not aware that his work for film media would become
the most impressive of his creative achievements. At the beginning of his involvement he
lacked in-depth knowledge about film music, as he was acquainted with the genre only
from the pre-war period during which he played and arranged a number of music sections
from the American films that were trickling into Ljubljana cinemas. However, he took up
the challenge and succeeded. The most outstanding films featuring his original music were
Vesna (1953), Ne obraèaj se, sine (‘Don’t Look Back, Son’, 1956), Ples v deju (‘Dancing
in the Rain’, 1961), Samorastniki (‘The Self-Sown’, 1963), Kekèeve ukane (‘Kekec’s
Tricks’, 1968), Maškarada (‘Masquerade’, 1971), Valter brani Sarajevo (‘Walter
Defends Sarajevo’, 1973), TV serial Kapelski kresovi (‘Kapela Bonfires’, 1974-1976),
Nasvidenje v naslednji vojni (‘Farewell Until the Next War’, 1980), Boj na poiralniku
(‘Battle (at the Gullet’, 1982), and many others. The score for a documentary Neme
podobe slovenskega filma (‘Silent Pictures from the Slovenian Film History’, 1995) was
the last with his signature, created in the year of his departure.41
He was involved in incidental music for the theatre from at least 1952, when he signed
his first contract with the Celje theatre - this was followed by a series of agreements with
other institutions. He cworked with the Prešeren Theatre Kranj, Theatre Drama Ljubljana,
Ljubljana City Theatre, Koreodrama Theatre, Mladinsko Theatre, Puppet Theatre,
16
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
40 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folders: Pogodbe Hrvaška [Contracts Croatia] and
Korespondenca s tujino [Correspondence with foreign countries].
41 Accessible at: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/glasba/, November 26th, 2012. Compare the article in the
present publication: Mitja Reichenberg, “Bojan Adamiè in filmska glasba”.
Slovene National Theatre Maribor, National Theatre Sterija, National Theatre in Zagreb,
and many others.42
One of Adamiè’s most popular incidental compositions for puppet theatre was ogica
marogica (‘Little Speckled Ball’, text by Jani Malik), performed by the Puppet Theatre in
Ljubljana. Its popularity could be compared only to that of the children’s’ radio show
Zvezdica zaspanka (‘Little Sleepy Star’) by Frane Milèinski Jeek.
In the beginning of the 60’s, when Adamiè had terminated his regular cooperation with
PORL, he devoted his attention to composing and working with the military brass band in
Belgrade. Their intense collaboration lasted for four years (1962-1966). This type of
project was nothing new for Adamiè, as he was hugely experienced in composing and
brass band conducting. He had also been working tirelessly since the end of the war in the
brass band genre, promoting the activity of such bands. It was characteristic of him to
strive incessantly to develop professional and amateur playing cultures. As a conductor,
he frequently appeared at public manifestations and other cultural events of an amateur
nature. He was always willing to engage with people and easy to approach. As regards
performing, his works for brass ensembles are quite exacting, but so much the more
convincing and profound for it. His compositions for brass ensembles transcended the
boundaries of the Slovenian milieu and represented an essential addition to other such
works of Slovenian authors. Typical of his work is a diversity of style or intertwinement of
the elements of classic, pop, and jazz music. The profundity of his works also contributed
fundamentally to a rise in the artistic standards of Slovenian ensembles; a number of them
have even reached worldwide standards. His compositions have also attracted the
attention of renowned performers from Europe and the United States. Adamiè enjoyed a
number of successes in Belgrade. He was a visiting conductor of the orchestra and mixed
choir of the Yugoslav National Army’s Art Ensemble, composer and arranger of works for
military, brass and other orchestras; he composed film music and was a member and
vice-president of the Yugoslav Composer’s Association managing committee, a member
of jury panels, and composer and arranger at the Subotica youth festival. In addition, he
recorded a number of compositions for local radio with the ensembles he led in Belgrade.43
Despite visits all over Yugoslavia, especially during the 60’s, and his engagements
abroad, Adamiè did not abandon the Ljubljana scene - on the contrary, he was active there
in many spheres. Officially he was still employed as the conductor of PORL, and by
August of 1980 he had become a director of the musical production department. He finally
retired in the middle of 1981.44 Among other things, he expressed his devotion to his
native country in his original compositions and arrangements that, to a large extent,
convey the spirit of Slovenian folklore, notable in their melodic and rhythmic
characteristics and especially in their colourful instrumentation. Works by Bojan Adamiè
were published by every important publisher in former Yugoslavia and his compositions
were recorded in major radio and television houses.45 Since 1991 his works for brass
orchestra have been published exclusively by the Hartman publishing house in the
collection titled Bojan Adamiè and his Work. Bojan Adamiè was also active as a pianist.
17
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
42 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folder: Pogodbe [Contracts ].
43 Vladimir Mustajbašiæ researched Adamiè’s work in Belgrade. His study is published in the present
publication.
44 The documents are kept in the family archive by his daughter, Alenka Adamiè.
45 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folder: Pogodbe [Contracts].
He performed as a soloist or with an orchestra, but mostly he appeared as the piano
accompaniment for popular singers at music contests and radio broadcasts, among which
Veseli tobogan stands out. Veseli tobogan was a very popular radio broadcast, designed
for discovering young singing talents and Adamiè worked with them for many years as a
composer, arranger and accompanying pianist; his participation most probably began
when the broadcast started in 1963. The show brought Adamiè immense popularity with
the young, confirmed by the numerous letters he received from the audience as well as the
performers’ commendations. He also took part in a similar broadcast titled Znam – znaš at
Zagreb radio.46
For many decades and besides all his other engagements, he also strove for composers’
and entertainers’ authorship protection. He wanted to put his critical observations into
practice, so he undertook a commitment as the first president of the Association of Light
Music Composers (1956); he later became president of the Slovenian Composers’
Society, which he led for 8 years (1976-1984). Zveza skladateljev lahke glasbe (1956);
following this he became president of the society Društvo slovenskih skladateljev, which
he led for 8 years (1976-1984). He was one of the few people to stand up for entertainers’
rights, and more importantly, he strove for the introduction of jazz into the Slovenian
education system, which was only implemented at secondary level during his lifetime.
Similarly, he publicly campaigned for the accordion to be held in higher regard; he was
convinced that it should be treated in the same manner as other instruments.47 It was only a
few years ago that the accordion was introduced into the curriculum of the central
Slovenian post-secondary institution that is the Academy of Music in Ljubljana; until then
talented Slovenian musicians had to go to universities abroad, mostly in Germany and the
Soviet Union or Russia. Adamiè had great respect for the accordion, besides the guitar and
tamburitza and wrote compositions for them, especially for orchestra ensembles.48
Although his career led him away from classical music, he continued creating in this
spirit and was the author of a number of significant compositions. Among his
compositions for symphonic and chamber ensembles, the following should be mentioned:
Koncert za klavir in orkester (‘Concerto for Piano and Orchestra’, 1948), 1. in 2. suita za
simfonièni orkester (‘1st and 2nd Suite for Symphonic Orchestra’, 1950), Drugi klavirski
koncert, Ljubljanski klavirski koncert (‘Second Piano Concerto’, ‘Ljubljana Piano
Concerto’, 1972), Rapsodija, Sedem preludijev za klavir in orkester (‘Rhapsody’, ‘Seven
Preludes for Piano and Orchestra’, 1960), Suita za klarinet in godala (‘Suite for Clarinet
and Strings’, 1963), Nalepke za pihalni kvintet, Po Ribniško (‘Labels for Wind Quintet,
‘In Ribnica Style’), and Tinkarin rojstni dan (‘Tinkara’s Birthday’ for clarinet and piano).
In addition, he composed various suites on folk themes, as well as other classical works.
As Adamiè found ballet especially attractive, he worked with the renowned Pino Mlakar
to write music for the choreographies Bela Ljubljana (‘White Ljubljana’, 1957) and Moje
ljubljeno mesto (‘My beloved city’, 1959).49 In 1951 he created incidental music for the
radio play Sneguljèica (‘Snow white’),50 which he most probably used as the introduction
18
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
46 Ibidem, the folder containing postcards and letters.
47 Ibidem, folder Razmišljanja B. Adamièa [Reflections of B. Adamiè], his note titled “Harmonika”
[Accordion].
48 Compare NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, holdings of compositions.
49 Ibidem.
50 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folder: Pogodbe [Contracts].
to a much more comprehensive orchestral composition for brass orchestra that he wrote in
1993 for the Slovenian Police Orchestra. The composition was described as a musical for
an adult audience that was also appropriate for children. In his later years he also wrote a
composition for brass orchestra, vocal soloist and ballet dancers entitled Requiem, after
the poem by Frane Milèinski Jeek Requiem za klovna (‘Requiem for a Clown’). In his
grand manner in Requiem Adamiè intertwined the elements of marches, folk songs, blues,
etc, and with the colourful orchestration he managed to effectively accentuate the layers of
substance.51
Bojan Adamiè composed chansons under the influence of the prominent Slovenian
creator of the genre, Frane Milèinski Jeek, who had won recognition before World War II
and become even more renowned in the post-war period. Adamiè especially appreciated
him as a lyricist and performer. Throughout his long career Adamiè created a number of
chansons, songs, and couplets for radio and TV plays that were performed by stage actors;
however, he could not devote himself to the genre until he retired and joined forces with
the singer Meri Avsenak. As a composer, he was attracted exclusively to lyrics by
Slovenian poets, as well as revolutionary, protest and folk songs. Such choice of lyrics
indicates once more that he was not guided entirely by the European tradition, but rather
by the exceptional creativity and individuality that he demonstrated in all spheres, thus
preserving and continuing the tradition of the legendary Jeek as well. Adamiè’s
engagement in chanson passed the level of occasional performing because he devised,
alongside Meri Avsenak, the idea of the festival of Yugoslav chanson Rogaška, which in
1984 found a home in Rogaška Slatina. In order to drum up interest in the Festival, he
organized competitions throughout Yugoslavia, meeting with a more than satisfactory
response.52 His endeavours proved successful, and the so-called Slovenian chanson still
has many fans today.
Photo 4: Bojan’s »Julka« – Alfa Romeo (family archive).
19
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
51 Compare scores Bojan Adamiè/Frane Milèinski Jeek, Requiem, Ljubljana: Zveza slovenskih godb, 2012.
52 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè heritage, compare the typescript with material titled “O šansonu”
[About chanson] (around 1991) and the note “Nekaj misli o prvem Festivalu jugoslovanskega šansona v
Rogaški Slatini leta 1984” [Some thoughts about the first Festival of Yugoslav chanson in Rogaška
Slatina in 1984] (around 1989).
Photo 5: Bojan Adamiè as photographer (family archive).
Adamiè was interested in a variety of activities outside the realm of music. As gliding was
his enduring passion, he wished he had his own ultralight aircraft. He also loved
motorcycles and fast cars and enjoyed speeding along while driving his favoured car
brand, Alfa Romeo. From his youth he was a good athlete and swimmer, while he later
played table tennis, cycled, waterskied, and was a passionate camper. However,
photography had a special place among his hobbies. He claimed his fate was decided when
he was on tour in Hungary and saw an exceptionally expressive photograph. He stated
many times: “Photography is my hobby, but my true love is film.”53 When he was asked
why he was so attracted to photography, he replied: “I try to express many things in a
visual-art manner […] photographically; and if I manage to do that, then many times I am
close to the solution in terms of music.”54 Trying to capture the atmosphere, or “štimung”,
as he would say, he also discovered the common characteristics of music and
photography: “As a matter of fact, music has been abstract in its essence from long ago,
yet only nowadays photography is starting to cope with abstraction, and not without
success. Even a complete layman is astounded by the accordance of electronic music and
abstract photography.”55 He was also contemplative about colours: “Colours are equally
important components of both. Black and white photograph provides the most subtle grey
nuances; yet, what about the string quartet? Thousands of nuances and ever-new
combinations of four standard instruments. The possibilities of a modern colour
diapositive are almost limitless; yet, what about the symphony orchestra? […] One of the
bases of the composition is, without a doubt, improvisation - one has to seek out an
appropriate theme in it and the same is true of photography […].”56 Adamiè created a
comprehensive photographic opus that was, for the most part, well received by experts in
20
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
53 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè heritage, typescript titled “Pri fotografu” [At the photographer].
54 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè heritage, typescript titled “Kaj sem našel v fotografiji?” [What have I
found in photography?].
55 Ibidem.
56 Ibidem.
the field. The most distinguished among his photographs are those of masks, which he
took at the Ptuj carnivals.57
Master Adamiè was a recipient of many awards at state level and from societies and
arts institutions. The most prestigious among the state awards was the aforementioned
decoration of the People’s Assembly of Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia (1946),
the Order of Labour with the red flag (1961), Order of Merit to the Nation with silver rays,
bestowed by Josip Broz – Tito, the president of Republic of Yugoslavia (1972), Order of
the Republic with golden wreath (1982), and last but not least, the Silver Order of
Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia for exceptional achievements in the field of music
(1992). As the author of film music, he received three Golden Arenas at the international
Pula Festival (1955, 1957, and 1958). Adamiè was also the recipient of other arts awards,
the most outstanding among them are the award of the Rio de Janeiro popular song
Festival (1967), several awards for cooperation with the Artistic Ensemble of the
Yugoslav Army in Belgrade (1966, 1967, 1971, 1977), many awards at music festivals in
Zagreb, Opatija, Maribor and others. The Yugoslav Composer’s Association awarded him
their Gold Medal (1970); he also received the Award for Yugoslav Entertainers (1977),
and so on. He was also the winner of the Prešeren Award for his life’s work (1979) and the
upanèiè Award of the City of Ljubljana (1993).58
Bojan Adamiè devoted his entire life to music. He was an artist of great creative power
and an outstanding performer in various music genres. He was creating in pioneering
times, when Slovenian jazz, popular songs, chansons, film and incidental music, radio and
television broadcast, and brass orchestra music were all still in a developmental phase.
Moreover, he was also a composer of classical music. In all the areas in which he was
involved, he left an enduring impression, becoming an icon of the 20th century Slovenian
music scene.59
21
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS CREATIVE AND ...
57 Compare with the monograph by Aleš and Stanka Gaènik: Zven maske – fotografske mojstrovine Bojana
Adamièa [The Sound of the Mask: Photographic Masterpieces of Bojan Adamiè], Ptuj: Bistra Ptuj, 2003.
58 The documents are kept in the family archive by his daughter, Alenka Adamiè.
59 Translated by Irena Bezjak.
22
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
Darja Koter
Akademija za glasbo Univerze v Ljubljani
BOJAN ADAMIÈ: SOODVISNOST NJEGOVEGA UMETNIŠKEGA IN
POUSTVARJALNEGA DELOVANJA
Izvleèek: Prispevek predstavlja Bojana Adamièa kot vsestransko in široko izobraeno glasbeno
osebnost ter kot èloveka številnih talentov. Osredotoèi se na njegovo šolanje, glasbeno izobrazbo in
delovanje na razliènih podroèjih. Posebej izpostavi Adamièevo vzajemno delovanje na podroèju
poustvarjalnosti in ustvarjalnosti, ki se kae v klasièni glasbi, jazzu, glasbi plesnega znaèaja,
skladbah za razliène pihalne zasedbe ter v njegovi ustvarjalnosti filmske glasbe, popevke in
šansona.
Kljuène besede: izobraevanje, talentiranost, ustvarjalnost, poustvarjalnost, klasièna glasba, jazz,
filmska glasba, plesna glasba, godbeni sestavi, popevka, šanson
Bojan Adamiè (1912–1995), pianist, skladatelj, dirigent, araner, glasbeni urednik,
vsestranski reproduktivni glasbenik in fotograf, se je rodil v Ribnici.1 Oèe Anton, brat
skladatelja Emila Adamièa, je bil davèni uradnik in je ob Bojanovem rojstvu sluboval v
Ribnici na Dolenjskem, kjer se je poroèil z Marijo Nosan. Glasbena pot Bojana Adamièa
je bila zaèrtana e v druinskem krogu. Oèe, ljubiteljski pianist in zborovodja, je sina pri
njegovih štirih letih zaèel pouèevati klavir, glasbeno nadarjena pa je bila tudi mati, ki je
otrokoma pogosto prepevala. Na Bojanovo zanimanje za glasbo je vplivala tudi ribniška
godba na pihala. Anekdota pravi, da se je kot fantiè venomer smukal med glasbeniki in
postal njihov »dirigent z metlo«, s katero je taktiral koraèniške ritme. Druina se je leta
1921 preselila v Ljubljano, kjer je Bojan dokonèal osnovno šolo (obiskoval je
Šestrazredno I. mestno deško osnovno šolo, kasneje preimenovano v Osnovno šolo
Ledina). Pouk klavirja je od desetega leta obiskoval na glasbeni šoli Glasbene matice. S
šestnajstimi leti (v šol. l. 1928/29) ga je na ljubljanskem konservatoriju zaèel pouèevati
Anton Ravnik (1895?1989), odlièno izobraen pianist in pedagog, ki je ostal njegov
profesor tudi na visoki stopnji.2 O prvih letih klavirskega pouka je Adamiè povedal:
»Zame se je takrat odprl èisto nov svet. S štirinajstimi leti sem prvikrat nastopil. Roke sem
imel e takrat zelo hitre in za profesorja sem bil v tem pogledu pravo preseneèenje.
Tehnika mi izrazito ni povzroèala teav, še bolje pa bi mi bilo šlo, èe bi bil vsaj malo veè
vadil.«3 Po osnovni šoli se je vpisal na II. dravno realno gimnazijo (kasneje
preimenovano v Gimnazijo Poljane), kjer je maturiral leta 1931. V gimnazijskih letih so
ga zaèele zanimati številne druge reèi, tudi jadralno letalstvo. Opravil je izpit za letenje in
se kot jadralni letalec med poèitnicami kalil na Velikih Blokah. Ko se je nauèil orglanja, so
orgle postale njegovo najljubše glasbilo. Na lastno eljo je e od petnajstega leta igral v
ljubljanski cerkvi sv. Joefa, kar mu je bilo v posebno veselje, še zlasti, ker je tamkajšnji
23
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: SOODVISNOST NJEGOVEGA UMETNIŠKEGA IN ...
1 Projekt št. P6-0376 je sofinancirala Javna agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije iz
dravnega proraèuna.
2 Biografski podatki o Bojanu Adamièu so povzeti po dokumentiranih skladateljevih spominih in drugih
virih iz druinskega arhiva Adamièeve hèere Alenke in po spletnih straneh, ki sta jih po ohranjenih
dokumentih in dosedanjih krajših biografskih objavah uredili Adamièeva sestra Antonija Levart in hèi
Alenka Adamiè.
3 Biografski podatki s citati so objavljeni tudi na spletni strani: Bojan Adamiè, dostopno na
http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija/#uvodinbio, 14. 5. 2012.
katehet »spregledal« Adamièeve improvizacije na šlagerske teme iz filmske glasbe,
predelane v stilu koralne glasbe. Cerkveno obèestvo je bilo z njegovim orglanjem zelo
zadovoljno, v cerkev sv. Joefa pa naj bi prav zaradi Adamièevega igranja zahajali tudi
mladi glasbeniki in gimnazijski profesorji.
V dijaških letih je Adamiè še vedno obèudoval glasbo za pihala ter ljubljanske
godbenike z zanimanjem spremljal na pogrebnih sprevodih do al in nato nazaj proti
mestu, kjer so se razvneli z igranjem zabavnih melodij. Posebno ljubi so mu bili sprehodi
po mestnem središèu, zlasti okrog kavarne hotela Mikliè (kasneje Dom jugoslovanske
ljudske armade), iz katere se je glasila zabavna glasba, ki ga je nadvse pritegovala in pri
osemnajstih povsem zasvojila. Bojan Adamiè je e v mladih letih odkril, da ima odlièen
glasbeni spomin, o èemer je sam dejal: »Spomin sem imel e takrat izreden, èe sem slišal
melodijo enkrat, kveèjemu dvakrat, sem si jo zapomnil z vsemi harmonijami vred. Ampak
doma tega nisem poskusil igrati, ker sem še vedno èastil Beethovna, Mozarta, Chopina.
[…]«4 Najprej je zaèel igrati na plesnih veèerih, kjer se je ljubljanska mladina zabavala ob
glasbi ameriških ritmov, o èemer je dejal: »To, kar smo tedaj poslušali, še ni bil pravi jazz,
ampak prvi zaèetki drugaène glasbe, ki je prekinila z opereto, s klasiko. To je bilo kmalu
po letu 1920.«5 Pogosto edini viri jazzovske glasbe so bile redke plošèe in notne edicije, ki
so jih prodajale nekatere ljubljanske trgovine in zalobe. Prva slovenska skupina, ki je
igrala plesno glasbo (fokstrot, step, sving) in glasbo, ki je vsebovala elemente jazza (takrat
še brez improvizacije), je bila štirièlanska zasedba Original Jazz Negode (leta 1922 jo je v
Ljubljani ustanovil Traèan Miljutin Negode). Skupina je prva imela tudi saksofon (od
leta 1924 je zasedba štela pet èlanov, saksofon je igral skladatelj in vsestranski glasbenik
Janko Gregorc), ki je veljal za jazzovsko glasbilo, zato so glasbene skupine s tem
instrumentom veèkrat imenovali jazzovske, èeprav niso izvajale pravega jazza. V
naslednjih letih je na Slovenskem delovalo še nekaj podobnih skupin: Cvirnovi fantje,
salonski trio Odeon, Sonny Boy Jazz, med društvenimi pa sta bila znana ansambla Merkur
in Jazz Zarja. Vsem je bila vzor filmska glasba, saj je ameriška kinematografija intenzivno
prodirala tudi v manjša mesta, kot je bila Ljubljana.6 Bojan Adamiè je e kot fantiè, pianist
na plesnih vajah, med prvimi v mestu zaèel izvajati improvizirano glasbo, o kateri je dejal:
»Vsak refren sem enkrat vzel v roke, potem pa sem ga igral, kakor mi je ugajalo. […] To je
bila e improvizacija, èeprav še daleè od tega, kar se je poèenjalo kasneje ali celo
danes.«7 Njegovo glasbeno zanimanje se je kmalu razširilo, zato je ob klavirju na srednji
stopnji obiskoval še pouk orgel (Stanko Premrl), trobente (František Karas) in
kompozicije (Slavko Osterc). Na visoki stopnji je diplomiral iz klavirja, na srednji pa iz
orgel.8 Ob vseh »šolskih glasbilih« je igral še harmoniko, saksofon in klarinet, v èemer je
napredoval ob podpori prijatelja Miloša Ziherla, s katerim sta imela veliko skupnega.9 Še
preden se je z osemnajstimi leti prikljuèil skupini Danèija Pestotnika, imenovani Ronny, ki
je tako kot nekateri drugi ljubljanski ansambli pionirsko gojila zabavno glasbo in se
poskušala v jazzu, je Bojan Adamiè e skladal oziroma pisal priredbe, veèinoma ameriške
filmske glasbe. V ansamblu Ronny je sprva igral harmoniko, nato saksofon. Najbr je bilo
24
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
4 Prav tam.
5 Cit. po: Ana Kajzer, Razvoj slovenskega jazza v luèi drubenih sprememb, dipl. n., Ljubljana: Fakulteta za
drubene vede, 2003, str. 19.
6 Prav tam, str. 19–21; prim. tudi Peter Amalietti, Zgodbe o jazzu, Ljubljana: DZS, 1986, str. 5–7.
7 P. Amalietti, »Mojster Bojan Adamiè«, Glasbena mladina 6 (1985), str. 20–21.
8 Sprièevala hrani hèi Alenka Adamiè.
9 Dostopno na: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-sebi, 21. 10. 2012.
sodelovanje v ansamblu, ki je leta 1933 kar šest mesecev igral v prestinem blejskem
kazinu, za Adamièevo nadaljnjo ivljenjsko pot usodno. Odtlej je namreè stopal po dveh
brveh; formalno se je izobraeval v klasièni glasbi, ob njej pa spoznaval zanj vsaj enako
mamljivo zabavno glasbo, ki je pri mladini stopala v ospredje. Na eljo staršev se je po
maturi vpisal na pravno fakulteto, konèal pet letnikov, opravil dravni izpit (1934) in
kasneje še absolutorij.10 Ob fakulteti je nadaljeval s študijem klavirja in ga zakljuèil na
Glasbeni akademiji leta 1941. Za diplomo je javno izvedel prvi Lisztov koncert za klavir
in orkester v Es-duru, akademijskemu orkestru je dirigiral Samo Hubad, kasneje eden
najpomembnejših slovenskih dirigentov.11 Adamièa je na glasbeni poti najbolj spodbujal
profesor klavirja Anton Ravnik, ki je njegove pianistiène sposobnosti zelo cenil, ni pa se
strinjal z Adamièevim zanimanjem za zabavno glasbo. Adamiè je profesorja Ravnika
spoštoval kot èloveka in pedagoga.12 Z zaèetkom vojne je bila Adamièeva pianistièna pot
prekinjena, vendar je elja po nadaljnjem izobraevanju v njem tlela še leta.
Predvojni èas je plesni in jazzovski glasbi nudil precej monosti uveljavljanja,
najbolj v turistiènih krajih, kjer so ansambli na popoldanskih koncertih igrali popularne
odlomke iz klasiène in operetne glasbe ter plesne in jazzovske komade. V turistiènih
krajih je precej nastopal tudi ansambel Ronny, èeprav med tamkajšnjimi gosti naj ne bi
bilo pravega jazzovskega navdušenja.13 Po razpadu skupine leta 1936 je Adamiè ustanovil
svoj ansambel, v katerem sta igrala tudi Samo Hubad in Vlado Golob, po vojni dolgoletni
ravnatelj mariborske srednje glasbene šole. Ljubljanska mladina jih je obèudovala, še
posebno, ker so razvijali jazzovsko improvizacijo, pri kateri je imel glavno besedo
Adamiè. Ker je bil izjemno vztrajen, do èlanov pa veèkrat neprizanesljiv, se ga je oprijel
vzdevek »mojster«, sprva razumljen šaljivo, z leti pa je postal vsestransko upravièen in
njegov emblem.14 To je bil èas, ko je trobenta postala sinonim jazzovske glasbe. Adamiè
pravi, da je imela Ljubljana v tistih èasih le enega trobentaèa, ki je igral plesno glasbo, ni
pa poznal zakonitosti jazza, in prav to je Adamièa spodbudilo k izobraevanju in k temu,
da je v ansamblu prevzel vlogo trobentaèa. Pravi, da ga je igranje trobente »prestavljalo v
prave nebeške sfere«.15 Njegove sposobnosti razvijanja jazzovskih improvizacij, veèje
monosti poslušanja plošè in spremljanja hollywoodskih filmov, opremljenih s svingom,
so vplivale na ustanavljanje novih in vse veèjih zasedb (npr. študentski orkester New Star,
kasneje prerasel v veèjo zasedbo Broadway), ki so prav tako ele uspeh za uspehom. Jazz
se je na Slovenskem nezadrno širil in imel vedno veè obèudovalcev. e pred vojno se je
tudi Adamiè tako kot nekateri drugi odlièni glasbeniki prikljuèil orkestrski zasedbi
Broadway, ki je igrala v prestinem blejskem kazinu in bila prava senzacija. Po njenem
razpadu na zaèetku vojne je ustanovil svojo skupino, imenovano Orkester Bojana
Adamièa. Slovenski profesionalni glasbeniki, posebno profesorji na Glasbeni akademiji,
so jazz odklanjali in celo obsojali, zato so bili izvajalci prepušèeni lastnemu študiju in
izobraevanju, ki je temeljilo predvsem na poslušanju plošè in radijskih predvajanj.16
25
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: SOODVISNOST NJEGOVEGA UMETNIŠKEGA IN ...
10 Dokumentacijo hrani hèi Alenka Adamiè v druinskem arhivu, deloma dostopno na
http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija/#uvodinbio, 14. 5. 2012.
11 Diploma iz klavirja, datirano: januar 1941, hrani hèi Alenka Adamiè v druinskem arhivu.
12 Dostopno na: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-sebi, 20. 10. 2012.
13 Prav tam.
14 Bojan Adamiè, dostopno na http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija/#uvodinbio, 14. 5. 2012.
15 Iz Adamièevih spominov, tipkopis iz druinskega arhiva, dostopno na:
http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-sebi, 21. 10. 2012.
16 V zapušèini B. Adamièa je veè razliènih avtobiografskih sestavkov oziroma zapisanih spominov o
njegovem delovanju na podroèju jazza, veèinoma so nedatirani.
Jazzu so bili najbolj naklonjeni študentje, posebno tisti, ki jih je zdruevalo sokolsko
gibanje, medtem ko so ga katoliško usmerjeni in mladi komunisti zaradi domnevnih
vplivov na bolj (ali preveè) sprošèen in netradicionalen ivljenjski slog tedanje mladine
odklanjali, saj je v njihovih oèeh veljal za znanilca zatona zahodne civilizacije. Zares
pravega gibanja proti jazzu na Slovenskem ni bilo, njegova pojavnost pa je kljub
popularnosti ostala na nivoju mestne subkulture. Z zaèetkom druge svetovne vojne se je
drubena vloga jazza zaradi tesne navezanosti na zavezniške sile spreminjala in obraèala v
njegovo korist, zaradi svojega ameriškega porekla pa je bil še naprej nezaelen tako pri
italijanskih kot pri nemških oblasteh.17
Orkester Bojana Adamièa je tudi po zaèetku vojne še nastopal, zasluek pa podarjal
gibanju Osvobodilne fronte (OF), ki se mu je Adamiè pridruil. Leta 1943 je skupaj z
nekaterimi èlani ansambla odšel v partizane, se na Dolenjskem prikljuèil ljubljanski
brigadi in dobil ilegalno ime Gregor. Sprva je s prijatelji nastopal v majhni kulturniški
skupini, nato pa je bil v nekem nemškem napadu kot mitraljezec resno ranjen. Po
okrevanju so ga na zaèetku leta 1944 dodelili glavnemu štabu Narodnoosvobodilne vojske
(NOV) in ga zadolili, da organizira vojaško godbo. Ker je zaèel tako rekoè iz niè, so
objavili poziv, na katerega se je oglasilo nekaj borcev, tudi invalidov in ranjencev,
amaterskih godbenikov, ki so kljub skromnemu glasbenemu znanju pod Adamièevim
vodstvom hitro napredovali in bili sposobni izvajati skladbe za takratno rabo, med
katerimi so prevladovale koraènice in pesmi z revolucionarno vsebino. Svoje navdušenje
nad zabavno glasbo in jazzom je Adamiè prenesel tudi v borbene skladbe. Koraènice, na
primer, je prirejal v evergreene in vanje vpletal popularne teme in zasedbe ameriške
zabavne glasbe in jazza, kar so »politiène glave« sprva sprejemale z ogorèenjem, ko pa sta
se nad njegovo glasbo navdušila komisar Boris Kidriè in komandant Franc Rozman -
Stane, je bilo Adamièevo glasbeno poèetje »odobreno«. Na njegove ideje so sprva
zadrano gledali tudi godbeniki, saj je od njih zahteval povsem drugaèno ritmièno in
melodièno igranje in tudi petje. Adamiè je razvijal svoj slog, v katerem se je precej
odmaknil od tradicije slovenskega godbeništva in se priblial trendom zahodnoevropske
in ameriške plesne glasbe, o èemer je sam dejal: »Takoj v zaèetku sem uvedel svoj slog:
vse partizanske koraènice sem pisal kot evergreene, s tem da je bil v sredini refren. To je
bilo nekaj èisto novega, toda svoje godbenike sem tako ‘prepariral’, da so mislili, da je
logièno in normalno. Godba igra, igra, potem ostanejo samo boben in dve pihali. Vsi
pojejo, ritmièno, v sinkopah. […]«18
Poleti 1944 se je partizanom pridruila priznana hrastniška rudarska godba s
kapelnikom Joetom Brunom, ki je s seboj prinesla instrumente in notni arhiv. Brunovi
prekaljeni godbeniki so igrali koraènice in odlomke iz opernih del evropskih skladateljev.
Njihova ubrana igra je navdušila tudi Adamièa, zato je najmlajše godbenike kljub
Brunovemu ostremu nasprotovanju vkljuèil v svojo manj številèno in bolj amatersko
godbo, kar mu je omogoèil njegov takrat e pomembni poloaj.19 Tako sta od avgusta leta
1944 na osvobojenem ozemlju v Beli krajini delovali dve godbi, Brunova godba VII.
korpusa in Adamièeva godba glavnega štaba Narodnoosvobodilne vojske. Vsaka je štela
26
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
17 Gregor Tomc, Druga Slovenija. Zgodovina mladinskih gibanj na Slovenskem v 20. stoletju, Ljubljana:
Zaloba Krt, 1989, str. 53.
18 Bojan Adamiè, dostopno na http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija/#uvodinbio, 14. 5. 2012.
19 Emina Mašiæ, Razvoj pevske in instrumentalne dejavnosti ter rudarske godbe v Hrastniku, dipl. n.,
Ljubljana: Akademija za glasbo, 2012, str. 48–51.
okrog štirideset èlanov. Delovali sta po naèelih vojaške organizacije in imeli poleg vaj tudi
politiène sestanke. Nastopali sta na mitingih, kulturnih prireditvah v blinjih vaseh, v
partizanskih enotah in na radiu OF. Med avtorji koraènic in drugih skladb so bili Joe
Brun, Bojan Adamiè in Drago Lorbek, imeniten glasbenik in odlièen araner, igrali pa so
tudi priredbe partizanskih pesmi slovenskih skladateljev, potpurije slovenskih narodnih in
ruskih pesmi ter odlomke iz opernih del.20
Adamièev medvojni opus izvirnih del in priredb obsega veè kot 150 skladb, vendar se
jih je veèina izgubila. Sam je dejal, da je po spominu iz študijskih let pisal tudi priredbe
Beethovnovih del in drugih svetovnih skladateljev, k èemur je kasneje dodal: »Upam
samo, da pokojni Ludwig van med peklenskim hrumom vojne teh ‘svojih’ kompozicij ni
slišal. […]«21 Poleg številnih del za godbo na pihala je napisal nekaj zborov, samospevov
(Pesem talcev, bes. K. Destovnik - Kajuh; Zdravo, tovariš, bes. T. Seliškar idr.) in
instrumentalnih del za komorne zasedbe.22 Kot glasbenik je bil nepogrešljiv sodelavec
radia OF, kjer je nastopal v razliènih vlogah, tudi kot pianist in harmonikar. Za svoje
zasluge je bil odlikovan, osvoboditev pa je doèakal s èinom podporoènika, kasneje je
postal major. Leta 1946 je prejel visoko dravno odlikovanje za hrabrost, ki jih je
zaslunim podeljeval Prezidij Ljudske skupšèine Federativne ljudske republike
Jugoslavije, kar je gotovo vplivalo na to, da se je njegova profesionalna pot strmo dvigala,
na raèun zaslug za narod pa mu je uspelo razvijati tudi jazzovsko glasbo, ki je bila pri novi
oblasti kot plod kapitalistiène kulture sicer nezaelena. Vojni èas mu je prinesel veliko
tegob in dobrih izkušenj ter ivljenjsko sopotnico Barbaro Èerniè, ki jo je spoznal v
partizanih in s katero sta se po vojni poroèila in dobila hèerko Alenko.
Kljub integraciji komunistiène ideologije v vsakdanje ivljenje in njeni naèelnosti so
v drubi povojne Jugoslavije veljali tudi drugi »zakoni«. Poklicani izbranci, predvsem
tisti z »zaslugami za narod«, so v novem èasu uspešno kolobarili in uveljavljali svoje
adute. Tako je po zaslugi Bojana Adamièa, partizana in vplivnega medvojnega kulturnika,
kljub splošni nezaelenosti zahodne zabavne in jazzovske glasbe, takoj po vojni zaivel
Plesni orkester Radia Ljubljana (imenovan tudi PORL), katerega zametki segajo v leto
1929, ko je bil ustanovljen ansambel Ronny. PORL, katerega dirigent je postal Bojan
Adamiè, je prviè nastopil na otvoritvi Postojnske jame 27. junija 1945, nato pa je od jeseni
istega leta deloval kot profesionalni ansambel ljubljanskega radia, njegovi èlani pa so
dobili status profesionalnih glasbenikov. Zasedba, ki so jo imenovali tudi Big Band, je bila
ena prvih tovrstnih v povojni Evropi. Pri sestavljanju repertoarja je imel Adamiè kar nekaj
teav, saj se je moral prilagajati direktivam nove socialistiène in prosovjetsko usmerjene
drube, ki je prièakovala glasbo po okusu mnoic – skladbe v revolucionarnem in
delavskem duhu ter popevke »za narodov blagor«. Kot pravi Adamiè, se je doba slabih
koraènic, šlagerjev in popevk k sreèi kmalu konèala, saj se je jazz nezadrno vrašèal v
jugoslovansko drubo in imel posebno med mladimi, ki so ga pojmovali kot ivljenjski
stil, veliko privrencev. Jazzovski ansambli so ponovno narašèali, in sicer po celotnem
ozemlju Jugoslavije, svoje delovanje pa so uokvirjali v kulturno-umetniška društva.
Adamiè je menil, da so bili slovenski glasbeniki v primerjavi z glasbeniki drugih republik
27
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: SOODVISNOST NJEGOVEGA UMETNIŠKEGA IN ...
20 Prim. Jani Šalamon, »Joe Brun – partizanski dirigent in skladatelj«, rkp., prispevek na simpoziju
»Kultura v èasu druge svetovne vojne (1939–1945)«, Maribor, junij 2012.
21 Dostopno na: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-sebi, 21. 10. 2012.
22 Celotna bibliografija Adamièevih del še ni objavljena, za skladbe iz njegovega partizanskega obdobja
prim. spletno stran: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/glasba/, dostopno: 15. 12. 2012, prim. tudi prispevka
Franca Krinarja in Domna Prezlja v prièujoèi publikaciji.
slabši v improviziranju kot temeljni znaèilnosti jazza in boljši po izobrazbi, saj je veèina
obiskovala Akademijo za glasbo.23 Poloaj dirigenta PORL-a, vodje glasbenega oddelka
in pomoènika direktorja Radia Ljubljana (te funkcije je prevzel maja 194524) je Adamièu
ustrezal, politièni veljaki pa so bili preprièani, da èloveku njegovega kova, nekdanjemu
partizanu in visoko izobraenemu glasbeniku pritièe politièno mesto, zato so mu ponujali
visoka mesta (direktorovanje v ljubljanski Operi, Slovenski filharmoniji ter v nekaterih
drugih ustanovah, povezanih z glasbeno kulturo). Ker je vse tovrstne ponudbe zavrnil in
poudarjal, da je z delovnim mestom zadovoljen, je svoje samovoljno obnašanje »plaèal« s
številnimi zavrnitvami prošenj za dodatno izobraevanje.25 Kljub dolgoletni prekinitvi
intenzivnega igranja klavirja si je namreè prizadeval, da bi študij nadaljeval, ob tem pa se
je elel izpopolniti tudi v vsem, kar je poèel na radiu. e leta 1944 mu je bilo obljubljeno,
da bosta z Marjanom Kozino po vojni dobila štipendijo za študij v Moskvi. Kljub
veèkratnim Adamièevim prošnjam so se njegovi nadrejeni na Radiu Ljubljana vztrajno
izgovarjali, da njegov odhod v tujino ni mogoè, in sicer z utemeljitvijo, da zanj nimajo
nadomestila. Bil je preprièan, da se mu godi krivica, še posebno, ker je bilo glasbeno
šolanje e pred vojno, v t. i. stari Jugoslaviji, omogoèeno prenekateremu slovenskemu
glasbeniku, po vojni, ko je bilo prièakovano, da bo druba stopila še korak naprej, pa to
zaradi razliènih nepreprièljivih pretvez ni bilo mogoèe. V Adamièu je elja tlela še leta
1949, ko si je preko British Councila v Beogradu prizadeval pridobiti štipendijo za
nadaljevanje študija klavirja v Londonu, ob tem pa naj bi se izpopolnjeval še na BBC-ju,
in sicer kot radijski redaktor, dirigent, araner …, torej v vsem, kar je dotlej poèel. Èeprav
naj bi bila štipendija odobrena, do Adamièevega izpopolnjevanja v Londonu ali kje drugje
ni prišlo.26
Adamiè je ostal radijski urednik, pomoènik direktorja in vsestransko angairan
radijski glasbenik, kar mu je – ne brez teav – omogoèilo svobodno umetniško pot, precej
brez direktiv pa je ravnal tudi pri programski shemi orkestra, za katerega je napisal
številne skladbe in priredbe. Prvi pomembnejši koncert plesnega orkestra je bil leta 1947 v
Beogradu in je pomenil prvi jazzovski koncert v povojni Jugoslaviji. Obèinstvo, med
katerim je bilo veliko osebja iz ameriške ambasade, je ob skladbah Glena Millerja in
drugih podobnih huronsko ploskalo, s èimer si je vodstvo ansambla prisluilo pranje
moganov in zahtevo, da se jazzu odpove. O jazzu so pisali kot o glasbi brez estetske in
umetniške vrednosti, kot o ameriški in kapitalistièni propagandi. Adamièa je po tem
incidentu z oblastmi rešila njegova dejavnost v partizanih, vendar so ga kmalu po
beograjskem koncertu (verjetno konec leta 1947) po sporu s takratnim radijskim
direktorjem, ki ni bil naklonjen Adamièevi glasbi, z dravnim dekretom, tik pred
informbirojem, kazensko poslali »na prevzgojo« v Albanijo. Teave PORL-a, povezane s
socialistièno ideologijo, so se namreè stopnjevale tudi v Ljubljani, kjer so se v èasopisih
pogosto oglašali pisci, ki so nasprotovali Adamièevemu orkestru in jazzovski glasbi, kar
je pomenilo tudi moèan pritisk na vodstvo ljubljanskega radia in skoraj povzroèilo
ukinitev orkestra, ki naj bi bil »glavni vir onesnaevanja slovenske duše«.27 Radijsko
vodstvo je pred pritiski javnosti skoraj klonilo, rešitev pa je našlo v Adamièevi prisilni
28
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
23 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, povzeto po Adamièevem tipkopisu »Jazz v Sloveniji«.
24 Dokumentacija je v druinskem arhivu Alenke Adamiè.
25 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, povzeto po avtobiografskem gradivu.
26 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, dokumentarno gradivo, pismo urada British Councla z
dne 3. 1. 1949 in Adamièevo pismo v London neki gospe Dunji z dne 24. 10. 1949.
27 Dostopno na: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/razmisljanja/#o-svoji-maturi, 21. 10. 2012.
»prevzgoji« v Tirani. Ena svetlih toèk, ki jih je doivel v Albaniji, je bilo vodenje
tamkajšnjega radijskega orkestra. Adamièevo svojevrstno ujetništvo je trajalo veè
mesecev. Bil je odrezan od sveta in ni vedel za domaèe aktualne politiène dogodke. Zdelo
se je celo, da so nanj pozabili, saj so bili stiki s politiènimi oblastmi v Beogradu, ki jih je bil
dolan vzdrevati, iz meseca v mesec redkejši. Èas informbiroja je odgovorne za
Adamièevo usodo oèitno toliko okupiral, da se za njegove apele o nemogoèih ivljenjskih
razmerah niso menili. Svojevrstnega ujetništva ga je rešilo tragièno nakljuèje, ko so
neznanci v hotelu zagali njegovo sobo, o èemer je poslal sporoèilo v Beograd in nato
dobil dovoljenje za povratek v Ljubljano. Po vrnitvi je bil pristojnim dolan poroèilo, ki pa
so ga oigosali kot znanstveno fantastiko.28
Tudi po koncu informbiroja, ko so radijske postaje dobesedno izbrisale sovjetsko
glasbo in se vrnile k domaèim viam, z ameriško filmsko industrijo pa se je pri nas širila
zabavna glasba, se je boj za jazz nadaljeval.29 Adamiè je okrog leta 1949 jasno izrazil
vizijo PORL-a in jo tudi zapisal. Iz njegovega programa je razvidno, da je še kako dobro
razumel tedanje stanje in monosti za napredovanje slovenske glasbene scene. Zavzemal
se je, da bi orkester gojil ivo izvajanje plesne glasbe za matièno radijsko postajo,
spremljal t. i. Jekovo skupino pri popevkah in šansonih v ljubljanski dvorani hotela
Union, izvajal »sovjetske in deloma partizanske pesmi, res poštene šansone«, igral in
snemal filmsko glasbo ter prirejal samostojne koncerte, »ki bi po dosedanjih izkušnjah
verjetno zelo zanimali tudi širše obèinstvo«.30 Omenil je tudi denarno plat, ki naj bi ob
tolikšnem angairanju orkestra izboljšala njegovo gmotno stanje. Ta je namreè vseskozi
deloval na robu preivetja. Adamiè se je leta 1949 vodstvu Radia Ljubljana pritoil, da
ima v ansamblu velike kadrovske teave, saj so njegovi èlani zaradi nizkih honorarjev in
nestabilnega poloaja pogosto prestopali k orkestru Slovenske filharmonije.31 Teave z
jazzom pa so se še kar nadaljevale, celo do te mere, da je bila na zaèetku petdesetih let na
zveznem nivoju ustanovljena posebna komisija, ki naj bi prouèila, ali je jazz primeren za
socialistièno drubo. Po obširnih in dolgotrajnih debatah in prerekanjih za in proti, ko je e
kazalo, da bo jazz dokonèno prepovedan, se je nekako izšlo v njegovo korist. Adamiè se je
za njegovo »preivetje« zavzemal celo pri Josipu Brozu Titu in drugih vplivnih politikih,
kot je bil Moša Pijade.32
Ker so se mnenja politiènih veljakov o kvarnem vplivu jazzovske glasbe pošteno
kresala in ker je doba ostrih nasprotovanj poèasi minevala, so se za jazz in zabavno glasbo
po letu 1955 zaèeli boljši èasi. Leta 1955 je iz vrst ljubljanskega Plesnega orkestra nastal
Ljubljanski jazz ansambel, ki je pod vodstvom Urbana Kodra igral starejši jazz, nekaj let
kasneje pa je zrasel Ansambel Mojmira Sepeta, ki je prvi igral takrat t. i. moderni jazz
(cool jazz, westcoats jazz …). Z ustanovitvijo prvega jugoslovanskega jazz festivala na
Bledu (1960) se je jazzovska glasba na Slovenskem nezadrno širila in dobila vse veè
privrencev.33 Pri tem je imel Plesni orkester Radia Slovenija z Adamièem na èelu še
29
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: SOODVISNOST NJEGOVEGA UMETNIŠKEGA IN ...
28 Petar Lukoviæ, »Veèni fant s trobento. Paberki iz ivljenja in dela Bojana Adamièa«, Nedeljski dnevnik,
izhajalo v nadaljevanjih od 13. 8. do 18. 12. 1988.
29 Iz Adamièevih spominov, primerjaj www.bojan-adamic.si/ (dostopno: 29. 5. 2012); prim. tudi pogovor z
Adamièem v Nedeljskem dnevniku (Petar Lukoviæ, "Veèni fant s trobento", Nedeljski dnevnik, 20. 11.
1988).
30 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, Naèrt o programu in ciljih PORL-a, tipkopis, okrog 1949.
31 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, pismo direkciji Radia Ljubljana, 12. 10. 1949.
32 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, Adamièev avtobiografski zapis: »O jazzu in njegovi vlogi
v Jugoslaviji«.
33 Prim. Peter Amalietti, Zgodbe o jazzu, Ljubljana: DZS, 1986, str. 7.
naprej vodilno vlogo. Ansambel je kljub vsem teavam obstal, tudi zaradi neumorne
vztrajnosti mojstra Adamièa, ki je znal in zmogel prestopiti vse prepreke in dokazati
visoko in evropsko prepoznavnost. Najveèji napredek je ansambel dosegel v drugi
polovici petdesetih let, ko je dobil veè prilonosti javnega nastopanja, ne le v Sloveniji,
temveè po vsej Jugoslaviji. Vabili so ga na skoraj vse pomembnejše festivale in prireditve
najvišjega ranga. Z uspehi doma so prišle tudi monosti gostovanj v tujino. V drugi
polovici petdesetih let je ansambel gostoval na Poljskem, Madarskem in v Sovjetski
zvezi. Njegovi nastopi so bili senzacija, na Madarskem na primer je uspel napolniti
tribune za veè kot deset tisoè gledalcev.34
O odnosih v ansamblu je precej anekdot in resniènih prigod, zagotovo pa velja, da se je
Adamiè ves èas vodenja vdano zavzemal za njegov obstoj, napredek in priznanje vsem
èlanom orkestra. Po slabi slovenski navadi so sodelovanje prekinila razlièna nesoglasja,
morda tudi intrige, kar je pripeljalo do odloèitve, da je mojster orkester leta 1962 kot stalni
dirigent zapustil. Kasneje je z njim še nastopal, vendar redkeje.35 Uradno je bil od konca
avgusta 1962 do konca julija 1980 na ljubljanskem radiu zaposlen kot dirigent PORL-a.36
Dejansko pa je bil v tem èasu manj v Ljubljani in precej veè v Beogradu in v nekaterih
drugih jugoslovanskih mestih, kjer je deloval na razliènih podroèjih, ob tem pa je bil kot
dirigent tudi redni gost evropske in zunajevropske bigbandovske glasbene scene.
Adamiè je imel vsaj od leta 1948 na ljubljanskem radiu svojo oddajo, v kateri je
predvajal skladbe po elji poslušalcev. Bila je zametek kasnejše znane oddaje eleli ste,
poslušajte, ki jo je Adamiè vodil še leta 1952 in obstaja še danes. Prav z njo je postal
izjemno prepoznavna osebnost, saj je od hvalenih poslušalcev prejemal številna pisma s
pohvalami. Podobno odmevni so bili tudi nastopi pred mikrofoni, ki jih je redno izvajal
PORL, kajti tudi nanje se je poslušalstvo pohvalno odzivalo, ne le iz Slovenije, tudi iz
Zagreba oziroma širše Hrvaške.37 Bojan Adamiè je sodil med tiste glasbenike, ki v vzponu
zabavne glasbe vseh zvrsti niso videli pregrešnosti ali moralne škodljivosti, temveè
vsesplošno potrebo, iz katere je nastalo marsikaj dobrega. Dejal je: »… zabavna glasba je
v povojnem èasu predstavljala glavni vzrok, da mladina greši […], ali pa je bila kot
naroèena, da igra vlogo grešnega kozla, kadar ni bilo primernejšega pri roki. Z upornim
bojem ne samo njenih pristašev in pobornikov, nego predvsem obièajnih ljudi, ki so v njej
videli ivljenjsko potrebo in jih niso vznemirjale njene grešne lastnosti, se je poèasi
povzpela na današnjo višino in na njen piedestal, kjer kraljuje na malo krivih, nestabilnih
nogah, neproporcionalnih dimenzij, še vedno javno mnogim v napoto, mnogim v nujno
potrebo, skratka, dela našega ivljenja. Nekje se je umetniško povzpela, nekje je padla na
nivo komponiranja v narodnem duhu, nekje ivi od harmonike, nekje pa kraljuje po
festivalih, izvajana od dobrih pevcev in orkestrov.« Dodal je, da je njen vrhunec v tem,
»da je zaèela izpodrivati uvoeno tujo popevko. […]«38 Bil je preprièan, da je bilo v
socialistièni Jugoslaviji precej dobrih pevskih in drugih talentov zabavne glasbe, posebno
popevke, vendar je menil, da za pravi prodor na uveljavljene festivale po Evropi in svetu
zaradi odklonilnega odnosa oblasti ni bilo pravih monosti. K uveljavljanju slovenske
30
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
34 Dostopno na: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija/#koncerti, 15. 11. 2012.
35 Dostopno na: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija/#optimist, 26. 11. 2012.
36 Iz druinskega arhiva Alenke Adamiè.
37 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, mapa: Pisma.
38 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, avtobiografski zapis »Nekaj misli o zabavni glasbi v
Jugoslaviji«.
zabavne glasbe so pripomogli tudi pevski solisti, kot sta bili na primer Irma Flis in Jelka
Cvetear (Cvetearjeva je prva pela Adamièevo priljubljeno skladbo Ko boš prišla na
Bled), ter nekateri v Sloveniji gostujoèi pevci iz drugih jugoslovanskih republik, npr. Ivo
Robiæ, ki ga je Adamiè prviè slišal leta 1943 (preden je odšel v partizane) v Zagrebu.
Posebno v Zagrebu sta bila zabavna glasba in jazz e pred vojno na visokem nivoju. Prvi
jugoslovanski festival zabavne glasbe je bil na zaèetku petdesetih let v Beogradu, in sicer
v treh zaporednih letih, njegov glavni dirigent in araner pa je bil prav Bojan Adamiè.
Festival so leta 1953 preselili v Opatijo in prav tamkajšnja prireditev velja za zametek
popevkarskega vzpona. Adamiè je na festivalu redno sodeloval kor irant, skladatelj,
araner in dirigent. Vzori iz Opatije so vplivali na nove podobne prireditve in tako se je
leta 1962 na Bledu – ne brez Adamièevih vplivov – rodil festival Slovenska popevka, ki so
ga èez dve leti premestili v Ljubljano. Adamiè je prve popevke napisal e v poznih
štiridesetih letih (npr. skladbo z naslovom Barbara, 1949). Med pevkami, ki so z
Adamièem veliko sodelovale, so bile Marjana Deraj, Beti Jurkoviè in Majda Sepe. Imel
je izjemen obèutek za odkrivanje talentov in je zasluen za kariero marsikaterega pevca
nekdanje jugoslovanske scene. Odkril je na primer tudi Gabi Novak, in sicer leta 1957 kot
glas v hrvaških risanih filmih. Zanjo je nato prvi napisal aranmaje, s katerimi se je
predstavila v Zagrebu in uspela. Ker je imel odlièen obèutek za prepoznavanje glasbenih
sposobnosti, je znal prepoznati vrline in slabosti, kar je bilo znaèilno tudi za njegovo prvo
sreèanje z Vice Vukovom leta 1959 na opatijskem festivalu. Bojan Adamiè je sicer
obetavnega pevca Vukova pevsko korigiral in pripravil do pevskega izpopolnjevanja, kar
se je obrestovalo, saj je Vukov kmalu nato postal mednarodno uveljavljena pevska
zvezda. Podobno je prepoznal tudi pevske vrline Ðjorda Marjanoviæa, katerega je cenil
predvsem po njegovih interpretacijah.
Adamiè je napisal nepregledno vrsto popevk, ki so od drugih avtorskih skladb
tedanjega èasa precej odstopale. Vanje je morda vnesel nekoliko preveè umetniškega
naboja, kajti le tako si lahko razlagamo, da z njimi ni uspeval – vsaj pri irijah ne, kajti na
tem podroèju nikoli ni dobil vidnejše pohvale oziroma nagrade. Kot kae, je bil Adamiè
preveè zvest svojim naèelom in visokim kriterijem, da bi popušèal in se prilagajal okusu
mnoic. Njegov najveèji medijski uspeh v popevkarstvu je bila skladba Zlati april v
izvedbi Marjane Deraj, ki je prišla leta 1964 v najoji izbor za popevko Evrovizije.39
Bojan Adamiè je bil s festivali popevk povezan vse ivljenje in je v razliènih vlogah
sodeloval na vseh tovrstnih prireditvah, kot so bile Vesela jesen (Maribor), Kajkavska
popevka v Krapini, Melodije Istre in Kvarnerja (Reka), festival popevk v Zagrebu, Splitu,
festival otroških pesmi v Krškem in številni drugi.40 S svojo ivljenjsko vitalnostjo je
spremljal tudi druga podroèja zabavne glasbe in sodeloval z veliko mlajšimi glasbeniki,
npr. z rokerjem Markom Brecljem, kantavtorjem Janijem Kovaèièem ali Tomaem
Domiceljem, katerim je bil mentor in vzornik.
Za Adamièa velja, da je imel veliko glasbenih vzornikov, tako med klasiènimi
skladatelji kot mojstri jazza. Loteval se je najrazliènejših anrov in prav na vseh ravneh
komponiral enako odgovorno in z velikim obèutkom za medij, ki mu je bila glasba
namenjena. Pisal je izjemno hitro, tako rekoè sproti, sicer ob vseh angamajih, ki jih je
31
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: SOODVISNOST NJEGOVEGA UMETNIŠKEGA IN ...
39 Iz Adamièevih spominov, dostopno tudi na: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/biografija/#festivali, 26. 11.
2012.
40 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, mapa: Pogodbe Hrvaška in Korespondenca s tujino.
imel, ne bi zmogel napisati okrog tisoè enot razliènih partitur, pri èemer ne vemo, koliko
jih je kje zaloenih ali celo izgubljenih. Pisal je za plesni orkester, jazzovsko glasbo, ki ji
je vdahnil izrazito osebni znaèaj, glasbo za dokumentarne in celoveèerne filme, opremljal
je gledališka dela, radijske oddaje vseh vrst (za odrasle in otroke) in lutkovne igrice, pisal
popevke, šansone, skladbe za pihalne godbe in orkestre, glasbo za proslave in športne
dogodke, balete, muzikale, koncerte, komorna in zborovska dela. Najveè mednarodnih
uspehov je doivel s Plesnim orkestrom Radia Ljubljana, s katerim je gojil t. i. slovenski
jazz in slovensko zabavno glasbo. Ta ansambel je pod njegovim petnajstletnim vodenjem
prerasel domaèe okvirje in postal evropsko prepoznan. Pomemben segment Adamièevega
ustvarjanja je tudi filmska glasba, s katero se je zavihtel na piedestal slovenske in
jugoslovanske ustvarjalnosti, komponiral pa je tudi za studie drugih evropskih drav in v
ZDA. S filmsko in nato scensko glasbo se je zaèel ukvarjati kmalu po vojni, in sicer bolj po
nakljuèju. Takrat ni slutil, da bo posebno filmski medij postal paradni konj njegovega
ustvarjanja. Èeprav sprva o filmski glasbi ni prav dosti vedel, poznal jo je le iz
predvojnega èasa, ko je preigraval in araniral številne odlomke iz ameriških filmov, ki so
pronicali v ljubljanske kinematografe, se je spoprijel z izzivom in uspel. Med filmi,
opremljenimi z Adamièevo avtorsko glasbo, izstopajo Vesna (1953), Ne obraèaj se, sine
(1956), Ples v deju (1961), Samorastniki (1963), Kekèeve ukane (1968), Maškarada
(1971), Valter brani Sarajevo (1973), televizijska nadaljevanka Kapelski kresovi
(1974–1976), Nasvidenje v naslednji vojni (1980), Boj na poiralniku (1982) in številni
drugi. Zadnjo filmsko partituro je podpisal v letu, ko se je poslovil, in sicer za
dokumentarni film Neme podobe slovenskega filma (1995).41
S scensko glasbo h gledališkim predstavam se je ukvarjal vsaj od leta 1952, ko je znana
prva pogodba za celjsko gledališèe, nato pa so se dogovori z razliènimi gledališkimi
hišami kar vrstili. Sodeloval je s Prešernovim gledališèem v Kranju, z ljubljansko Dramo,
Mestnim gledališèem Ljubljana, Koreodramo Ljubljana, Slovenskim mladinskim
gledališèem, Lutkovnim gledališèem Ljubljana, Slovenskim narodnim gledališèem v
Mariboru, z Narodnim gledališèem Sterija, Narodnim gledališèem v Zagrebu in drugimi.42
Med najodmevnejšimi lutkovnimi predstavami, ki jih je glasbeno opremil mojster
Adamiè, je ogica marogica (avtor besedila Jan Malik) v izvedbi Lutkovnega gledališèa
Ljubljana; po popularnosti je primerljiva le otroška radijska igra Zvezdica zaspanka Frana
Milèinskega Jeka.
Na zaèetku šestdesetih let je Adamiè prenehal redno voditi PORL in se zaèel
intenzivneje posveèati komponiranju ter sodelovati z beograjskim vojaškim orkestrom.
To sodelovanje je potekalo kar štiri intenzivna leta (1962–1966). Komponiranje in
dirigiranje pihalnemu orkestru zanj ni bilo niè novega, saj je imel na tem podroèju
ogromno izkušenj. Po drugi svetovni vojni se je namreè še naprej ukvarjal z glasbo za
pihalne orkestre in spodbujal njihovo delovanje. Neprestano si je prizadeval, da bi dvignil
profesionalno in ljubiteljsko kulturo. Kot dirigent je sodeloval na številnih ljudskih
manifestacijah in drugih kulturnih prireditvah amaterskega znaèaja. Znal se je pribliati
vsem in vsakomur. Njegova dela za pihalne zasedbe so sicer izvajalsko zahtevna, zato pa
preprièljivejša in tehtna. Z njimi je presegel raven slovenskega okolja, saj je bistveno
32
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
41 Dostopno na: http://www.bojan-adamic.si/glasba/, 26. 11. 2012. Prim. prispevek v prièujoèi publikaciji:
Mitja Reichenberg, »Bojan Adamiè in filmska glasba«.
42 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, mapa Pogodbe.
nadgradil druga podobna dela domaèih avtorjev. Adamièeva dela so slogovno raznolika
oziroma se v njih prepletajo elementi klasiène, zabavne in jazzovske glasbe. S tehtnostjo
opusa je bistveno pripomogel k dvigu umetniške plati slovenskih ansamblov, od katerih
številni dosegajo svetovno raven. Za Adamièeve skladbe se zanimajo tudi uveljavljeni
poustvarjalci tovrstne glasbe po Evropi in v ZDA. Zelo raznoliko in uspešno je bilo
Adamièevo delovanje v Beogradu. Bil je gost dirigent revijskega orkestra in mešanega
pevskega zbora Umetniškega ansambla Jugoslovanske narodne armije, komponist in
araner za vojaške pihalne in zabavne orkestre, komponiral je filmsko glasbo, bil èlan in
podpredsednik upravnega odbora Zveze skladateljev Jugoslavije, èlan irij, dirigent in
araner pri Mladinskem glasbenem festivalu v Subotici, z ansambli, ki jih je vodil v
beograjskih letih, pa je posnel ogromno skladb za tamkajšnji radio.43
Kljub gostovanjem po vsej Jugoslaviji, ki so bila najintenzivnejša v šestdesetih letih,
in angamaju zunaj drave Adamiè ljubljanske glasbene scene ni povsem opustil, temveè
je bil v Ljubljani še naprej aktiven na razliènih podroèjih. Uradno je bil na ljubljanskem
radiu zaposlen kot dirigent PORL-a, z avgustom 1980 je postal direktor oddelka Glasbena
produkcija, sredi leta 1981 pa se je upokojil.44 Domaèemu okolju je ostal zvest tudi v
svojih partiturah, iz katerih velikokrat veje duh slovenskega ljudskega izroèila.
Adamièeve melodiène in ritmiène znaèilnosti so prisotne v njegovih izvirnih skladbah in
priredbah, posebno izrazito pa se kaejo v barviti instrumentaciji. Skladbe Bojana
Adamièa so izdane pri vseh pomembnejših jugoslovanskih zalobah ter posnete v veèjih
radijskih in televizijskih hišah.45 Njegova dela za pihalne zasedbe od leta 1991
ekskluzivno izdaja zaloba Hartman v zbirki Bojan Adamiè in njegov opus. Angairal se
je tudi kot pianist, solistièno ali skupaj z orkestri, najveèkrat pa kot spremljevalec pevcem
zabavne glasbe, na glasbenih tekmovanjih in pri radijskih oddajah, med katerimi izstopa
Veseli tobogan. V tej popularni oddaji, namenjeni odkrivanju mladih pevskih talentov, je
Adamiè sodeloval dolga leta, verjetno od samih zaèetkov leta 1963, in sicer kot skladatelj,
araner, pianist, pa tudi v vlogi pevske spremljave. O njegovi priljubljenosti med mladimi
prièajo tudi številna pisma in pohvale sodelujoèih. Podobna oddaja je potekala tudi na
zagrebškem radiu z naslovom Znam – znaš, v kateri je prav tako sodeloval.46
Ob vsem, kar je poèel, se je desetletja zavzemal za avtorske pravice skladateljev in
estradnih umetnikov. Da bi svoja kritièna opaanja spreminjal v praksi, se je angairal kot
prvi predsednik Zveze skladateljev lahke glasbe (1956), kasneje pa v Društvu slovenskih
skladateljev, kateremu je osem let tudi predsedoval (1976–1984). Bil je eden redkih, ki so
se borili za pravice estradnih umetnikov. Prizadeval si je za uveljavitev jazza v
slovenskem šolstvu, kar pa se je med njegovim ivljenjem uresnièilo le na srednji stopnji.
Podobno se je javno zavzemal za veèje spoštovanje do harmonike, ki naj bi si po
njegovem preprièanju v šolskem sistemu zasluila enakovredno mesto med drugimi
glasbili.47 Kot je znano, je bil študij harmonike na ljubljanski Akademiji za glasbo kot
osrednji slovenski visokošolski ustanovi uveden šele pred nekaj leti, dotlej pa so slovenski
talentirani glasbeniki odhajali na študij v tujino, najveè v Nemèijo in Sovjetsko zvezo
33
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: SOODVISNOST NJEGOVEGA UMETNIŠKEGA IN ...
43 Adamièevo delovanje v Beogradu je raziskal Vladimir Mustajbašiæ, èigar študija je objavljena v prièujoèi
publikaciji.
44 Dokumente hrani hèi Alenka Adamiè v druinskem arhivu.
45 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, mapa Pogodbe.
46 Prav tam, mapa razglednic in pisem.
47 Prav tam, mapa Razmišljanja B. Adamièa, Adamièev zapis z naslovom »Harmonika«.
oziroma v Rusijo. Adamiè je harmoniko zelo cenil, podobno kot kitaro in tamburico, za
vse je namreè pisal tudi skladbe, posebno za orkestrske sestave.48
Èeprav ga je delovanje na glasbenem podroèju vodilo proè od klasiène glasbe,
ustvarjanja v tem duhu ni opustil, saj je napisal nekaj vidnejših del. Med skladbami za
simfoniène in komorne zasedbe naj omenimo Koncert za klavir in orkester (1948), 1. in 2.
suito za simfonièni orkester (1950), Drugi klavirski koncert, Ljubljanski klavirski koncert
(1972), Rapsodijo, Sedem preludijev za klavir in orkester (1960), Suito za klarinet in
godala (1963), Nalepke za pihalni kvintet, Po Ribniško (kvartet klarinetov) in Tinkarin
rojstni dan za klarinet in klavir, pisal pa je tudi razliène suite na ljudske teme in druga dela.
Posebno ga je privlaèil balet, tesno je sodeloval z znamenitim Pinom Mlakarjem in napisal
glasbo za koreografski deli Bela Ljubljana (1957) in Moje ljubljeno mesto (1959).49 Leta
1951 je po naroèilu zagrebškega radia nastala glasba k radijski igri Sneguljèica,50 ki je
najbr sluila za iztoènico k obsenejši orkestralni skladbi za pihalni orkester, nastali leta
1993 za Pihalni orkester slovenske policije, ki je opredeljena kot muzikal za odrasle in v
razlièici za otroke. V poznih letih je po pesemski predlogi Frana Milèinskega Jeka
(Requiem za klovna) napisal še skladbo za pihalni orkester, vokalnega solista in baletne
plesalce z naslovom Requiem, v kateri v svojem velikem slogu prepleta elemente
koraènic, ljudskih pesmi, songov, bluesa idr., z barvito orkestracijo pa dosega efektne
vsebinske poudarke.51
Bojan Adamiè se je ukvarjal tudi s šansoni, in sicer pod vplivom imenitnega
slovenskega tvorca šansonov Frana Milèinskega Jeka, ki se je uveljavil e pred drugo
svetovno vojno in predvsem po njej in ga je Adamiè kot pisca besedil in izvajalca zelo
cenil. V svoji dolgoletni karieri je Bojan Adamiè ustvaril vrsto šansonov, songov in
kupletov v radijskih in televizijskih igrah, najveèkrat v izvedbi dramskih igralcev, zares
poglobljeno pa se je temu anru posvetil šele po upokojitvi, ko je zdruil moèi s pevko
Meri Avsenak. Kot skladatelja so ga privlaèevala le besedila slovenskih pesnikov, pa tudi
revolucionarne, protestne in ljudske pesmi, kar ponovno dokazuje, da se ni tesno naslanjal
na evropsko tradicijo, temveè je bil – tako kot na vseh podroèjih – izjemno izviren in
samosvoj, pri tem pa je negoval in nadaljeval tudi tradicijo legendarnega Jeka.
Adamièevo ukvarjanje s šansonom ni ostalo le na ravni prilonostnih nastopov, skupaj z
Meri Avsenak je namreè uresnièil zamisel o festivalu Jugoslovanski šanson - Rogaška, ki
je leta 1984 dobil domicil v Rogaški Slatini. Z namenom, da bi prireditev resnièno zajela
širše zanimanje, je organiziral vsejugoslovanske nateèaje in odzivnost je bila veè kot
zadovoljiva.52 Njegova prizadevanja za šanson so obrodila številne sadove, saj ima t. i.
slovenski šanson številne naslednike.
Adamièa je zanimalo tudi marsikaj zunaj glasbenega podroèja. Poleg letalstva, ki ga je
spremljalo dolga leta in mu vzbujalo eljo po lastnem ultralahkem letalu, je bil ljubitelj
motorjev in hitrih avtomobilov. Njegova avtomobilska znamka je bila Alfa Romeo, s
katero je znal prav pošteno drveti. e od mladosti je bil dober atlet in plavalec, kasneje je
igral namizni tenis, kolesaril, smuèal na vodi in bil strasten ljubitelj taborjenja. Med vsemi
34
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
48 Prim. NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, fond skladb.
49 Prav tam.
50 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, mapa Pogodbe Hrvaška.
51 Prim. partituro Bojan Adamiè/Frane Milèinski Jeek, Requiem, Ljubljana: Zveza slovenskih godb, 2012.
52 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, prim. tipkopisno gradivo z naslovom »O šansonu«
(nastalo ok. l. 1991) in zapis »Nekaj misli o prvem Festivalu jugoslovanskega šansona v Rogaški Slatini
leta 1984« (nastal ok. l. 1989).
hobiji pa ga je posebno prevzela fotografija. Sam je dejal, je bilo zanj usodno neko
gostovanje na Madarskem, kjer je zagledal izjemno povedno fotografijo. Mojster je
veèkrat izjavil: »Moj konjièek je fotografija, prava ljubezen pa je film.«53 Na vprašanja o
tem, zakaj ga je fotografiranje tako pritegnilo, je odgovoril: »Mnogo stvari poskušam
povedati likovno […] fotografsko, èe to uspe, potem mi je mnogokrat glasbena rešitev
zelo blizu.«54 Skupne znaèilnosti glasbe in fotografije je našel tudi v tem, da je skušal ujeti
razpoloenje, »štumungo«, kot se je izrazil in zapisal: »Glasba je v svojem bistvu
abstraktna pravzaprav od nekdaj, fotografija pa se z abstrakcijo bori šele danes, in to ne
brezuspešno. Kako pa se ujemata elektronska glasba in abstraktna fotografija, je celo za
popolnega laika frapantno.« 55 Razmišljal je tudi o barvah: »Barve so enako vana
komponenta pri obeh. Èrno-bela fotografija razpolaga z najsubtilnejšimi odtenki sive
barve, pa godalni kvartet? Tisoè nians in vedno novih kombinacij štirih standardnih
instrumentov. Monosti sodobnega barvnega diapozitiva so skoraj neomejene in
simfonièni orkester? […] Eden od temeljev kompozicije je brez dvoma improvizacija, iz
nje je treba poiskati pravo temo in prav tako je v fotografiji […].«56 Ustvaril je obseen
fotografski opus, ki ga kot umetniškega v precejšnji meri upošteva tudi relevantna stroka.
Posebno izstopajo njegove fotografije pustnih mask, ki jih je snemal na ptujskih
karnevalih.57
Mojster Adamiè je prejemnik številnih nagrad, dravnih, društvenih in umetniških.
Med dravnimi izstopajo e omenjeno odlikovanje Prezidija Ljudske skupšèine FLRJ
(1946), orden dela z rdeèo zastavo (1961), red zaslug za narod s srebrnimi arki –
odlikovanje predsednika Republike Jugoslavije Josipa Broza Tita (1972), red republike z
zlatim vencem (1982) in srebrni èastni znak svobode Republike Slovenije za dolgoletne
zasluge na glasbenem podroèju (1992). Kot ustvarjalec filmske glasbe je prejel tri zlate
arene na mednarodnem festivalu v Puli (1955, 1957, 1958). Adamiè je prejemnik še vrste
drugih nagrad umetniškega znaèaja, med katerimi izstopajo priznanje festivala popularnih
popevk v Riu de Janeiru (1967), veè priznanj za sodelovanje z Umetniškim ansamblom
Doma JNA v Beogradu (1966, 1967, 1971, 1977), priznanja na glasbenih festivalih v
Zagrebu, Opatiji, Mariboru in drugod, prejel je zlato medaljo Zveze skladateljev
Jugoslavije (1970), estradno nagrado Jugoslavije (1977) in številne druge. Je dobitnik
Prešernove nagrade za ivljenjsko delo (1979) in upanèièeve nagrade mesta Ljubljane
(1993).58 Adamièev velik prispevek k literaturi za pihalne godbe oziroma orkestre je leta
1999 spodbudil Zvezo slovenskih godb, da odtlej slovenskim godbenim dirigentom in
skladateljem podeljuje priznanja Bojana Adamièa.
Bojan Adamiè je vse ivljenje posvetil glasbi. Bil je kreativen umetnik in velik
poustvarjalec razliènih glasbenih anrov. Ustvarjal je v pionirskih èasih razvoja
slovenskega jazza, popevke, šansona, filmske in druge scenske glasbe, radia in televizije,
glasbe za pihalne orkestre. Vpisal se je tudi med skladatelje klasiène glasbe. In prav na
vseh podroèjih je zapustil sledi v presekih ter postal ikona slovenske glasbene scene 20.
stoletja.
35
Darja Koter, BOJAN ADAMIÈ: SOODVISNOST NJEGOVEGA UMETNIŠKEGA IN ...
53 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, tipkopis z naslovom »Pri fotografu«.
54 NUK, Glasbena zbirka, Zapušèina B. Adamièa, tipkopis z naslovom »Kaj sem našel v fotografiji?«
55 Prav tam.
56 Prav tam.
57 Prim. monografijo Aleš in Stanka Gaènik: Zven maske – fotografske mojstrovine Bojana Adamièa, Ptuj:
Bistra Ptuj, 2003.
58 Listine hrani hèi Alenka Adamiè v druinskem arhivu.
36
BOJAN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)