Çesk Zadeja

Çesk Zadeja (born Françesk Zadeja; 8 June 1927 – 15 August 1997) was an Albanian composer, conductor and music educator. He is often described as the "father of Albanian classical music" or "father of Albanian professional music" because of his role in the formation of Albania's cultivated music tradition after the Second World War.^{[1] [2]}

Zadeja studied in Italy and the Soviet Union, worked in radio and military ensembles, and later held leading posts in major Albanian musical institutions. He was associated with the development of the National Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances, the Higher Institute of Arts in Tirana, and the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania.^{[3] [4]} His works include symphonic music, concertos, chamber works, piano music, ballets, vocal music and film scores.^{[2] [4]}

Zadeja was born in Shkodër on 8 June 1927. He received his first musical formation in the musical environment of his native city, including the Franciscan choir, and played trombone in the wind orchestra associated with Prenk Jakova.^[3] From 1941 to 1943 he studied at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome.^[3]

After returning to Albania, Zadeja worked at Radio Shkodra from 1946 to 1947. From 1949 to 1951 he was conductor of the People's Army Artistic Ensemble.^[3] He then studied composition at the P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow from 1951 to 1956.^[3]

After completing his studies in Moscow, Zadeja returned to Albania and became one of the central figures in the development of the country's post-war musical institutions. In 1957 he became the first artistic director of the newly founded State Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances.^[3] He later worked as head of the music department at the Higher Institute of Arts in Tirana, founded in 1966, and was also artistic director of the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet.^{[3] [4]}

Zadeja was also an influential teacher. Sources on Albanian music describe him as one of the founders of Albania's professional composition school, and note that many later Albanian composers were educated under his direction or within institutions he helped establish.^{[2] [4]} The concert hall of the Faculty of Music at the University of Arts in Tirana bears his name.^[5]

Zadeja's music has been described as combining European art-music forms with Albanian folk elements.^{[3] [6]} His Symphony No. 1, written in 1956, is widely cited as the first Albanian symphony.^{[4] [7]} Tirana Times described him as the author of more than 100 works of concert music, including ballets, chamber music, symphonies and songs.^[2]

Pianist Kirsten Johnson, who recorded Zadeja's piano works, wrote that his piano writing often uses Albanian folk-influenced rhythm and melody. Her notes describe Humoreska as derived from the ballet Delina and identify rhythmic material associated with the daulle, an Albanian folk percussion instrument.^[6] Her notes for Rapsodi: Albanian Piano Music, Volume 2 also discuss Zadeja's account of musical censorship under communist Albania, including the role of the League of Artists and Writers in approving new works for public performance.^[8]

Zadeja composed music for several Albanian films. His film credits include the Albanian-Soviet historical film The Great Warrior Skanderbeg and Tana , the first Albanian feature-length fiction film.^{[11] [12]}

Selected film scores include:

• Skënderbeu, luftëtari i madh i Shqipërisë (1953), with Georgy Sviridov^[11]
• Tana (1958)^[12]
• Toka jonë (1964), directed by Hysen Hakani^[13]
• Krevati i perandorit (1973), directed by Endri Keko^[14]
• Në kufi të dy legjendave (1980), directed by Piro Milkani^[15]

Zadeja received the title People's Artist of Albania for his contribution to Albanian music.^{[3] [8]} In 2020, he was posthumously awarded the Albanian decoration Nderi i Kombit ("Honour of Nation"). The ceremony was held at the University of Arts in Tirana in the restored hall named after him.^{[16] [17]}

In 2022, the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo published Vasil S. Tole's monograph Çesk Zadeja në muzikën shqiptare: jeta dhe vepra ("Çesk Zadeja in Albanian Music: Life and Work"). The book has 723 pages and includes bibliography and index sections.^[18]

• Këngë: Albanian Piano Music, Vol. 1, Kirsten Johnson, piano, Guild GMCD 7257; includes Zadeja's Four Pieces for Piano.^[6]
• Rapsodi: Albanian Piano Music, Vol. 2, Kirsten Johnson, piano, Guild GMCD 7300; includes Zadeja's Theme and Variations in E minor and Toccata.^[8]
• Music from the Balkans for Violin and Piano, Miroslav Hristov, violin, and Vladimir Valjarević, piano, Centaur CRC 3208; includes Zadeja's Sonata for Violin and Piano.^[19]

Zadeja died in Rome, Italy, on 15 August 1997.^[20]

• Leotsakos, George (2001). "Zadeja, Çesk [Françesk]". In Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John (eds.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. London: Macmillan Publishers.
• Tole, Vasil S. (2022). Çesk Zadeja në muzikën shqiptare: jeta dhe vepra (in Albanian). Prishtina: Akademia e Shkencave dhe e Arteve e Kosovës. ISBN 978-9951-26-053-4.

• Free scores by Çesk Zadeja at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
• Çesk Zadeja at the Albanian National Film Archive
• Çesk Zadeja at the University of Arts, Tirana educational archive