On Musical Developments in Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Through the Lens of the Misao Periodical (1919–1929)

Abstract

The founding of the journal Misao [Thought] coincided with the end of the Great War and the beginning of a new chapter in the development of the state and its culture. In this context, periodicals such as Politika, Vreme, SKG, and Misao played a significant role in raising awareness and shaping correct opinion and good taste among the citizens of the newly established country. Misao followed contemporary events and covered various fields.
The contributors approached their topics with diligence and offered their judgments. Musical topics were addressed by knowledgeable music experts and composers, among whom the most prominent were Stanislav Vinaver, Velimir Živojinović, Kosta Manojlović, and Stevan Hristić, while Miloje Milojević contributed less frequently to this publication. Through their essays, they presented composers and their works, as well as critical reviews of concerts and opera performances.
To mark anniversaries of significant composers, essays were published on Mokranjac, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Schubert. Performances by local artists, such as Zlatko Baloković, Ruža Vinaver, and the renowned quartet comprising Petar Stojanović, Jovan Ružička, Jovan Zorko, and Jovan Mokranjac, were also presented and analysed. Among foreign artists whose concerts were reviewed were Sigmund Feuermann, Moriz Rosenthal, Arthur Rubinstein, and Alfred Cortot.
Full-length concerts dedicated to the works of Kosta Manojlović and Miloje Milojević were discussed. The periodical frequently examined issues related to musical education. Contributors such as Jovan Zorko, Stevan Hristić, Kosta Manojlović, and Stanislav Vinaver highlighted problems in musical education and offered solutions.
Issues pertaining to the opera were addressed by Stanislav Vinaver, Velimir Živojinović, and Petar Bingulac. The Belgrade audiences had the opportunity to hear operas such as Madama Butterfly, Werther, Il Trovatore, The Tales of Hoffmann, Faust, Carmen, and others. Although the critics were initially not particularly favourable toward operas that were initially performed, room was nonetheless given for the development of the operatic repertoire and the inclusion of higher-quality works in the operatic literature.