Helfert, Vladimír (EN)

Helfert Vladimír, *24 March 1886 Plánice, †18 May 1945 Prague, Czech musicologist. He initially studied history and geography at the Prague University, later studying musicology there under O. Hostinský. He learnt to play the piano under B. Vendler. In 1906–07, he continued his musicological studies under J. Wolf, H. Kretzschmar and K. Stumpf at Humboldt University in Berlin; he obtained his doctorate in 1908 under O. Hostinský in Prague. From 1910 to 1919, he taught history and geography at a school of economics in Prague. In 1919, he was a teacher at a gymnasium in Brno. In 1921, he obtained his habilitation at the newly established university, where he subsequently began lecturing. In 1926 he was appointed associate professor, and in 1931 full professor. From 1924 he edited the journal “Hudební Rozhledy”, and from 1938 also “Musikologie”. In 1934, he initiated the series «Musica Antiqua Bohemica», of which he was the chief editor. Due to his liberal and patriotic beliefs, he was imprisoned during the Second World War, including in 1944 at the concentration camp of Terezín. There he contracted typhus, as a result of which he died.

Helfert was a pioneer of musicology at the Brno University. His works on 18th-century Czech composers (F. Miča, J. Benda) and musical life at Czech courts addressed the important issue of the origins of the classical sonata form and the role of these composers in the stylistic changes taking place in music during the first half of the 18th century. Helfert’s works on his contemporary Czech composers, particularly B. Smetana and L. Janáček, are also significant. Helfert took a particular interest in the latter composer, organising the L. Janáček archive in Brno. In 1919, he also established a music archive at the Moravian Museum in Brno.

Literature: B. Štědroň Dr. V. Helfert, Prague 1940; G. Černušák V. Helfert, “Tempo” XVIII, 1946; T. Straková V. Helfert a jeho tvùrči odkaz, Brno 1956; I. Poledňák Soupis prací V. Helferta, “Musikologie” V, 1958; M.K. Černy Hudebně historické dílo V. Helfert, “Hudebni Věda” III, 1966; J. Burjanek Poznámky k estetice V. Helferta, “Hudební Rozhledy” XXIX, 1976; J. Hanzal Z. Nejedly a V. Helfert ve světle vzajemné korespondence, “Hudební Věda” XV, 1978.