When a son follows in his father’s footsteps, it is usually a joyful event. However, the younger generation does not always want to follow their parents. However, this is how it is in the artistic family of the Slováčkovys. Its members gathered on stage for the umpteenth time, their January concert with Karel Gott’s hits was really moving. How do they manage to criticize each other and how do they raise a new generation of musicians? They revealed this to Story magazine.
Last year was a milestone for both of you, one turned eighty, the other exactly halfway. How do you feel about the anniversaries?
Felix st.: I am glad that I lived to such an old age in full strength and health. You could say I’ve been lucky in life.
Watch the interview with Felix Jr. and his sister Anna:
Source: Youtube
Felix ml.: I can personally say that life begins at forty. I have two children, a job I like, I’m neither a young ear nor an old bum. If I have the root and vitality of my dad, I have a lot to look forward to! Life is beautiful and it’s important to have the nonsense “in its proper place”. I thank my father for that. He knows how to live and I learned it from him, not only how to play and be a complete pro, but also how to live and work at one hundred percent.
What gifts did you give yourself?
Felix Jr.: None. We already have everything. I gave my dad a good red wine, I think, and he contributed to the catering for my birthday concert at the theater Traffic lights.
Sixty years on the scene is a respectable time, what does it mean to you?
Felix Sr.: Sixty years on stage is an amazing time. When I consider how many concerts and wine there were, I can’t even fathom this. After all, there were almost 15,000 performances at home and abroad. And not only on the stage but also off it! Kilometers and kilometers of roads, hotels and life behind the scenes…
Anna Slováčková tries to avoid sadness: I don’t want to be dominated by negative emotions
Do you have similar ambitions?
Felix Jr.: I live a different musical life than my father. Time is different. And I wouldn’t call it ambition. Success will be when I live to be sixty.
The name Felix continues in your male line. Is your grandson following in musical footsteps? Are you both trying to show him the world of music?
Felix sr.: The nickname Felix was lucky for me (my real name is Antonín, editor’s note), and it stuck right away. That’s why I named my son that. It’s his real first name, not a nickname. I believe that Felix will bring him a lot of joy.
Felix Jr.: My son Felix plays piano and clarinet. I can see that he has a musical ear and rhythm, without which music is impossible. He will not become a nuclear physicist. It’s time to take his talents seriously and start slowly preparing him for the conservatory. We’ll see. The younger Rafael is the same, he plays the piano and is musically talented.
How was the introduction to music between the two of you?
Felix Sr.: Naturally, he lived in his mother’s house of music and acting from an early age Daddies. His grandfather, Professor Karel Patras, solo player Czech philharmonic, he also taught at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Well, I enjoyed every musical step my son made.
Anna Slováčková posted these photos from her last concert on her Instagram:
Felix Jr.: As a boy, I absorbed all the music at home and at my parents’ work. I saw my dad practicing the clarinet often and I liked it. Mom was also full of ideas, performing and recording songs. I attended countless concerts and performances for children with both my mother and father, you subconsciously get it inside yourself and shape yourself.
What about your grandparents?
Felix Jr.: I also owe a lot to my grandfather, who was the solo harpist of the Czech Philharmonic, practiced the piano with me and gave me a lot of musical attention. In short, music was everywhere and every day. For example, the music of Semaphore, Ivan Mladek, Vise-Uhlíremom’s songs, classical, swing, jazz music… At the age of seven I started listening to Lucia and was already fascinated by this group as a child and by David Koller. Of course, there was also attendance at piano, drums, choir and so on. I was lucky with teachers.
Can you take criticism? And are you each other’s objective critics?
Felix Sr.: We can tell each other what we like and what we don’t like about each other. We have no qualms about that.
Felix Slováček Jr. now he conducts his father. Source: with the permission of Felix Slováček
Felix Jr.: We are critical of each other, but at the same time we can praise each other. We’ve been bragging lately. Most of all, dad praises us. It’s because he already has something to praise and be proud of us – me and my sister. In the past, he was sparing with praise.
Which mutual cooperation do you value the most?
Felix sr.: I appreciate Felix’s tenacity in musicals and theater performances. His musicality while performing with the Big Band and other ensembles, including symphony orchestras. Last but not least, I am happy about his enthusiasm for the conductor’s baton.
Felix Jr.: The fact that we can all be on the same stage together is great, I appreciate every moment like that.
Tell us about the Lady Carneval project you just premiered?
Felix Sr.: For me, it is a key continuation of what I did, played and experienced with Karl Gott. But I’m a little sad that I’m the only one left from the founding Stäidl’s orchestra.
Felix Slováček supported cancer patients. He was a rare sight for them
Felix Jr.: It was a show with everything. Above all, it is not an imitation Karla Gotta. Ladislav Bubnár sings his songs in his own way. It will be joined by a large orchestra, choirs, a children’s choir, top musicians, lights, dancers, electronics… a modern arrangement of Gott’s compositions, which are not nonsense, including an electronic component. Everything is done really well and tastefully, not like some of our leading individuals who arrange Gott’s compositions in a tasteless way and just show themselves off. It was amazing, I’m thrilled that so many people came. To be on the same stage with my father and sister was great and touching. I always like to repeat it. We are already looking forward to Slovakia.
With this concert, you will also go abroad…
Felix Sr.: I was, as they say, roasted and cooked abroad with Karl Gott, and I am looking forward to the applause and the bright eyes of the audience again.
Felix Jr.: Yes. I hope that the ambition of the organizers will last, I would really enjoy it. Germany, Poland and Slovakia are planned, I guess.
Were you not tempted to live and create abroad?
Felix sr.: Foreign countries are interesting, the audience is different, depending on the country where the concerts are held. But home is home.
Ladislav Bubnár on growing up: Karel Gott’s songs were my support in the childhood home
Felix Jr.: I toyed with this idea when I was studying in Norway. So that I would stay in Norway. But my son Felix was to be born in Bohemia, and that solved everything.
What are Czech music fans and listeners like?
Felix sr.: We would have to divide them according to different genres. A listener at a symphony orchestra concert is completely different from a listener at a popular music concert. The worst is one who comes, sits down and says: “So show what you can do!”
Felix Jr.: Globally probably good. Unfortunately, the same, terrible non-melodies, tunes and primitive songs are played over and over again on the radio. But we are a nation of music. When I play or perform at concerts where the audience has not heard my music before, suddenly people “discover America” and are happy, then they come to me saying that they liked it very much.
Your family is going through quite a difficult time right now, do you have any wishes or resolutions for this year?
Felix Sr.: The resolution is to be healthy and happy. And above all, I wish Anička the best of luck so that she can handle everything in good health.
Felix Jr.: I only wish health for Anička, for my family and my parents. Also, in order for the children to do well at school, they enjoyed music and the clubs they attend. And I would like to continue successfully in what I do, both in conducting, playing instruments, and in drama and musicals…
Anna Slováčková on cancer: The first phase of treatment should end in January. Then I don’t know
I recently realized a musical production in Prague’s Karlín Theater (on a small stage) in the musical Močál Story by Ivan Mládek. It’s a terrible joke. I wish to play it as much as possible, and thus make people happy, entertain them. I am also looking forward to the foreign concerts that await us as part of our Eduard Nápravník music festival with Vyacheslav Grokhovsky.
2024-02-06 09:22:23
#Felix #Slováček #learned #play #live #dad
