The History of the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo

1838

The Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo was officially founded on March 29, 1838.

The Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo

Activities of the Society in the 19th century

A new step towards the development of music culture and education was made with the establishment of a music school within the Society in 1839. In addition to singing, young students were offered the opportunity to learn to play the flute and violin. When Nikola Đurković became the conductor of the Society in 1842, he expanded the Society’s activities and founded the theater.

The collaboration between Rev. Vasa Živković, Nikola Đurković, and the merchant Vasa Tamburić brought a very rich concert and theatrical life to the town. These charismatic personalities gathered around them the most prominent citizens, doctors, lawyers, bankers, respected merchants, who enthusiastically helped create a proper theatre with excellent costumes and stage design.

It is well known that “Trubač”, the most famous hotel in Pančevo, had one of the most prestigious concert stages in Vojvodina; Kornelije Stanković premiered his piano and chamber compositions there. The Society also had its orchestra, which participated in theatrical plays with music, performing popular overtures from Italian operas among other pieces.

The activities of the Society depended on political circumstances, which sometimes limited its scope of work. Since Pančevo was part of the Banat military border, strict military authorities closely monitored the activities of national societies, approving or prohibiting certain activities.

1839

In 1839, the first music school in Pančevo was established as part of the Singing Society.

Nikola Đurković

The Conductors from 1863 to 1874

In the following years, from 1863 to 1874, the Society was led by numerous successful conductors: Davorin Jenko, Slavoljub Ljžičar, Josif Ce, and Václav Horejšek. The premiere of Kornelije Stanković’s Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom for a mixed choir was performed for the first time in that period, which the composer had written a year before he died and dedicated it to the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo.

The Society renewed and solidified its educational mission by opening a Girl’s singing school, establishing a rich music library, founding the Community of Singing Societies, and forming a fund from which “regular monthly support” was given to talented students.

Mita Topalović was among the earliest recipients of a scholarship for music studies in Vienna. The Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo also supported Dragomir Krančević for his studies in Vienna, who was one of the most notable Serbian violin players of that era. Krančević later became the concertmaster of the Budapest Opera.

The Era of Mita Topalović

Mita Topalović, a scholarship holder of the Society took over the position of choirmaster in 1874. 

This versatile musician, composer, and conductor was active in the Society for more than three decades.

In 1876, he published The Collection of Songs for Children, laying the foundation for the development of the branch of vocal arts, which is very important and useful in upbringing young people.

Topalović also composed religious vocal music, including a Liturgy for two voices, originally written for the students of the Girls’ School. A reprint of this work was published in 2008. He also adapted “The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom” by Kornelije Stanković for a male choir; the first edition of this adaptation is preserved in the Society’s archives. Additionally, he composed an octoechos, a collection of troparions, and individual pieces intended for worship.

In 1885, Mita Topalović organized The First Spiritual Concert in honor of the thousandth anniversary of St. Cyril and Methodius, opening up a new field in singing church songs. Such concerts enjoyed great popularity and, besides Belgrade and Karlovac, became popular in other places as well. The Society then had over 150 members.

The Vespers on Great Friday, a cherished tradition of the Holy Assumption Temple, was first performed in 1887 and has been faithfully sung and preserved in its original form for over 135 years.

1887

In 1887, the First Spiritual Concert Service was performed in the Holy Assumption Temple on Good Friday, which soon became a tradition of the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pančevo, and has been performed every year since then.

Mita Topalović

The Period from 1885 to 1910

From 1885 to 1910, Topalović arranged 24 spiritual concerts, greatly influencing the evolution of church vocal music among Serbian composers, such as Mokranjac, Binički, Tolinger, and Kranjčević.

Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac

As part of the Society for Serbian Students of Elementary and Civil Schools, Mita Topalović established a Music School for Violin Learning in 1889. However, the school was closed down seven years later.

In 1898, members of the Society formed The Salon Orchestra that played popular classical music pieces. However, the orchestra only lasted for two years, until some of its members left Pančevo.

From 1885 to 1910, Mita Topalović organised 24 spiritual concerts, which were of great importance for the development of church vocal music among the Serbian people. These concerts attracted young musicians like Mokranjac, Binički, Tolinger, Kranjčević, and others to compose religious compositions, and choral societies to organise such concerts. 

Topalović predominantly performed pieces by Russian composers at his spiritual concerts, in addition to pieces by Mokranjac and Binički. Mita Topalović’s departure from the scene marked the end of a productive period for the Choral Society. The Society preserved a small part of Topalović’s compositions, while the rest was lost by his family.

Soon after, the First World War brought many troubles to the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo. The President and many members of the choral society were arrested. The archive was seized. The Society’s activities were banned, and they were only allowed to sing at liturgies. Until 1919, the Society was led by Tuna Oswald, and then by Dušan Damaskin Davidović, Radivoj St. Petrović, and Stanislav Volarević.

Society after the First World War

After World War I, the Society regained its strength. The Society joined the South Slavic Singing Association at that time. During this period, they provided a scholarship to support the young Jovan Bandur, who studied in Vienna and Prague. Upon his return to Pančevo in 1926, he became the conductor of the Society.

Starting from 1931, conductors Radivoj St. Petrović and Josif Nikolić Vučković bacame conductors. The singing school and music library were renovated; the Society embarked on its inaugural tour of Šumadija in 1935. Collaborating with choral conductors Kosta Tanazević and Milan Bajšanski, it also organised the Society’s National Tour in Southern Serbia in 1936. Anton Sever took over the role of conductor the next year.

Radivoj St. Petrović

On the eve of its hundredth anniversary, King Peter II accepted to become the Society’s Godfather, and presented it with the highest honour of the flag and the medal of St. Sava.

In commemoration of the 1938 jubilee, a comprehensive monograph titled “The Commemorative Volume of the Serbian Church Singing Society of Pancevo 1838-1938” was published, authored by long-standing member and Secretary of the Society, Mihovil Tomandl, PhD. King Peter II donated a flag with the coat of arms to the Society, and Jovan Bandur conducted at the centenary celebration of the society.

1938

King Peter II became the Patron of the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pančevo.

The Society after the Second World War

At rehearsals, the choir was led by conductors Vasa Ivković, Lazar Buta, Sreten Davinić, Dragojub Bolmanac, Slobodan Zaharijević, and Bogdan Cvejić.

The main credit for preserving the tradition in the post-war period goes to Dimitrije Stefanović from Pančevo. Academician and the Secretary of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dimitrije Stefanović led the Society through its most challenging times with dedication and perseverance. Occasionally, he was substituted as conductor during liturgies by Bogdan Ćurčin. With the assistance of the Choir of the Institute of Musicology, Mr. Dimitrije preserved the tradition of singing twelve compositions on Good Friday, which had been established by Mita Topalović in the late 19th century.

In the early 1980s, new members started joining the choir, but they didn’t have the opportunity to learn the liturgy during rehearsals; instead, they could only learn by listening during the actual church service. This resulted in a decline in the quality of singing. In the early 1990s, Vera Carina gathered young singers and formed a new group. However, she soon had to leave the position of conductor and moved abroad. A few years later, Milica Kajganić from Belgrade took over the position of the conductor of the choir. She successfully preserved the young singers and taught them how to sing and perform at liturgies. In 1998 The Pančevo Days of Sacred Music wa estalished and the Society has been participating in since then.

Dimitrije Stefanović

The most significant contribution to preserving tradition in the post-war era is credited to Academician Dimitrije Stefanović, who guided the society through its toughest times with dedication and perseverance.

Academician Dimitrije Stefanović

2003

The Association of Serbian Choirs was founded on Vidovdan (St. Vitus Day) in 2003 at the initiative of the Society.

The Society from the year 2000

From the year 2000 onwards, a new life begins for the choral society. Vera Carina returned to Pančevo, and at the initiative of Archpriest-stavrophor Milovan Glogovac and the Society’s president Božidar Marošan, she took over the role of the conductor and started working with choristers. 

After several months, she prepared and organised an Easter concert at the Temple of the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God in Pančevo. The choir performed together with the City Choir of Pančevo and counted sixty-five singers. Since then, the Society’s choir has been progressing steadily.

Young conductors, Vesna Paunov, Mirjana Slankamenac, and Borjana Stražmešterov, who were members of the choir, occasionally started to conduct during liturgies.

In addition to regular singing in church on Sundays and holidays, the choir has performed in almost all places in Vojvodina. They often participated in archpriest services in places in the South Banat, at Slavas, and during the consecration of churches and monasteries. Similarly to the South Slavic Singing Association (established in 1923, among whose founders is the Serbian Church Singing Society of Pančevo), the Association of Serbian Choirs was formed. This occurred under the patronage of Patriarch Pavle in the St. Sava Temple on June 28, 2003, which is an important Serbian Orthodox festival and a historic date.

The Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo was the inaugural signer of the founding charter, being the oldest society.

Festivals and Competitions

The Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo actively participates in festivals, concerts, competitions, choir meetings, both in Serbia and abroad. From 2000 onwards, there has been active collaboration with eminent composers, historians, and musicologists. On the occasion of the significant jubilees marking 170 and 175 years of the Society’s existence and work, contemporary Serbian composers dedicated their works to the Society: Dušan Maksimović – Dumaks: “Tekla mi je ladna voda bistrica” (2008), Rajko Maksimović: “Te Deum” (2008), Dimitrije Golemović: “Lord, Be With Us” (2008), and the Choreographic Cantata “Banat” (2013). In celebration of the Society’s 175th anniversary, a documentary film about the Society, “Singing to My God,” directed by Vladimir Kajlović, was produced.

Renowned Serbian composers have dedicated their works to the Society:

Dušan Maksimović – Dumaks:  Tekla mi je ladna voda bistrica” (2008)

Rajko Maksimović: “Te Deum” (2008)

Dimitrije Golemović: “Lord, Be With Us” (2008); Choreographic Cantata “Banat” (2013).

During this period, the Society received numerous awards and honours, among which it is noteworthy to mention:

• The City of Pančevo Award, 2008
• Medal of St Theodore of Vrsac, the highest medal awarded by the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Banat.
• Gold Coin and Charter Captain Misa Anastasijevic, for preservation of culture and tradition of Vojvodina 
• Vojislav Ilic Award at the Festival “Choirs among Frescoes”  for the authentic performance of spiritual music, Belgrade, Serbia 2014
• Award and recognition at the International Festival “Nis Choir Celebrations” – Absolute Winner of the Festival, with special praise for the performance of the Fifth Garland by Stevan Mokranjac (Peta rukovet by Stevan Mokranjac);
• Laureate of the First Degree Award at the “Kolozhska Blagovest” Festival in Belarus in 2016
• Special commendation at the “Choirs Among Frescoes” Festival in 2015 and 2016.

In recent years, the choir has performed in the country and abroad, participating in festivals and celebrations in Italy, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, and Bulgaria.

Temple of the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God, The Children’s and Youth Choir