Jaroslav Labsky | Composers

Jaroslav Labský was born in Praskačka (near Königgrätz) in what was then the Kingdom of Bohemia. He studied at the Prague Conservatory and was already working as an orchestra musician in Istanbul and Izmir at the age of 16. In 1896 he came to the k.u.k. Infantry Regiment No. 18 to Theresienstadt, 1906 to k.u.k. Infantry Regiment No. 84 to Vienna and from 1908 he was Kapellmeister of the regimental music of the k.u.k. Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 1. From 1914 to 1918 he served as a military bandmaster in Oradea and after the end of the Habsburg monarchy Jaroslav Labský was taken over by the Czech army. In 1923 he had to quit his job and from 1925 to 1927 he only conducted civilian orchestras and from 1929 to 1940 the Prague National Guard Music Corps No. 1.

Jaroslav Labský composed about 500 works. Among the best known are the marches Olympiade, Mutig voran (Brave Forward) and Prager Leben (Life in Prague - also known as the Vltava Salut).