Davorin Jenko and Stevan st. Mokranjac. Biographical fragments. A contribution to cultural remembrance

Abstract

This paper contributes to the marking of the centenary of the death of two significant composers and conductors - Davorin Jenko (1835-1914) and Stevan St. Mokranjac (1856-1914). Although belonging to different generations, Jenko and Mokranjac were simultaneously active in Serbian culture over the course of almost four decades. This was a very dynamic and fruitful period, marked by historical and political unrests and by the intense processes of searching for Serbian national/ cultural identity. Divided into several fragments, the article identifies the points of intersection in their biographies, examining the delicate nature of their relationship in the context of the discourses of nationalism. Special attention is paid to the facts from the history of the Belgrade Singing Society and the National Theatre, but also to the manifestations by means of which a tradition of cultural remembrance of these two artists is maintained in Serbia in 2014.