Physician Signers of Zagreb

In 1968 Dr. Viktor Boic, a specialist for internal diseases and haemathologist, the Head of Department for Internal Diseases at the Sveti Duh Hospital (then called Dr. Josip Kajfes Hospital), a member of a famous Croatian family of musicians, a cellist obsessed by the idea of reestablishing a choir within the Croatian Medical Association, supported by Dr. Josip Zergollern, an orthopaedist and the Head of Orthopaedic Department of the Sveti Duh Hospital gathered a group of doctors who Cliked singing and could sing«. He also managed to persuade Dr. Cedo Dugan junior, an urologist at the Sisters of Charity Hospital (then called Dr. Mladen Stojanovic Hospital) in Zagreb, who was a famous organist and the son of the even more famous Franjo Dugan senior, the organist at the Zagreb Cathedral, to take over the conducting of the newly formed choir. At the beginning the rehearsals were held in the trade-union premises of the Sisters of Charity Hospital in Vinogradska Street. In 1969 the rehearsals were held for some time in the home of Dr. Darko Breitenfeld, a neuropsychiatrist, the son of the above-mentioned Dr. Josip Breitenfeld, because the hospital refused its hospitality. Dr. Cedo Dugan was conducting the Choir for only a short time, after which it was taken over by Dr. Vilko Panac, but that was also for a short time because of his old age. That was not a happy period for the Choir and it was virtually on the verge of existence.

Therefore, its founders: Drs. Boic, Zergollern, Breitenfeld, Josko Fabris, Dragutin Krajac, Ladislav Golub asked Prof. Rudolf Matz, a renowned music pedagogue, a world famous cello teacher at the Zagreb Academy of Music and a composer, to help and advise the Choir to survive. Professor Matz himself, an experienced choir conductor and a founder of the Choir of Intellectuals between the two world wars, promised to think about doing something to help. A few days later, at a meeting in the home of Dr. Krajac in 1970, he announced to everybody's delight his decision to conduct the Choir himself in order to Cset it on its feet«. For a short time the rehearsals were held in the home of Dr. Ladislav Golub. In January 1971 the rehearsals were organized on a more regular basis, once a week, in the premises of the Croatian Medical Hall at No. 9 Subiceva Street. As all the members of the Choir were doctors without exception, who were engaged in their daily duties as general practitioners, specialists in hospitals, heads of departments, assistants at clinics, university lecturers and professors, it was impossible to organize rehearsals twice a week as should have been appropriate. At the first rehearsal with Professor Matz there were thirteen fanatics present: Josip Zergollern, Darko Breitenfeld, Josko Fabris, Dragutin Krajac, Tomislav Dasovic, Ladislav Golub, Jura Amsel, Sime Mihatov, Nedeljko Popov, Zvonimir Grgic and Darislav Radica. Two months later, Professor Matz already wrote his first composition for the Choir called Carmen Medicorum and dedicated it to Dr. Viktor Boic, an assiduous promoter of music among doctors. This composition triggered new successes of the Choir which was now joined by numerous new members. This led to the foundation of the Music Section of the Medical Association in May 1971 (which is today called Croatian Medical Music Society).

The first president of this Music Section and the Choir which was now called Physicians Singers of Zagreb was Dr. Josip Zergollern (1927-1988). It was due to his hard and assiduous work that the Choir managed to survive and even increase its membership. Being a trained singer himself, a soloist with a very pleasant bass, he contributed immensely to the quality of the Choir. Dr. Viktor Boic, the initiator of the idea of creating the Choir, was elected its honorary president.

Besides the activities of the Choir itself, there were other options of musical activities in the form of instrumental ensembles and collaboration with soloists and instrumental groups outside the Music Section. Another part of the activity of the Music Section was professional and scientific medical work (gathering and analysing of medical documentation about diseases of famous Croatian and foreign composers -- pathographies, studies of professional diseases of musicians, application of music in medicine -- music therapy). The basic attitude of the Music Section was that the Choir must act exclusively on the principle of amateurism. It was also decided that the Choir should perform publicly primarily as a part of medical conferences, congresses, symposiums, seminars etc., in order to give a cultural dimension to such professional gatherings which would contribute to a better working and social atmosphere and show that the Croatian Medical Association was not only a dull professional organization. The Choir could also take part in charity performances and exceptionally at some events which are of particular importance for the town and the country. It was decided that the Choir should perform pieces of classical polyphony, pieces by physicians composers, folk songs arranged for male choirs, pieces from the world cultural heritage by famous Croatian and world composers (e.g. Lukacic, Bajamonti, Gallus, Odak, Gotovac, Lisinski, Matz, Brahms, Schubert, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Verdi and others).

The Physicians Singers of Zagreb made their first public appearance in June 1971 at the Meeting of the European Anatomical Society (Europäische anatomische Gesellschaft) in the lounge of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb. The Choir was conducted by Professor Matz and the following members took part: Josko Fabris, Kamilo Benkovic, Nedeljko Popov, Dragutin Krajac, Stanko Rodic, Tomislav Dasovic, Damir Pasini, Ladislav Golub, Milan Ferkovic, Josip Zergollern, Zvonimir Katanec, Bozidar Grgic and Sime Mihatov.

The second performance was on 30th September 1971 at a gala opening of an international meeting of pathologists, the Professor Saltykow Memorial in Zagreb. On that occasion, besides the above-mentioned members, there were also the following members participating: Drazen Mihic, Ratomir Salinovic, Darislav Radica, Egidije Cepulic, Darko Breitenfeld and Josip Ferencak. This time again Professor Matz conducted the Choir.

On 1st October 1971 a concert was held at the Zagreb Cathedral as a part of the Seventh Scientific Symposium on Alcoholism, and on 6th October the same year the Choir performed outside Zagreb for the first time at the third Medical Congress of former Yugoslavia. The Choir was conducted by Professor Matz. At this concert the composition Carmen Medicorum was accepted as the doctors'

The Choir gradually improved in quality, although the rehearsals took place only once a week. The number of members was growing as well. All this enabled the Choir to broaden its repertoire and challenge more difficult pieces. The Choir grew to 35-40 members and it has maintained the same membership until the present day. With time, due to his poor health and old age, Professor Matz decided to withdraw from conducting the Choir, but he took care to provide a decent successor and thus ensure further progress of the Choir for which its members have always been extremely grateful to him. He brought to the Choir our colleague Dr. Mijo Bergovec who took over the leading of the Choir in 1974. With his juvenile enthusiasm and great love for music in general, his persistency and patience, Dr. Bergovec successfully continued the work by Professor Matz and the Choir's repertoire broadened considerably.

In 1984 Dr. Zergollern decided to withdraw from the post of the President of the Music Section, due to his poor health, and this duty was confied to Dr. Milan Ferkovic, the neuropsychiatrist and the Head of the Neurological Department of the Sveti Duh Hospital. Dr. Josip Zergollern was elected an honorary president and he continued singing as a member of the Choir and a soloist until his too early death in 1987. In 1984 Prof. Dr. Milan Ferkovic was elected the President of the Music Section and has been holding the post ever since. With the help of the other Choir members, Dr. Ferkovic established contacts with medical institutions and similar music societies in the country and abroad, and he brought about numerous concerts in Croatia and some other European countries. During all this time the following members figured as secretaries of the Choir: Darko Breitenfeld, Egidije Cepulic, Ladislav Krapac, Velimir Milosevic, Vlatko Bicanic, Dragutin Krajac and Ivo Tomasic.

During the 25 years, since the first performance on 3rd June 1971 until the present day, the Physicians Singers of Zagreb have performed more than 250 times. It has mostly been within medical meetings and charity concerts (e.g. concert for the wounded in the Croatian Liberation War, for helping children of killed parents and those in exile, charity concerts for helping those suffering from leukaemia and cancer). The Choir has also taken part at general cultural events of greater importance (e.g. 35Oth anniversary of the Classical Grammar School in Zagreb, 900th anniversary of the written monument of the town of Zagreb, 900th anniversary of the Zagreb Diocese). The Choir has given numerous concerts in the country (Zagreb, Varazdin, Osijek, Sibenik, Bjelovar, Zadar) and abroad (Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Germany). Their last concert abroad was in June 1995 in Bad Brückenau (Germany), at the 10th European Days of Music 1995 (Europa-Tage der Musik -- 10, 1995), when they performed together with choirs from Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.

For many years now the Choir has been accompanied at various concerts in Croatia and abroad by the pianist and music pedagogue Prof. Hvalimira Bledsnajder. The Choir hosted some eminent Croatian opera singers and musicians who performed with the Choir, namely Ivanka Boljkovac, soprano, Ruza Pospis-Baldani, mezzo-soprano, Josip Lesaja, baritone, Josip Klima, a famous violonist and professor at the Zagreb Academy of Music, Stjepan Mihaljinec, a pianist and composer. On several occasions our Choir was accompanied by the Orchestra of the Croatian Music Institute conducted by Maestro Igor Gjadrov, and the Hamburg Doctors' Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mrs. A. Stellbrinck. In 1995 the Choir also performed with the Croatian Radio Television Tambura Orchestra conducted by Maestro Sinisa Leopold. The Choir performed and recorded for the Croatian Radio and Television and the Second Programme of the German Television in Mainz (ZDF).

The Choir has made a record entitled Carmen Medicorum and a double cassette with folk songs from Medjimurje (north Croatia) which were arranged by Ivo Flögel (murdered by the Yugoslav police after World War II, in 1945) and adapted for our Choir by Andjelko Klobucar, a professor at the Zagreb Academy of Music.

Besides these singing activities of the Choir within the Music Section of the Croatian Medical Association, there were organized two symposiums called Medicine and Music -- one on 19th November 1981, and the other on 28th November 1985. At the second symposium there were doctors from abroad taking part. There were very interesting themes on the agenda: Diseases of famous composers and musicians, Music as instigator of sick conditions (Musicogenous epilepsy), Music as cure for some diseases (music therapy).

Soloists of our Choir Dr. Josko Fabris, Dr. Zeljko Jurasinovic and Dr. Sime Mihatov are educated singers, which greatly contributes to the quality of the Choir. Dr. Darko Breitenfeld is very active in music therapy and in research of the diseases of famous Croatian and foreign composers. Some members of the Choir are equally successful in other fields of art: Dr. Vlade Vicic is a composer and Dr. Josip Ferencak is a painter. Dr. Vicic's compositions for voice and guitar are suitable to be performed as Dalmatian close harmony songs. He had several independent exhibitions in Croatia and took part in numerous exhibitions abroad. His work has been praised by many eminent critics.

We are particularly glad that the achievements of our Choir initiated the foundation of doctors' choirs in Zadar and Split. After these choirs had been set up, we organized a joint concert at the Croatian Music Institutein Zagreb where there were also doctors' mixed choirs from Varazdin and Ljubljana taking part. They have continued with their active work up to the present day and have achieved very high standards.

Before finishing this brief history, I must point out that the Physicians Singers of Zagreb Choir has survived during these 25 years owing to unselfish and devoted work of all its members, those who are still actively singing as well as those who were once its active members. Sadly, some of them have passed away and we keep a warm memory of them in our hearts. They are: Drs. Juraj Amsel, Viktor Boic, Zvonimir Grgic, Nedeljko Popov, Stjepan Rajic, Josip Zergollern and Prof. Rudolf Matz.

Indeed, it is not easy to keep together for such a long time people who are so busy with their duties and engagements as doctors are. It is only possible when, besides the love for music, there is a need for sociality and that is what brings blessing and happiness to human lives. It will not be presumptuous to say that the activity of the Physicians Singers of Zagreb has brought something noble and precious into the Croatian Medical Association, acting as a professional organization, and has given its modest contribution to the cultural life of the town of Zagreb.

We sincerely wish and hope that the Physicians Singers of Zagreb continue their existence and activity for generations to come.

June 2000 (Volume 41, Number 2)
Physicians Singers of Zagreb – Medici Cantores Zagrabienses

In 1968, Dr Viktor Boiæ, specialist in internal medicine and hematology and the Head of the Department for Internal Diseases at the Holy Ghost Hospital in Zagreb, and a few other members of the Croatian Medical Association established a male choir. Coming from a distinguished Croatian family of musicians, and a noted cellist himself, he had long cherished the ambition to bring together the physicians who “liked singing and could sing well”. Great support in the realization of this project he found in Dr Josip Zergollern, who was at that time the Head of the Orthopedic Department at the Holy Ghost Hospital. In 1970, the two of them asked a famous cellist, music pedagogue and composer, Rudolf Matz, who was a professor at the Zagreb Academy of Music, to help them find the conductor for the Choir. After a few days, professor Matz called them back and said that he was willing to conduct the Choir himself in order to “set them on their feet”.
Soon afterwards, professor Matz wrote his first composition for the Choir – Carmen Medicorum. He dedicated it to Dr Viktor Boiæ, “a zealous promoter of music among his fellow doctors”. This led to the foundation of the Croatian Medical Music Society in May 1971. The first president of both the Music Society and the Choir, called Physicians Singers of Zagreb, was Dr Josip Zergollern. A trained singer himself – soloist with very pleasant bass – he contributed immensely to the quality of the Choir. One of the principles of the Music Section was that the activity of the Choir had to remain exclusively on an amateur basis. The Choir's repertoire included pieces of classical polyphony, pieces composed by physicians, folk songs arranged for a male choir, and pieces from the world cultural heritage.
The Physicians Singers of Zagreb had their first public appearance in June 1971. The composition Carmen Medicorum was accepted as the physician anthem at the Congress of Physicians, which took place in October of the same year. In 1992, it was accepted as the official anthem of Zagreb Medical School (1).
Due to his poor health and old age, professor Matz resigned from his post as the conductor of the choir in 1974. He recommended his young colleague Dr Mijo Bergovec, cardiologist and professor of internal medicine, to become his successor. Dr Bergovec accepted the honor and has led the Choir ever since.
In 1984, after his health deteriorated, Dr Zergollern withdrew from the presidential post and was succeeded by Dr Milan Ferkoviæ, Head of the Neurologic Department at the Holy Ghost hospital in Zagreb. Dr Ferkoviæ has remained the president of the Music Society to this very day.
During the years, the Physicians Singers of Zagreb have held more then 300 concerts under the leadership of Dr Bergovec. The Choir has given numerous concerts in the country and abroad (Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Hungary). Last year, the Choir had two concerts abroad, one in Geneva in May, and one in Budapest in December. A pianist and organist, Hvalimira Bledšnajder always accompanies the Choir. Some eminent Croatian opera singers and musicians have been star guests of the Choir. On several occasions, the Choir performed together with different orchestras, such as the Orchestra of Croatian Music Institute, Hamburg Doctors’ Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb, Radio-television Tambura Orchestra and Berliner Ärzte Orchester.
The Choir released a double CD in 1998. The first CD, Èujem poziv Višnjega (I Hear the Voice of the Almighty), contains spiritual compositions, and the second CD, U sveèani taj èas (At this Festive Moment), contains folk songs, pieces composed by physicians composers, and other Croatian popular songs.
At the end of this brief history, it will not be presumptuous to say that the Physicians Singers of Zagreb have added a new, noble and precious quality to the Croatian Medical Association, and have made their modest contribution to the cultural life of Zagreb and Croatia.Milan Ferkoviæ and Mijo Bergovec

1. Bošnjak D. Facultas Medica Zagrebiensis Annos LXXV A.D. MCMXCII. Croat Med J 1993;34:95.

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History 1971-1996

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