Vratislav Brabenec facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vratislav Brabenec
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At a concert in Kadaň.
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| Background information | |
| Born | April 28, 1943 Prague |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, poet |
| Instruments | Saxophone, clarinet |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Associated acts | The Plastic People of the Universe |
Vratislav Brabenec (born April 28, 1943, in Prague) is a Czech musician and writer. He is a well-known member of the band The Plastic People of the Universe.
Contents
Life Story
Vratislav Brabenec grew up in Prague. His father worked for the postal service. He first studied gardening at a special school in Mělník. After finishing school, he worked as a gardener for several years.
From 1964 to 1969, he studied theology (the study of religion) in Prague. However, he did not finish his studies. In 1969, he worked for a while in Great Britain. When he came back home, he continued to work for gardening companies.
In 1976, Vratislav faced difficulties with the government because of his artistic work and beliefs. He was held by the authorities for about eight months. After he was released, he joined a group called Charta 77. This group spoke up for human rights in Czechoslovakia. Because of his actions, he was forced to leave the country in 1982. This was part of a government plan called Akce Asanace, which aimed to make people who disagreed with the government leave.
From 1983 to 1997, Vratislav lived in Canada. He met other Czech people who had also moved there, like the writer Josef Škvorecký. He lived in different parts of Canada, including the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, which brought freedom to Czechoslovakia, he started visiting his homeland often. In 1997, he moved back to the Czech Republic. Since then, he has continued his music career and also works as a garden designer.
Vratislav is married to Marie Benetková, who is a poet and artist. They have a daughter named Nikola.
Music Journey
Vratislav Brabenec plays several instruments, including the alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and clarinet. He also sings. He became a member of The Plastic People of the Universe (PPU). This band was very important in Czechoslovakia during the 1970s. Their concerts were often banned by the government. This led to many people supporting them and eventually helped start the Charta 77 movement.
Vratislav wrote many of the band's song lyrics. These songs often explored deep ideas about life and religion. For example, he wrote "Jak bude po smrti" (What it will be like after death) and "Pašijové hry velikonoční" (Easter Passion Play). The "Easter Passion Play" was first performed in 1968 with another group called the Spirituál kvintet.
When he returned to the Czech Republic in 1997, he rejoined the PPU. He also plays in another band called Sen noci svatojánské.
Writing Career
Vratislav's first poems were published in a religious magazine in 1968. He also published his work in samizdat editions. These were underground publications that were secretly copied and shared when official publishing was not allowed. His only solo samizdat collection was Svědkové (Witnesses), published in 1978. Another collection, Sebedudy, was prepared in 1982 but was not officially published until 1992.
His poems are often connected to music. In the 1990s, his work appeared in many Czech literary and music magazines. These included Revolver Revue, Host, Rolling Stone, and Rock & Pop. In recent years, Vratislav has also appeared in several movies. These films are usually about or feature The Plastic People of the Universe, such as Milan Hlavsa, Plastic People of the Universe (2001) and ...a bude hůř (2007).
Works
Books
- Sebedudy (1992)
- Vůl Hvězda Ranní (1998)
- Karlín přístav (1999; second [bilingual] edition 2021)
- Vážený pane K. (2001)
- Všude je střed světa (2005)
- Sebedudy a jiné texty z let 1966-1987 (2010)
- Evangelium podle Brabence (2010)
- Denver (2010)
- Pajasan (2016)
- Podoby (2016)
- Nevyžádaný příspěvek (2016)
- Tanec duchů (2017)
- Trdliště (2018)
- Garden Is Open (2018)
- Payday (2019)
- Legendy a čáry (2019)
- Eden: Třída sboru národní bezpečnosti (2020)
- Posvícení (2020)
- Podzim (2020)
- Život v Ječný (2021)
- Na ouvrati (2022)
- Vlk a plch: rozporky & rozprávky aj. (2022)
- Cestou na Bořeň (2023)
Music Albums
- Konec léta (1995)
- Začni u stromu (2006)
- Kanadské vytí (2007)
- Létání je snadné (2013)
- Šaman bez kmene, bez rodu, bez prérie (2018)
- Růže na kmínku (2021)
- Nejsem na to zvyklá (2023)
Movies Featuring Vratislav
- …a bude hůř (2007)
- Gorila (2011)
- Kovář z Podlesí (2013)
- Odborný dohled nad východem Slunce (2014)
- Odborný dohled nad výkladem snu (2018)
- Cena za štěstí (2019)
- Ztraceni v ráji (2020)
- Tichý společník (2021)
