Ban i/ili kralj? Glazbene svečanosti u čast velikodostojnika u Zagrebu u drugoj polovici 19. stoljeća
Ban and/or King? Music Festivities in Honour of Dignitaries in Zagreb in the Second Half of the 19th Century

Summary/Abstract: On the basis of sources – primarily press articles from Zagreb periodicals, but also memoirs and results published to date in various texts – the article describes and analyses festivities and the social, artistic and political context accompanying the visits to Zagreb (in 1852, 1869, and 1895) of the Austrian Emperor and Croatian King, Franz Joseph, and the receptions given to the Bans [governors or viceroys of Croatia] – from Josip Jelačic in 1848 to Karoly Khuen-Héderváry in 1883 – on their arrival in Zagreb. The music festivities aspired to be representative in nature and in relatively small Zagreb this involved the harnessing of all available potential, and on certain occasions – for example, the arrival of Franz Joseph – reinforcement of capacities from outside the city. This gave the newcomer performers an opportunity to establish themselves and the city a chance to excel in the brilliance of the event. The festivities regularly encompassed three levels: ecclesiastical (a solemn mass, the Te Deum); the civil, aristrocratic and protocol level (theatre and dance events, concerts); and entertainment for the folk (food, drink, singing and dancing). Civilian and military professional musicians, virtuosos, dilettantes and students participated in the ecclesiastical and protocol festivities, while folk groups and individuals took part in the third group. However, celebrations often took place in the provinces at the same time – and that at both levels: during celebrations of the Emperor's birthday and nameday, and during the installation of a Ban who was to the liking of the majority of the people, and also of the diverse strata of society. Hence, Jelačić enjoyed undivided recognition and liking in military and Church and citizen and aristocratic circles, so that his appointment was celebrated in many parts of Croatia. The conclusion is arrived at on the basis of the examples described that the Ban and the king were each accorded recognition, in which the sovereign was sacrosanct, while the Ban was an ordinary mortal who had to earn his glory. Two levels of music festivities as part of the glorification of highly-placed dignitaries in Zagreb lasted parallely and one did not exclude the other, for the very reason that this was a matter of diverse categories of distinguished persons.

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