Johann Pehel

Czech composer and military band leader (b. May 16, 1852 in Husinec, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary – d. February 28, 1926 in Prague, Czechoslovakia) The son of the village cantor of Husinec, Pehel joined the orchestra of the noble Kolowrat-Krakowští family at a young age. In 1872, he graduated from the teacher training school in Soběslav and began teaching in village schools. Between 1875-1880 he served as organist and choir director at the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Chrudim, then directed the band of the Sokol [sports club] in Choceň. In 1884, he became a military band director in Hradec Králové (Königgrätz), later transferring to Terezín, Trieste, and finally Prague (1907-1918), where he was elected head of the Military Band Directors' Association. He was considered one of the best military band directors in the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire. Pehel composed a large number of marches and dances, but also several operettas, a ballet, and an opera. Examples of his marches are "74-er Korps-Manöver-Marsch" (1885) and "Achilles (87-er Regimentsmarsch)". Other works include "Immer bereit!" (Galopp, Op. 128) and "Atom" (Schnell-Polka, Op. 168).