On January 18, 1915, unexpected news shook Slovenian church-music society as the renowned and respected organ master Ivan Milavec passed away in a regional hospital in Ljubljana. He died just a few days after surgery for an inflamed appendix.
Ivan Milavec was born on February 21, 1874, in Blekova vas near Zgornji Logatec, today Logatec. From September 21, 1888, to January 21, 1892, he studied the organ building under the master of Franc Goršič.
In his free time, the young Milavec liked to escape under the roof where he could, in peace and solitude, study, draw and think undisturbed. Blessed with a keen ear and extraordinary diligence, he was well-trained by the great master Goršič to pursue an independent career in the art of organ building. The caliber of teacher Ivan Milavec had is evidenced by the statement (listed below) of Dr. Franc Kimovec, a priest, composer and music critic, in the publication Cerkveni glasbenik (CG 1915, No. 2, p. 17).
“Goršič was a master of a distinct, but in no direction exaggerated intonation. There is a certain fullness and solidity in his works that one cannot find more complete. At the same time, his later works, in particular, are suffused with extraordinary softness and suppleness, so that in some registers (e.g. in the salicional) no one seems to have surpassed him if anyone has reached him at all.”
Dr. Franc Kimovec
On September 21, 1892, Milavec received a certificate of apprenticeship, and he remained as an assistant with Goršič until May 18, 1895. Throughout this time he “worked very diligently, faithfully and to the greatest satisfaction, and behaved in an exemplary manner. He deserves to be most warmly recommended to his employer in every respect”, as stated in the German certificate given to him by master Goršič.
Photo: Organistica
On May 20, he entered Lenarčič’s harmonium workshop in Vrhnika, where he stayed until September 29, of the same year, 1895. The certificate states that he was “diligent, hard-working, sensible, and proved himself capable in the construction and tuning of harmoniums.”
He joined the military, where he attained the rank of corporal and served as a “diensttuender” (active-duty soldier). On September 18, 1898, when he took off his military uniform, he entered the workshop of master Kriegl and worked there ‘faithfully, diligently, honestly, to the master’s satisfaction’ until October 14, 1900. Kriegl was not successful, so better workers began to leave him, including Milavec, but he could not get orders, even though he had had his own workshop since November 1900. Milavec also married Pavla Jarec during this time, on May 14, 1899. As a newcomer on the independent path, he did not easily obtain orders. Although he obtained his trade licence as early as November 5, 1900, he did not build his first independent organ until January 1904 in Škocijan pri Dobravi. It had 16 registers.
Photo: Organistica
Milavec’s first independent work was a great success. Experts especially praised the good intonation. Milavec also received recognition from the professional organ critic, Fr. Hugolin Sattner, with a flattering review in the publication Cerkveni glasbenik (CG 1904, No. 10, p. 78).
“Mr. Peter Bohinjec, the parish priest, was brave enough to give the new organ… to Mr. Ivan Milavec, and he will not repent… The intonation is absolutely exquisite… The principals are suitably bold manual leaders, the flutes are friendly, lively, but soft, the Gamba cuts beautifully… The Aeoline is extremely delicate, the Unda maris trembles wonderfully through it. The Cello of wood is just right for delicate changes, the Violon is beautiful, bold, and the Violon has a slot above all… I spent a long time at the organ and realised that it really has the spirit of Goršič and that Mr Milavec is a worthy disciple and successor of Goršič… This experiment has shown that Mr Milavec can be handed over the organ without any worries, and that we now have a master organ builder in Ljubljana.”
Fr. Hugolin Sattner
The ice was broken and a lively life began in Milavec’s workshop. Many orders followed. Organs followed organs, and the total number of organs was beautiful and honourable – 37 in ten years. What is even more honourable for the master is the fact that all these organs can be described as good, very good, excellent. On one or two of the organs he had a slight problem with the pneumatics, which were beginning to become popular in those days, but the master solved all the problems.
Photo: Organistica
Just before his death, Milavec had a small organ in the works for the church of St. Catherine above Medvode. Although a small project, due to limited space and meagre funds, the instrument was combined in every possible way, so that the master was at least as interested in this organ as he was in organs five or even ten times larger. The organ lacked even five complete registers, but ten of them were created by combinations, and the console with two manuals and the organ case was deliberately drawn after the great architect Vurnik. Unfortunately, Milavec was overtaken by death and was unable to complete the organ.
Another work that Milavec started just before his death was the organ for Dovje, where the composer and parish priest Aljaž ordered a special design for the organ case from the architect. In addition, Milavec had already signed a contract for the organ in Radeče, while the organ for St. Catherine church in Topol, Medvode, was already close to completion.
“The St. Catherine’s organ, which is close to completion, will show whether Milavec’s school has produced an independent craftsman, and why such are not sown in large numbers. For example, only one has come out of the Goršič school: the late Milavec, although Goršič was an independent master for many decades.”
Dr. Franc Kimovec
