Mojmir Sepe

Mojmir Sepe
Sepe (left) with Dušan Hren in 2005
Sepe (left) with Dušan Hren in 2005
Background information
Also known asMojzes
Born(1930-07-11)11 July 1930
Jazbina, Črna na Koroškem, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Died24 December 2020(2020-12-24) (aged 90)
Occupations
Years active1950–2020
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1956; died 2006)​

Mojmir "Mojzes" Sepe (11 July 1930 – 24 December 2020) was a Slovenian composer, conductor, arranger and trumpeter.[1]

Career

The son of opera singer Franc Schiffrer, Sepe graduated from Celje First Grammar School (gymnasium) in Celje in 1949. He later studied piano and trumpet at Ljubljana Academy of Music.

In 1950, he started his professional music career as a promising trumpet player at Radio Ljubljana Dance Orchestra. He also established the jazz Mojmir Sepe Band (Ansambel Mojmirja Sepeta), which published one of the first jazz vinyl records in socialist Yugoslavia. His trumpet career ended after an altercation at Opatija Festival '65 when four guys knocked out a couple of his front teeth as he defended her from having her purse stolen.[2] He committed to composing and conducting, mostly influenced by jazz and swing music.[3]

He collaborated with several Slovenian poets who wrote lyrics for his arrangements. Among them were Frane Milčinski Ježek, Gregor Strniša, Branko Šomen, Miroslav Košuta, and Ivan Minatti.[4]

Hit songs

Brez besed vs. Eres tú plagiarism

Eres tú, the Spanish entry in the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest, has been accused of being a plagiarism of the Slovenian song "Brez besed" performed by Berta Ambrož and representing Yugoslavia at the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest. Brez Besed was written by composer Mojmir Sepe and lyricist Elza Budau, both Slovenians. However, Sepe and Budau never officially complained or filed a lawsuit against Eres Tú composer Juan Carlos Calderón, and therefore nothing further happened.[7][8][9][10]

Eurovision

Sepe represented Yugoslavia two times as composer.[6]

Year Song Artist Lyricist Place
1966
 "Brez besed" Berta Ambrož Elza Budau 7th
1970
 "Pridi, dala ti bom cvet" Eva Sršen Dušan Velkaverh 11th

Sepe conducted both his compositions in the Eurovision Song Contest. Additionally, he was the conductor for the Slovenian entries in 1997 and 1998.[11] He was also the Slovenian jury member in the 1993 Eurovision pre-selection.

Personal life and death

Since 1956, Sepe was married to Majda Sepe, a famous Slovenian singer, for whom he also wrote music.[12] Film director Polona Sepe [sl] was born to them in 1957.

Sepe died on 24 December 2020, at the age of 90.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Umrl je Mojmir Sepe". Delo. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  2. ^ Sotošek, Gregor (2018). "Poznavanje in poslušanje skladb Mojmirja Sepeta" [Knowledge and Listening to Songs by Mojmir Sepe] (PDF) (in Slovenian).
  3. ^ "90 let Mojmirja Sepeta, pogovor". MMC RTV Slovenia 4D archive. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Umrl je Mojmir Sepe". www.delo.si.
  5. ^ "SEPE Mojmir".
  6. ^ a b Vodovnik, Dejan (January 24, 2019). "Kolumna Dejana Vodovnika: Bojan". www.slovenskenovice.si.
  7. ^ "Brez besed by Berta Ambrož at Eurovision 1966". YouTube. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Evrovizijski škandal, v katerega je bila vpletena Slovenka" (in Slovenian). Slovenske novice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Songs with earlier history". songswithearlierhistories.com. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Ein bisschen plagiarism?". Sveriges Radio. sverigesradio.se. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  11. ^ "And the conductor is...|...a website dedicated to all conductors of the Eurovision Song Contest". www.andtheconductoris.eu.
  12. ^ "Poslovil se je Mojzes: umrl skladatelj in dirigent Mojmir Sepe". RTVSLO.si.
  13. ^ "Umrl je skladatelj in dirigent Mojmir Sepe". www.24ur.com.