Arsen Dedić

Arsen Dedić
Arsen Dedić in June 2006
Born	Arsenije Dedić[1] (1938-07-28)28 July 1938 Šibenik, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Died	17 August 2015(2015-08-17) (aged 77) Zagreb, Croatia
Occupations	Composer poet flutist songwriter arranger orchestra conductor music producer
Years active	1958–2015
Spouses	Vesna Suligoj ​ ​ (m. 1961; div. 1965)​ Gabi Novak ​ ​ (m. 1973)​
Children	2
Relatives	Alen Slavica (son-in-law)
Awards	Order of Danica Hrvatska
Musical career
Genres	Chanson pop
Instruments	Vocals piano guitar flute
Labels	Jugoton ZKP RTLJ PGP-RTB Diskoton HRT Orfej Cantus Records Croatia Records Dallas Records
Website	arsen.hr

Arsenije "Arsen" Dedić (pronounced [ǎrsɛːnijɛ ǎrsen děːditɕ]; 28 July 1938 – 17 August 2015) was a Croatian singer-songwriter. He wrote and performed chansons, as well as film music. He was also an award-winning poet, and was one of the best-selling poets of former Yugoslavia and Croatia.

Biography

Dedić (left) with Croatia Records (formerly Jugoton) executives Veljko Despot and Siniša Škarica in Makarska, 1999.

Dedić was born in Šibenik, in the Littoral Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, today Šibenik-Knin County, in the region of Dalmatia, within the Republic of Croatia, as the second child of Veronika "Jelka"^[2] (née Mišković) and Jovan Dedić.^[3][4][1][2] His father was an Orthodox Christian ethnic Serb,^[1][3] while his mother was a Croat who converted from Catholicism to Serb Orthodoxy after marrying Jovan.^[4] His father was a bricklayer, volunteer firefighter and musician, while his mother was an illiterate housewife, whom Dedić later taught to write and read.

Dedić was baptized in the Serbian Orthodox Church under the name Arsenije, after the Serbian Archbishop Arsenije III Čarnojević.^[1] He finished music school. He and his older brother Milutin left Šibenik for Zagreb and Belgrade, respectively, in 1957.^[1] He studied law at the University of Zagreb but dropped out in 1959, enrolling in the Music Academy of Zagreb and receiving a diploma in 1964.

Dedić became a household name in the 1960s, thanks to pop music festivals and his brand of music, which was at first influenced by Dalmatian folklore, but is mostly comparable to the French chanson genre. Throughout the decades Dedić became one of the most respected musicians in former Yugoslavia and maintained that reputation all the way to his death.

Illness and death

At the beginning of 2014, Dedić fell and had difficulties walking, so he had to use a cane.^[5] Because of unbearable pain in July 2015, he underwent surgery for hip endoprosthesis in the orthopedic hospital in Krapinske Toplice, followed by a two-week rehabilitation. On 28 July, he spent his 77th birthday with family and friends in Zagreb. At the end of July, he suffered severe inflammation most likely as a complication after the surgery, because of which he had the liver transplant in 2004 and had been under immunosuppressive therapy since then, and was taken to intensive care. At first, his condition improved and the medical records were better.

On 8 August, it was reported that his inflammation had calmed down and responded well to drugs. He was expected to be released home but his wife Gabi Novak found him in a serious condition lying on the floor next to the walkerand speaking indistinctly. He was admitted on the emergency neurology of the Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center but his condition on 13 August drastically worsened. On 14 August, his lungs failed and he was attached to the respirator, and soon the other organs failed successively. Novak refused a high-risk surgery.^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

Dedić died at the Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center on 17 August 2015, at 9:00 pm, aged 77.^{[11][12][13][14]} The commemoration was held at the Croatian National Theatre in Šibenik,^[15] and in the Croatian Music Institute in Zagreb.^[16] He was cremated and buried, according to his own wishes, in the circle of his closest family, far from the public eyes, on 25 August at the Mirogoj Cemetery in Zagreb.^[17]

Personal life

Gabi Novak

Matija Dedić

Arsen Dedić and his wife Gabi Novak got married on 30 March 1973. They had together a son Matija, today renowned jazz pianist.

Dedić had a daughter Sandra, born in 1962, from his first marriage with Vesna Suligoj, a grandniece of Antun Gustav Matoš, one of the greatest Croatian poets. Sandra is married to Alen Slavica,^[18][19] a popular singer-songwriter and they have daughter Ema, born in August 2011.^[20][21][22] In 1973, Dedić married his second wife Gabi Novak, a prominent Croatian pop singer.^[23] Their son Matija,^[24][25][26] who was born the same year, is one of the most respected jazz pianists in Croatia. He has a daughter Lu, with his wife Marina Scotti.^[27]

Dedić dedicated several songs to his wife Gabi Novak, as well as to his daughter ("Sandra") and granddaughters ("Pjesma za Lu", "Mata Hari"). Daughter Sandra appears as a girl on the cover of the 1987 album Kino Sloboda.

Dedić defined himself not as "apolitical, but anti-political".^[28][29] He rejected the possibility of political engagement or support for a politician, convinced that singers do not need declarative statements.^[30] Affected by bans and censorship in various parts of his career, he often highlighted John Stuart Mill's liberal motto as his life motto, according to which an individual's freedom reaches all the way to someone else's freedom.^[31][32][33] Declaring himself an artist of "leftist belief",^[30] he opposed collectivism and nationalism.^[34] During the 1997 Croatian presidential election campaign, his name appeared on a list of several hundred cultural workers and artists who openly supported Franjo Tuđman's candidacy in an open letter, without his approval or request, to which he requested and printed a denial.^[2][35] After the democratic changes of the 1990s, he cited the solidarity of the system and social mobility as positive aspects of the former socialism.^[36]

He was a member of the Zagreb Society of Friends of the Hajduk Split football club, which he regularly supported with his presence and pro bono performances at Bila noć (White Night).^[37] Back in 1967, he included his compositions "Čovjek od soli" (Man of Salt), and a duet with Vice Vukov "I da bi ja ruku u vatru stavit" (And to Put My Hand In the Fire) on the EP Naprid bili, the proceeds from the sale of which were collected for the construction of the new Hajduk stadium.^[38]

Discography

Albums released on vinyl

• " 45RPM Compact Vinyl - "ZAGREB 66" XII Festival Zabavne Muzike. SANDRA - Pjeva Arsen Dedic.
• Čovjek kao ja (1969)
• Arsen 2 (1971)
• Homo Volans (double album) (1973)
• Vraćam se (1975)
• Porodično stablo (1976)
• Arsenal (1976)
• Otisak autora (1976)
• Pjesme sa šlagom (1976)
• Dedić-Golob (1977)
• Kuća pored mora (instrumentals) (1978)
• Rimska ploča (1980)
• Pjevam pjesnike (1980)
• Naručene pjesme (1980)
• Gabi i Arsen (1980)
• Carevo novo ruho (1981)
• Arsen pjeva djeci (1982)
• Provincija (1984)
• Kantautor (double album) (1985)
• Moje popevke (1986)
• Kino Sloboda (1987)
• Arsen & Bora Čorba Unplugged `87 (1987)
• Hrabri ljudi (Gabi i Arsen) (1988)
• Glazba za film i TV (1989)
• Svjedoci priče (1989)

Albums released on CD

• Najbolje od Arsena (1991)
• Tihi obrt (1993)
• Der Gesang der Narren von Europa (1995 – with Dževad Karahasan and Herbert Gantschacher)
• Ko ovo more platit (1995)
• Ministarstvo (1997) / Ministarstvo straha (2000, 2005)
• Herbar (1999)
• Čovjek kao ja (1969, 1999)
• Kino Sloboda (1987, 2000)
• Kinoteka (2002)
• Homo volans (1973, 2003)
• Imena žena (2003)
• Na zlu putu (2004)
• Ministarstvo straha (2006)
• Rebus (2008)

Poetry

• Brod u Boci (Croatia Concert, Zagreb, 1971)
• Hotel Balkan (Znanje, Zagreb, 1987)
• 101 Pjesma (Svjetlost, Sarajevo, 1989)

References

1. Lopušina 2008.
2. Polimac, Nenad (19 August 2015). "NENAD POLIMAC PIŠE O JEDINOJ TAJNI ARSENA DEDIĆA Jednom je rekao: 'Ja se smrti ne bojim'". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 20 August 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
3. Fuka & Kegelj 2015.
4. Info, Kurir (24 May 2005). "MOJ BRAT ARSENIJE Intimna ispovest beogradskog slikara Milutina Dedića, rođenog brata poznatog zagrebačkog šansonjera srpskog porekla". Kurir Info (in Serbian). Retrieved 21 August 2015.
5. Arsen ponovno na operacijskom stolu – Gabi bdije uz postelju: 'Dobro je prošlo, ali sada opet mora učiti hodati' Archived 14 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Lada Novak, Jutarnji list. Retrieved 13 July 2015
6. "Zabrinuta Gabi odbila je da Arsena ponovno operiraju", 24sata, 16 August 2015
7. „Arsen Dedić u kritičnom stanju: kantautoru su otkazala pluća", Slobodna Dalmacija, 14 August 2015
8. "Arsenu Dediću pozlilo, sumnja se na sepsu" Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Goranka Jureško, Jutarnji list, objavljeno: 30 July 2015
9. "Arsen Dedić ponovno u bolnici", HRT.hr, Author: D.P., 30 July 2015
10. „Drastično se pogoršalo stanje Arsena Dedića: legenda hrvatske glazbe u kritičnom stanju!" Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, HINA, vijesti.hr, 13 August 2015
11. "Odlazak glazbenog velikana: Arsen Dedić umro u 78. godini života". 24sata.hr (in Croatian). 17 August 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
12. "Arsen Dedic, Musical Legend, Dies in Zagreb". 18 August 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
13. "Predsjednik Vlade Zoran Milanović uputio brzojav sućuti obitelji Arsena Dedića", Croatian Government, Retrieved 18 August 2015.
14. "Videoalbum: sjećamo se Arsena Dedića" Archived 4 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine, HRT.hr, 18 August 2015.
15. "Komemoracija u Šibeniku: Prijatelji i kolege oprostili se od Arsena Dedića", Gloria, 21 August 2015
16. "FOTO Zagrebačka komemoracija za Arsena: Mnogi poznati jedva su susprezali suze" (in Croatian). Šibenik IN. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
17. Volarić, Toni: "Sprovod u Zagrebu: Arsenu su zbogom rekli obitelj i prijatelji", 24sata.hr, 25 August 2015
18. "Alen Slavica: Za neprežaljenog punca Arsena snimam pjesmu 'Nevere'". Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian). 16 October 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
19. Rožman, Klara (17 October 2015). "ALEN SLAVICA, GLAZBENIK I ZET ARSENA DEDIĆA 'Sandra i ja prodali smo kuću u Šibeniku, selimo u SAD'". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 25 November 2020.
20. Vikić, Igor (9 August 2011). "Sandra, kći Arsena Dedića je rodila djevojčicu u 49. godini". 24sata (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 November 2020.
21. "Alen Slavica: Radujemo se dolasku bebe" (in Croatian). Story.hr. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
22. "SANDRA I ALEN SLAVICA: RODITELJI NAKON 12 GODINA BORBE". Gloria (in Croatian). 28 October 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
23. "Odlazak Arsena Dedića: Zajedno do poslednjeg trenutka". gloria.rs (in Serbian). Gloria. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
24. Dragaš, Aleksandar (2 October 2016). "ISPOVIJEST MATIJE DEDIĆA Progovorio kako je prošla godina od smrti oca Arsena i kako je u samo jedan dan snimio album života 'Matija svira Arsena'". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). Globus. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
25. Carević, Ivana (1 November 2020). "Matija Dedić: Otac je strpljivo čekao moju zrelost kako bismo nastupali zajedno". Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 November 2020.
26. "Matija Dedić o roditeljima, glazbi i omraženom pitanju iz djetinjstva" (in Croatian). Story.hr. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
27. "Arsen Dedić i Gabi Novak: Na putu je još jedno unuče" (in Serbian). Svet.rs. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
28. Stričević, Marko: "Arsen Dedić: Ja sam antidiletant!", Russia beyond the headlines, 23 May 2013.
29. Š. Ibrić. "Arsen Dedić: Bilo mi je i lijepo i očajno, ali nikada nisam bio kukavica", Nezavisne novine, 13 November 2007
30. Tanja ŠIMUNDIĆ BENDIĆ: "Pjevači o političkom angažmanu", Slobodna Dalmacija, 11 February 2008.
31. Ivor Fuka i Ivan Kegelj: Razgovor s Arsenom Dedićem: Pomalo privodim svoju priču kraju!, lupiga.com, 19 January 2015.
32. Jurica Körbler: "Arsen Dedić: Znam ćirilicu, a govorim i ruski", Večernje novosti, 1 February 2015.
33. "Arsen Dedić za N1 o Titu, Tuđmanu, Balaševiću, ženama...", Pressing by Dubravko Merlić, N1, 26 February 2015.
34. Televizijski intervju Archived 17 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine from January 2015, N1
35. "Na žene se uglavnom ne mogu požaliti", October 2001.
36. Aleksandar Nikolić: "Arsen Dedić: U Jugi si imao izbor", Blic, 2 March 2014
37. "Emotivnim pismom zagrebački Hajdukovci pozivaju na svečanost u Arsenovu čast", Šibenik.in, 3 May 2016
38. Naprid, Bili!, discogs.com

Further reading

• Lopušina, Marko (16 October 2008). "Arsen Dedić: Beograd me stvorio". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). Retrieved 28 June 2012.
• Fuka, Ivor; Kegelj, Ivan (19 January 2015). "RAZGOVOR S ARSENOM DEDIĆEM: Pomalo privodim svoju priču kraju!". Lupiga (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 August 2015.

External links

• Official website (in Croatian)
• Arsen Dedić at IMDb
• Arsen Dedić discography at Discogs
• Compositions by Arsen Dedić