Berg, Josef
Berg, Josef
Berg, Josef, Czech composer; b. Brno, March 8, 1927; d. there, Feb. 26, 1971. He studied with Petrželka at the Brno Cons. (1946–50). He was music ed. of Brno Radio (1950–53), and also wrote simple music for the Folk Art ensemble. Later he began using 12-tone techniques. His most original works are the operas Odysseů návrat (Odysseus’s Return; 1962), Evropská turistika (European Tourism; 1963–64), Eufrides před branami Thymen (Euphrides in Front of the Gates of Tymenas; 1964), and Johannes Doktor Faust (1966). He also wrote three syms. (1950, 1952, 1955), Viola Sonata (1958), Fantasia for two Pianos (1958), Sextet for Piano, Harp, and String Quartet (1959), Songs of the New Werther for Bass-baritone and Piano (1962), Nonet for two Harps, Piano, Harpsichord, and Percussion (1962), Sonata in Modo Classico for Harpsichord and Piano (1963), Organ Music on a Theme of Gilles Binchois (1964), String Quartet (1966), 2 Canti for Baritone, Instrumental Ensemble, Organ, and Metronome (1966), Ó Corino for four Solo Voices and Classical Orch. (1967), and Oresteia for Vocal Quartet, Narrator, and Instrumental Ensemble (1967).
Bibliography
M. Štědroň, J. B. (Brno, 1992).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire