Dobias, Václav

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Dobiǎś, Václav

Dobiǎś, Václav, Czech composer; b. Radčice, near Semily, Sept. 22, 1909; d. Prague, May 18, 1978. He studied violin and composition at the Prague Cons., where he also took courses in microtonal music with A. Haba, and wrote a Lento for three Harps (1940) and a Violin Concerto (1941) making use of quarter tones. After 1945 he became involved in the political problems of musical education; in conformity with the ideology of the Communist Party, he began to write music for the masses in the manner of socialist realism; in 1958 he was elected to the Central Committee of the Communist Party and was a member of the National Assembly from 1960 to 1969.

Works

ORCH Chamber Sym. (1939); 2 numbered syms. (1943, 1956–57); Sinfonietta (1946–47; rev. 1962); Sonata for Piano, Wind Quintet, Strings, and Timpani (1947); The Grand Procession, symphonic poem (1948). CHAMBER : 4 string quartets (1931, 1936, 1938, 1942); Violin Sonata (1936); Cello Sonata (1939); Rikadla (Rhymes) for 9 Instruments (1938); Pastoral Wind Quintet (1943); 4 Nocturnes for Cello and Piano (1944); Quartettino for String Quartet (1944); Dance Fantasy for 9 Instruments (1948). Piano : 2 sonatas (1931,1940). VOCAL: Cantatas; mass choruses; songs.

Bibliography

J. Štilec, V. D. (Prague, 1985).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire