Jaroch, Jirí

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Jaroch, Jiří

Jaroch, Jiří, Czech composer; b. Smilkov, Sept. 23, 1920; d. Prague, Dec. 30, 1986. He studied composition with Řídký at the Prague Cons. (1940–46). He was a manager and producer for Prague’s Czech Radio (from 1947). As a composer, he took a median line in Central European music, within the pragmatic limits of modernistic permissiveness.

Works

ORCH.: Scherzo (1947); Burlesque (1951); Symphonic Dance (1953); Smutčnífantasie (Mourning Fantasy; 1954); 4 syms.: No. 1 (1954–56), No. 2 (1958–60), No. 3, Concertante, for Violin and Orch. (1968–69), and No. 4 (1975); Shakuntala, suite (1957); Staŕec a moŕe (The Old Man and the Sea), symphonic poem, after Ernest Hemingway (1961); Summer Festival, tarantella (1964); Fantasy for Viola and Orch. (1966). CHAMBER: 2 string quartets (1949-50; 1970); Children’s Suite for Nonet (1952); Nonet No. 2 (1963); Metamorphosis for 12 Winds (1967–68); Sonata for Solo Violin (1973).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire