Osterc, Slavko

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Osterc, Slavko

Osterc, Slavko, Slovenian composer and teacher; b. Veržej, June 17, 1895; d. Ljubljana, May 23, 1941. He began his training with Beran in Maribor, then studied at the Prague Cons. (1925–27). He subsequently taught at Ljubljana’s Cons, and Academy of Music. He experimented with various techniques, including quarter tone writing.

Works

dramatic: opera:Salome (1919–30); Krst pri Savici (Baptism at the Savica; 1921); Iz komične opere (1928); Krog s kredo (The Chalk Circle; 1928–29); Medea (1930); Dandin v vicah (Dandin in Purgatory; 1930). ba11et:Iz Satanovega dnevnika (From Satan’s Diary; 1924); Maska rdeče smrti (The Masque of the Red Death; 1930); Illusions (1938–40); Illegitimate Mother (1940). orch.: Sym. (1922); Concerto (1932); Concerto for Piano and Winds (1933; Prague, Sept. 1, 1935); Passacaglia and Chorale (Warsaw, April 14, 1934); Mouvements symphonique (1936; London, June 24, 1938); Nocturne for Strings (1940). chamber: 2 string quartets (1927, 1934); Sonata for 2 Clarinets (1929); Wind Quintet (1932); Saxophone Sonata (1935); piano pieces; organ music.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire