Slavický, Klement

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Slavický, Klement

Slavický, Klement , Czech composer; b. Tovačov, Sept. 22, 1910; d. Prague, Sept. 8, 1999. He entered the Prague Cons. in 1927 to study composition with Jirák, and also received training there in conducting, piano, and viola. His advanced training was also completed there as a student of Suk and Talich (1931–33). He subsequently worked at the Czech Radio in Prague. His first Sinfonietta was awarded the prize of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1941. In spite of the notable success of his 3 Compositions for Piano at the Prague Spring Festival in 1947, the Communist regime branded his music as formalistic in 1949 and in 1951 he was forced to leave the Czech Radio. When he refused to join the Communist Party, he was expelled from the Union of Czech Composers and spent many years working outside official musical life. However, his music continued to be heard. With the Soviet-bloc invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, Slavický’s music was banned for the next decade. His fourth Sinfonietta, Pax hominibus in universo orbi, dedicated to the United Nations in honor of its 40^th anniversary in 1985, was awarded the U.N. Gold Commemorative Medal. When the Communist regime finally recognized his talent with its title of National Artist in 1989, Slavický refused to accept the title. With the collapse of the Communist regime later that year, he emerged as a respected elder statesman of Czech musical life. In his music, Slavický generally wrote scores notable for their technical complexity and assured handling of instrumental resources. On occasion he also utilized Moravian folk melos.

Works

ORCH.: Fantasy for Piano and Orch. (1931); 4 sinfoniettas: No. 1 (1940), No. 2 (1962), No. 3, Concerto for Orchestra (1980), and No. 4, Pas hominibus in universo orbi, for Strings, Keyboard, Percussion, Voice, Reciter, and Organ (1984); Moravian Dance Fantasies (1951); Rhapsodic Variations (1953). CHAMBER : 2 string quartets (1932, 1972); 2 Compositions for Cello and Piano (1936); Trio for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1937); Suite for Oboe and Piano (1959); Partita for Violin (1963); Intermezzi Mattutini for Flute and Harp (1965); Trialog for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano (1966); Capriccio for Horn and Piano (1967); Musica monologica for Harp (1973); Poem and Rondo for Cello and Piano (1973); Violin Sonata, Friendship (1974); Sentenze for Trombone and Piano (1976); Playing in 2 and 3 for Young Violinists (1986); Rhapsody for Viola (1987); Musica for Horn (1988). keyboard: Piano : 3 Compositions (1947); Sonata, Meditation on Life (1958); On the Black and White (1958); Piano and Youth (1958); 12 Small Études (1964); Études and Essays (1965); Suite for Piano, 4-Hands (1968); A Song for the Homeland and Furiai for Piano, 4-Hands (1971). Harpsichord : 3 Studies (1983). VOCAL : To Nature for High Voice and Orch. (1942); Lidice for Double Men’s Chorus (1945); Šohajé, Moravian love songs for Women’s Chorus (1948; rev. 1950–51); Madrigals for Chamber Chorus (1959); Psalms for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, Chorus, and Organ (1970); A Path Towards the Light, dramatic fresco for Tenor, Reciter, and Men’s Chorus (1980); The Homeland for Chorus (1982); other choral pieces and songs.