Trojan, Václav

Trojan, Václav, Czech composer and teacher; b. Pilsen, April 24,1907; d. Prague, July 5, 1983. He was a student of Wiedermann (organ) and of Ostrcil and Dëdeček (conducting) at the Prague Cons. (1923-27) He also attended the master classes in composition given by Suk and Novak (1927-29), and received instruction in quarter tone and 6^thtone music in A. Hába’s class there. From 1937 to 1945 he was music manager of the Prague Radio, and then lectured on theater and film music at the Prague Academy of Music from 1949. In 1982 he was made a National Artist by the Czech government.

Works

dramatic: Kolotoö (The Merry-Go-Round), children’s opera (1936-39); Zlatá brána (Golden Gate), scenic poem (1971-73); Sen noci svatojánské (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), ballet-pantomime (1982); music for puppet films. ORCH.: Tarantella (1940); Pohádka (Fairy Tale; 1946); Prûvod starobylou Prahou (Procession Through Old Prague; 1956-57); Tarantella di Taranto (1957); Pohádky (Fairy Tales) for Accordion and Orch. (1959); Sinfonietta armoniosafor Chamber Orch. (1970); Ctyfi karikatury (s jednou navic)[4 Caricatures (and 1 Extra)] for Wind Orch., Percussion Instruments, and Piano (1974); Concertino for Trumpet and Small Orch. (1977). CHAMBER: String Quartet (1927); 2 string quartets (1929, 1945); 2 wind quintets (1937, 1953); Princ Bajaja (Bajaja the Prince), fairy suite for Violin, Guitar, and Accordion (1967); Divertimentofor Wind Quintet (1977); Noneto Favolosofor Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass (1977). VOCAL: Cantatas; choruses; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire