Vacek, Miloš
Vacek, Miloš
Vacek, Miloš, Czech composer; b. Homi Roveñ, June 20, 1928. He studied organ at the Prague Cons. (1943-47), then took a course in composition with Řidky and Picha at the Prague Academy of Arts and Music (1947-51). From 1954 he devoted himself totally to composition.
Works
dramatic: Opera: Jan Zelivský (1953-56; rev. 1974; Olomouc, April 15,1984); Bratr Zak (Brother Jacques; 1976-78; Ostrava, June 12, 1982); Romance pro kfidlovku (Romance for Bugle Horn; 1980-81; Czech Radio, Plzeñ, Oct. 26, 1983; 1ststage perf., České Budějovice, Dec. 12, 1987); Kocour Mikes (Mikes the Tom Cat; 1981-82; Brno, March 28, 1986). Ballet: Komediantská pohádka (The Comedian’s Fairytale; 1957-58); Vitr ve vlasech (Wind in the Hair; 1960-61); Posledni pampeliSka (The Last Dandelion; 1963-64); Mila sedmi loupezniku (The Mistress of Seven Robbers; 1966); Meteor (1966); Štastná sedma (Lucky Sevens; 1966). Musicals: Noe je mû] den (The Night Is My Day), blues drama about the life of Bessie Smith (1962; Frankfurt am Main, March 15,1964); Cisafovy nové saty (The Emperor’s New Clothes; 1962); Madame Sans Gêne (1968); Vitr z Alabamy (Wind from Alabama; 1970). ORCH.: Sinfonietta (1951); Jarni suita (Spring Suite) for Flute, Clarinet, Horn or English Horn, and Strings (1963); Serenadafor Strings (1965); Symfonie Májová (May Sym.; 1974); Olympijsky oheñ (Olympic Flame), symphonic poem (1975); Me Kamenici nad Lipou (To My Kamenici nad Lipou), suite (1979); Svédomi svëta (World’s Conscience), symphonic poem to commemorate the 40thanniversary of the razing of Lidice and Lezáky (1981). CHAMBER: Suite for Cello and Piano (1947); Violin Sonatina (1949); String Quartet (1949); Divertimentofor Violin, Cello, Guitar, and Bass Clarinet (1965); Šumavské metamorfózy (Šumava Metamorphoses), quintet for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1971); Lovecká suita (Hunting Suite) for 4 Horns (1973); Bukolická suita (Bucolic Suite) for 4 Trombones (1977); Dialoguefor Oboe and Piano (1977); also works for Piano, including Sonata drammatica (1972) and Zatoulané listy z milostného deniöku (Sheets from a Love Diary Gone Astray; 1972; also for Chamber Orch.). VOCAL: Poema o padlych hrdinech (Poem of Fallen Heroes) for Alto and Orch. (1974); cantatas; choruses; songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire