Miloslav Kabeláč
Miloslav Kabeláč (1 August 1908 – 17 September 1979) was a prominent Czech composer and conductor. Miloslav Kabeláč belongs to the foremost Czech symphonists, whose work is sometimes compared with Antonín Dvořák's and Bohuslav Martinů's. In the totalitarian period Kabeláč's work found itself on the periphery of official attention and was performed only sporadically and in a limited choice of compositions.
Life
Kabeláč was born in Prague. In 1928–31 he studied at the Prague Conservatory as a pupil of Karel Boleslav Jirák, simultaneously (in 1930–31) he was a pupil of Alois Hába. In 1932–54 Kabeláč was employed by Prague Radio. From 1957 to 1968 he worked as a teacher at the Prague Conservatory. During his life Kabeláč was active in Umělecká beseda, in the Federation of Czechoslovak Composers and other organisations.
In the 1960s he tried to revive contacts with Western modern music and composers, but after the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia he was silenced. His works were performed only abroad from then on.
Works
Symphonies
- Symphony No. 1 in D for strings and percussions, Op. 11 (1941–42)
- Symphony No. 2 in C for large orchestra, Op. 15 (1942–46)
- Symphony No. 3 in F for organ, brasses and timpani, Op. 33 (1948–57)
- Symphony No. 4 in A, "Chamber Symphony", Op. 36 (1954–58)
- Symphony No. 5 in B flat minor, "Dramatic", for soprano without text, and orchestra, Op. 41 (1960)
- Symphony No. 6 "Concertante", for clarinet and orchestra, Op. 44 (1961–62)
- Symphony No. 7 for orchestra and reciter on the composer s text after the Bible, Op. 52 (1967–68)
- Symphony No. 8 "Antiphonies", for soprano, mixed choir, percussions and organ, on the words from the Bible, Op. 54 (1970)
Further orchestral works
- Overture No. 2 for large orchestra, Op. 17 (1947)
- Childish Moods. Little orchestral suite, Op. 22 (1955)
- Suite from the music to Sophocles' Electra for alto, female choir and orchestra, Op. 28a (1956)
- Mystery of Time, Passacaglia for large orchestra, Op. 31 (1953–57)
- Three Melodramas to accompany the play Kuo Mo-jo "Master of Nine Songs" for reciter and chamber orchestra, Op. 34b (1957)
- Hamlet Improvisation for large orchestra, Op. 46 (1962–63)
- Reflections. Nine miniatures for orchestra, Op. 49 (1963–64)
- Metamorphoses II, for piano and orchestra, Op. 58 (1979)
Piano compositions
- Passacaglia TGM, Op. 3 (1937)
- 7 compositions for piano, Op. 14 (1944–47)
- Easy Preludes, Op. 26 (1955)
- 8 preludes for piano, Op. 30 (1955–56)
- Cizokrajné motivy – Motifs from Foreign Countries, Op. 38 (1959)
- Small Suite for piano on 4 hands, Op. 42 (1960)
Organ compositions
- Fantasies for organ in G minor and D minor, Op. 32 (1957–58)
- 4 preludes for organ, Op. 48 (1963)
Other chamber compositions
- Wind Sextet, Op. 8 (1940)
- Sonatina for oboe and piano, Op. 24 (1955)
- Ballad for violin and piano, Op. 27 (1956)
- Suite for saxophone and piano, Op. 39 (1959)
- 8 Invenzioni for percussion instruments, Op. 45 (1962–63)
- Otto ricercari, for percussion instruments, Op. 51 (1966–67)
- Lamenti e risolini 8 bagatelles, for flute and harp, Op. 53 (1969)
- Fated Dramas of Man. Sonata for trumpet, piano and percussion instruments with recitation, Op. 56 (1975–76)
Compositions for solo voice with accompaniment
- Moravian Lullabies for soprano and chamber orchestra, on texts from folk poetry, Op. 20 (1951)
- Love Songs for soprano, baritone and piano, Op. 25 (1955)
- Six Lullabies on text folk poetry for alto solo, small female choir and instrumental ensemble, or for alto and piano, Op. 29 (1955)
- Hunters Songs for baritone and 4 French horns, Op. 37 (1958–59)
- Echoes from Far-away. 5 songs for alto and piano, without words, Op. 47 (1963)
Choruses
- 6 choruses for male choir on words by Jiří Wolker, Op. 10 (1939–40)
- Blue Sky. Children's choruses on the poetry by František Hrubín, after the pictorial cycle of Josef Čapek, Op. 19 (1950)
- To Nature. Cycle of children s choruses on the words of folk poetry, Op. 35 (1957–58)
Cantatas
- Do Not Retreat! Cantata for male choir, wind and percussion instruments on folk texts and the words of the chorale "Ye Warriors of God", Op. 7 (1939)
- Eufemias Mysterion (Mystery of Silence), for soprano and chamber orchestra to Greek words, Op. 50 (1964–65)
- Metamorphoses I of the oldest Czech chorale for mixed choir, solo baritone, male choir and solo higher female voice), Op. 57 (1979)
Electro-acoustic music
- E fontibus Bohemicis. Visiones sex (6 tableaux from Czech annals), Op. 55 (1965–72) [Latin for From Bohemian springs: Six views]
See also
- Category:Compositions by Miloslav Kabeláč
References
- Jiří Vysloužil: Hudební slovník pro každého II. Vizovice: Lípa, 2001. ISBN 80-86093-23-9