Viktor Kalabis

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Viktor Kalabis (born February 27, 1923 in Červený Kostelec , † September 28, 2006 in Prague ) was a Czech composer.

Life

Viktor Kalabis performed publicly as a pianist at the age of six. Studying music was only possible after the end of the German occupation (during which he was obliged to work in an aircraft factory). From 1945 Kalabis studied musicology at the Charles University in Prague and composition at the local conservatory with Emil Hlobil . From 1948 to 1952 he studied at the Academy of Performing Arts with Jaroslav Řídký . However, the doctoral thesis of Kalabis (on Bartók and Stravinsky ), who refused to join the Communist Party, was not recognized until 1991. Between 1953 and 1972 he worked as an editor and music director for the Czechoslovak Radio in Prague. After that he lived as a freelance composer. From 1990 to 2003 Kalabis was President of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation and founder of the Bohuslav Martinů Institute.

Kalabis was married to the harpsichordist Zuzana Růžičková since 1952 .

Grave on the Vinohradský hřbitov

Works

The music of Kalabis is close to neoclassicism . His individual style is less conciliatory than that of his older colleague Martinů, for whose work Kalabis strongly advocated. In addition to role models such as Honegger , Bartók and Stravinsky , he also included elements of twelve-tone music and serialism in individual works , while influences from folk music from his homeland were more reflected in his early work.

Viktor Kalabis wrote, among other things, 5 symphonies (No. 2 "Sinfonia pacis" received the State Prize in 1969), several solo concerts - the 1st piano concerto and a harpsichord concerto are dedicated to his wife Zuzana Růžičková - and chamber music (including 7 string quartets).

literature

  • Petra Kvasnicková:  Kalabis, Viktor. In: Ludwig Finscher (Hrsg.): The music in past and present . Second edition, personal section, volume 9 (Himmel - Kelz). Bärenreiter / Metzler, Kassel et al. 2003, ISBN 3-7618-1119-5 , Sp. 1384–1385 ( online edition , subscription required for full access)
  • CD supplement V. Kalabis: 3rd symphony, 5th symphony a. a., Le Chant du Monde / harmonia mundi, PR 255 002 CM 210

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Kalabis, Viktor
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Czech composer
DATE OF BIRTH February 27, 1923
PLACE OF BIRTH Červený Kostelec
DATE OF DEATH September 28, 2006
Place of death Prague