Balsys, Eduardas

Balsys, Eduardas, Lithuanian composer and teacher; b. Nikolayev, Dec. 20, 1919; d. Druskininkai, Nov. 3, 1984. He studied composition with Raciunas at the Lithuanian Cons, in Vilnius, graduating in 1950, then took music courses at the Leningrad Cons. (1953). In 1953 he joined the faculty of the Lithuanian Cons., and in 1960 he was appointed chairman of its composition dept. In his music, he adhered to classical forms but made experimental use of certain modern techniques, including dodecaphonic progressions.

Works

DRAMATIC: Eglè zalciu karalienè (Egle, Queen of Grass Snakes), ballet (Vilnius, 1960; orch. suite, 1961; 4 fragments for Violin and Piano, 1963); The Journey to Tilze, opera (1980). ORCH.: Vilnius, sym. (1950); Heroic Poem (1953); 2 violin concertos (1954, 1958); Folk Dance Suite (1958); Dramatic Frescoes for Violin, Piano, and Orch. (1965); Symphony-Concerto for Organ, Percussion, and Orch. (1977); Sea Reflections for Strings (1981); Portraits (1983). CHAMBER: Piano Sonata (1947); Variations for Piano (1948); String Quartet (1953); Concerto for Solo Violin (1984). VOCAL: 3 cantatas: Song for My Land for Chorus and Orch. (1962), Saule nesantis (He Who Carries the Sun) for High Voice, Chorus, Organ, and Percussion (1972), and Glory to Lenin for Mixed Chorus, Men’s Chorus, and Children’s Chorus (1976); Nelieskite melyno gaublio (Don’t Touch the Blue Globe), oratorio for Soloists, Children’s Chorus, 2 Pianos, Double Bass, and Percussion (1969).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire