Bloch, Augustyn (Hipolit)

Bloch, Augustyn (Hipolit), Polish composer and organist; b. Grudziadz, Aug. 13, 1929. He was a student of Feliks Raczkowski (organ, 1950–55) and Tadeusz Szeligowski (composition, 1952–59) at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw. From 1954 to 1977 he composed music for various plays and radio dramas for the Theatre of the Polish Radio in Warsaw. He was vice president of the Polish Composers’ Union from 1977 to 1979, and again from 1983 to 1987. From 1979 to 1987 he was chairman of the repertoire committee of the Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music. In 1971 and 1985 he received the Minister of Culture and Art Award, in 1975 the Prime Minster’s Award, in 1981 the Polish Composers’ Union Award, and in 1989 the Brighton Festival Award. He also was decorated with the Cavalier’s (1969) and Officer’s (1979) Cross of the Polonia Restituía Order.

Works

DRAMATIC: Voci, ballet (1962; Warsaw, Sept. 20, 1967); Oczekiwanie (Awaiting), ballet (1963; Warsaw, Sept. 19, 1964); Byk (The Bull), ballet (Amsterdam, June 24, 1965); Ajelet, córka Jeftego (Ayelet, Jephthah’s Daughter), mystery–opera (1967; Warsaw, Sept. 22, 1968); Gilgamesz (Gilgamesh), ballet-pantomime (1968; concert version, Warsaw, Sept. 28, 1969); Pan Zagtoba (Sir Zagioba), musical (1971); Bardzo spiqca królewna (Very Sleeping Beauty), opera-ballet-pantomime (1973; Warsaw, Sept. 29, 1974); Zwierciadlo (Looking Glass), ballet-pantomime (1975); Glos milczenia (The Voice of Silence), ballet-pantomime (1977); Bajka o skrzypcozvej duszy (Tale of a Violin’s Soul), children’s musical (1978). ORCH.: Concertino for Violin, Strings, Piano, and Percussion (1958); Dialoghi for Violin and Orch. (1964; Warsaw, Sept. 22, 1966); Enfiando (Bonn, Oct. 12, 1970); Oratorium for Organ, Strings, and Percussion (1982; Warsaw, Sept. 24, 1983); Zostan Panie z nami (Bleibe bei uns, Herr) (Abide With Us, Lord; 1986); Wzwyz (Upwards; 1993); Hac festa die for Organ, Chorus, and Orch. (1996); Drei Stücke Saxophon-Kammer-Orchester (1998). CHAMBER: Elegia for Violin and Piano (1954); Clarinetto divertente for Clarinet (1976; Leningrad, Feb. 13, 1978); Warstwy czasu (The Layers of Time) for 15 Strings (Warsaw, Sept. 20, 1978); Chodzenie po klawiszach na cztery male rece i perkusje tez nieduza (Walking on the Keys for Four Small Hands and Percussion, Also of Small Proportions) for Piano and Percussion (Lódz, Nov. 1981); Notes for Alto Saxophone (1981); Jazda na gape przez Europe na cztery male rece i perkusje tez nieduzq (A Free Trip Around Europe for Four Small Hands and Percussion, Also of Small Proportions) for Piano and Percussion (1981); Supplicazioni for Cello and Piano (1983); A Due for Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Vibraphone, and Marimbaphone (1984); Musica for Clarinet and 4 Stringed Instruments (1984–85); Duetto for Violin and Cello (1986; Hitzacker, July 26, 1987); Skrzypce i organy (Geige und Orgel) (Violin and Organ; 1988); Musica for 13 Brass Instruments (1988); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1992); Infiltrazione: Bela Bartók in memoriam for 2 Violins (1995). keyboard: piano:Wariacje fortepi-anowe “Kami Szymanowski in memoriam” (Pianos Variations “Karol Szymanowski in memoriam;” 1953); Filigranki (Filigrees; 1978). Organ: Fantasia (1953); Sonata (1954); Jubilate (Warsaw, Sept. 24, 1975); Forte, piano e forte (1985). VOCAL: Espressioni for Soprano and Orch. (1959; Lódz, Jan. 1960); Impressioni poetiche for Men’s Chorus and Orch. (1959); Me-dytacje (Meditations) for Soprano, Organ, and Percussion (Warsaw, Nov. 20, 1961); Depesza (A Cable) for Children’s Chorus, 2 Pianos, and Percussion (1963); Salmo gioioso for Soprano and 5 Winds (1970); Poemat o Warszawie (A Poem of Warsaw) for Narrator, Chorus, and Orch. (1974; Warsaw, Jan. 17, 1975); Wordsworth Songs for Baritone and Chamber Orch. (Warsaw, Sept. 23, 1976); Taka sobie muzyka (Just So Music), song cycle for Soprano and Orch. (1976–77; Poznan, April 24, 1977); Anenaiki for Chorus (Warsaw, May 12, 1979); Carmen biblicum for Soprano and 9 Instruments (Witten, April 19, 1980); Albowiem nadejdzie swiatlosc Twoja (Denn Dein Licht kommt) (For Thy Light is Come) for Reciter, Organ, Chorus, and Orch. (1987; Hamburg, June 29, 1988); Exaltabo Te, Domino for Chorus (Warsaw, June 1, 1988); Lauda for Soprano, Alto, Percussion, and 4 Stringed Instruments (1988); Litania Ostrobramska (Litany of Ostra Brama) for Chorus and Orch. (1989; Bydgoszcz, Sept. 9, 1990); Nie zabijaj! (Du sollst nicht totenl) (Thou Shalt Not Kill!) for Baritone, Cello, Chorus, and Orch. (1989–90); Wyploszona (Scared Out) for Baritone, Viola, Cello, and Piano (1994); Oratorium Gedanense 1997 for Organ, Chorus, and Orch. (1996–97).

Bibliography

D. Gojowy, éd., A. B.: Ein Komponistenleben in Polen (Cologne, 1999).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire