Felix, Václav

Felix, Václav, prominent Czech composer and pedagogue; b. Prague, March 29, 1928. He studied composition with Bofkovec and Dobias at the Prague Academy of Music (graduated, 1953), then did postgraduate study in theory with Janecek (1953–56). He completed his education at the Charles Univ. in Prague (Ph.D. in philosophy, 1957; Candidatus scientiarum, 1961). He was ed. of Hudebni Rozhledy in Prague (1959–61). In 1960 he joined the faculty of the Prague Academy of Music, where he was head of the theory and music history dept. (1979–85), dean of the music faculty (1985–90), and a prof. (1985–92). From 1978 to 1989 he was vice president of the central committee of the Union of Czech Composers and Concert Artists. He received the prize of the Czech Minister of Culture (1976), was made an Artist of Merit (1978), and received the prize of the Union of Czech Composers and Concert Artists (1980) and the National Prize (1986). His music follows the golden mean of agreeable Central European modernism.

Works

(all 1st perf. in Prague unless otherwise given): DRAMATIC: Opera : Nesmfly Kasanova aneb &m zraji muzi (Shy Casanova or What Makes Men Ripe; 1966; Dec. 13, 1967); Inzerdt (The Advertisement; Brno, April 25, 1975); Mariana (1982; Brno, April 11, 1985). ORCH.: Concerto romantico for Violin, Clarinet or Viola, Harp, and Strings (Oct. 19, 1953); Fantasy for Clarinet and Orch. (1959; March 30, 1960); Concertant Variations (1962; Feb. 17, 1963); Suite for Strings (1969); Joyful Overture (1971; March 8, 1972); Concert Waltz (1973); 6 syms.: No. 1 for Woman’s Voice and Orch. (1974; May 25, 1975), No. 2 for Small Orch. (1981; Karlovy Vary, March 19, 1982), No. 3 for Chorus and Orch. (1986; March 10, 1988), No. 4 (Nov. 12, 1987), No. 5 for Chamber Orch. (1987), and No. 6 for Large Wind Orch. (1990); Concertino for Flute and Strings (1976; Jan. 18, 1977); Labor Victorious, gala overture for Large Wind Orch. (1977; March 8, 1978); Double Concerto for Cello or Bass Clarinet, Piano, and Strings (1978; March 17, 1979); Symphonic Variations on a Czech Recruit Song for Large Wind Orch. (1979; March 23, 1980); Summer Day Romance for Clarinet and Orch. (1979; Teplice, July 3, 1980); Trumpet Concerto (1984; Podebrady, May 20, 1986); Cello Concerto (1990). CHAMBER: 3 piano trios (1955, 1956, 1962); Cello Sonata (1960); String Trio (1961); The Story of Snow White, quintet for Harp and String Quartet (1963); Sonata a tre for Violin, Viola, and Harp (1967); Sonata da Requiem for Horn or Bass Clarinet and Piano (1969); Wind Quintet (1972); Brass Quintet (1972); Trio for Violin, Horn, and Piano (1973); Trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1977); Sonata Lirica for Oboe and Piano (1978); Quartetto amoroso for 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1979); Sonata Capricciosa for Flute and Piano (1981); We Have a Baby at Home, suite for Flute, Violin, and Piano (1984); A Small Afternoon Music for Flute, Viola, and Cello (1985); Sonata concertante for Viola and Piano (1989); piano pieces, including 3 sonatinas (1969) and Sonata poetica (1988). VOCAL: 3 cantatas: The Celebration (1963), Where Do the Months Come From? (1965), and Always Generous (1980; Olomouc, Sept. 3, 1981); Sententiae Nasonis for Chorus (1995); numerous other vocal pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire