Goeyvaerts, Karel (August)

Goeyvaerts, Karel (August), significant Belgian composer; b. Antwerp, June 8, 1923; d. there, Feb. 3, 1993. He studied at the Royal Flemish Cons, of Music in Antwerp (1943-47), with Milhaud and Messiaen at the Paris Cons. (1947-51), and at the summer courses in new music in Darmstadt (1951). In 1964 he joined the Inst. for Psycho-Acoustics and Electronic Music (IPEM) at the Univ. of Ghent. He worked as an ed. for electronic music at the Flemish Radio in Antwerp (1970-74) and for contemporary music at the Belgian Radio and TV in Brussels (1974-87). Goeyvaerts was one of the pioneers in Belgium of serialism, spatial music, and electronic techniques.

Works

ORCH 5 Pieces for Strings (1944); Preludium, Fuga en Koraal for Strings (1945); 2 violin concertos (1947,1951); Diafonie (1957); Jeux d’Été for 3 Orchs. (1962); De Passie (1962); Al naar gelang… for 5 Orch. Groups and Tape ad libitum (1971); …erst das Gesicht…dann die Hände…und zuletzt erst das Haar… for Chamber Orch. (1975); Litanie III (1981). B a l l e t : Cataclysme (1963). CHAMBER: Trio for Violin, Clarinet and Cello (1946); 2 string quartets (1947,1992); Violin Sonata (1948); Tre Lieder per sonare a venti-sei for Various Instrumental Combinations (1949); Opus 2 for 13 Instruments (1951); Opus 3 met gestreken en geslagen tonen (with striking and rubbing sounds) for 9 Instruments (1952); Piece pour trois for Flute, Violin and Piano (1960); Parcours for 2 to 6 Violins (1967); Actief—Reactief for 2 Oboes, 2 Trumpets and Piano (1968); Piano Quartet with Tape ad libitum (1971); You’ll Never Be Alone Any More for Bass Clarinet and Tape (1974); Voor tsjeng for Cheng (Chinese Zither) (1974); Ach Golgatha! for Positive Organ, Harp and 3 Percussion (1975); Pour que les fruits murissent cet été for 14 Renaissance Instruments (1975); Litanie II for 3 Percussion (1980) and V for Harpsichord and Tape (1982); After Shave for Recorder, Violin, and Harpsichord (1982); Instant OXO for 3 Percussion (1982); Zum Wassermann for 14 Instruments (1985); Avontuur for Piano and 10 Winds (1985); Aemstel- Kwartet for Flute, Violin, Cello, and Harp (1985); De zeven zegels for String Quartet (1986); De heilige stad for 12 Instrumentalists (1986); Veertien heilige kivinten met aureool for Cheng (Chinese Zither) and Percussion (1986); Ambachtelijk weefsel for Shakuhachi and 2 Kōtōs (1989); Chivas Regal for Harpsichord and Percussion (1989); Voor Harrie, Harry en Rene for Flute, Bass Clarinet and Piano (1990); …das Haar for 10 Instruments (1990). Piano : Summer 1, sonata for 2 Pianos (1951); Stuk for Piano and Tape (1964); De schampere pianist (1976); Litanie I (1979); Pas a Pas (1985). VOCAL: Elegische Muziek for Alto, Piano and Orch. (1950); Improperia, cantata for Alto, 2 Choruses, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Viola and Percussion (1959); Goathemala for Mezzosoprano and Flute (1966); Mass in memory of Pope John XXIII, for Chorus, 2 Oboes, English Horn, 2 Bassoons, 2 Trumpets and 3 Trombones (1968); ”…Bélise dans un jardin” for Chorus, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, Violin, Viola and Cello (1971); Het dagelijks leven van de Azteken for Speaker and Percussion (1978); Clausule for Speaker and 8 Instruments (1979); Litanie IV for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello and Piano (1981); De dunne bomen for Soprano and Dance Group (1985); Ode for countertenor, Baritone, Flute, and Bass Clarinet (1988); …want de tijd is nabij for Men’s Chorus and String Orch. (1989); Aquarius, scenic cantata for 8 Sopranos, 16 Instrumentalists and 5 Dancers (1990; also for 8 Sopranos, 8 Baritones and Orch., 1991); choral pieces; songs. M i x e d M e d i a : HE…!, audiovisual manipulation for Pantomime, Projection, Tape, and 10 Instruments (1971; in collaboration with L. Goethals and H. Sabbe). OTHER: Nummer 4 net dode tonen for Tape (1952); Nummer 5 met zuivere tonen for Tape (1953); Nummer 6 for 180 Sound Objects (1954); Nummer 7 met convergerende en divergerende klankniveaus for Electronics (1955); Nachklange aus dem Theater I/II for Tape (1971); Op acht paarden wedden for Tape (1973); Partiduur for Tape (1974); Honneurs funebres a la tete musicale d’Orphée for 6 Ondes Martenots (1976); Muziek voor een koninklijk vuurwerk for Tape (1976).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire