Kalabis, Viktor
Kalabis, Viktor
Kalabis, Viktor, Czech composer; b. Ċervený Kostelec, Feb. 27, 1923. He studied with Hlobil at the Prague Cons. (1945-8) and with Řídký at the Prague Academy of Music (1948-52), and also took courses in philosophy and musicology at the Univ. of Prague. He was an ed. and music producer with the Czech Radio in Prague (1953-72), and then devoted himself totally to composition. In 1967 he received the Czech MusicCritics’ Prize and in 1969 the Klement Gottwald State Prize. In 1983 he was made an Artist of Merit by the Czech government. In 1952 he married Zuzana Rùžicková. His early works adhered to traditional methods, but he later adopted modified serial procedures.
Works
orch.: Concerto for Chamber Orch., Hommage à Stravinsky (1948); Overture (1950); Cello Concerto (1951); Strážnice Suite (1953); 2 piano concertos (1954, 1985); 5 syms.: No. 1 (1957), No. 2, Sinfonia Pacis (1961), No. 3 (1971), No. 4 (1972), and No. 5 (1976); 2 violin concertos (1959, 1978); Chamber Music for Strings (1963); Symphonic Variations (1964); Concerto for Orchestra (1966); Trumpet Concerto (1973); Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings (1975); Fable for Chamber Orch. (1983); Concertino for Bassoon and Wind Instruments (1983); Diptych for Strings (1987); Meantatioas for 13 Wind Instruments (1988). chamber: 6 string quartets (1949, 1962, 1977, 1984, 1984, 1987); Divertimento for Wind Quintet (1952); Bagpiper, suite for Oboe and Piano (1953); 2 nonets (Classical, 1956; Homage to Nature, 1975); Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord (1967); Small Chamber Music for Wind Quintet (1967); Cello Sonata (1968); Clarinet Sonata (1969); Variations for Horn and Piano (1969); Trombone Sonata (1970); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1974); Spring Whistles, Octet for Winds (1979); Suite for Clarinet and Piano (1981); 2 violin sonatas (1982, 1997); Duettino for Violin and Cello (1987); Birdcall for Flute (1995); Ludus per quatro for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano (1996). Piano: 3 sonatas (1947, 1948, 1982). vocal:The War, chamber cantata for Chorus, Dulcimer, and Flute (1977); Canticum Canticorum, cantata for Contralto, Tenor, Chorus, and Chamber Orch. (1986); choruses; songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire