Kont, Paul

Kont, Paul, Austrian composer and teacher; b. Vienna, Aug. 19, 1920. He studied violin with Vittorio Borri and piano with Hans Nast at the Vienna Cons. (1939–10), then took a course in conducting with Josef Krips and Swarowsky (diploma, 1947) and in composition with Josef Lechthaler (diploma, 1948) at the Vienna Academy of Music; also studied analysis with Josef Polnauer. After attending Former’s class in Darmstadt (1951), he completed his training with Messiaen, Milhaud, and Honegger in Paris (1952). In 1969 he joined the faculty of the Vienna Academy of Music, where he was a prof, of composition (1980–86). His honors included the Austrian State Prize (1964), the prize of the City of Vienna (1975), the Gold Medal of the City of Vienna (1986), and the Great Honorary Citation of the Austrian Republic (1987). He adopted a serial method applying the statistical principles of valid recurrences of all musical parameters, including pitch, rhythm, and dynamics. He publ. Antianorganikum (Vienna, 1967).

Works

dramatic opera:Indische Legende (1950); Peter und Susanne (Vienna, June 26, 1959); Inzwischen (1953-66; Vienna, Jan. 5, 1967); Lysistrate (1957–60); Plutos (1975-76; Klagenfurt, Feb. 7, 1977); Die Paare (1985–86). Ballet: Italia passata (1967); Komodie der Unart (Vienna, Dec. 12, 1978); // ballo del mondo (1980–82); Arkadien (1984); K (1984; Klagenfurt, Feb. 2, 1985); Und der Engel sprach… (1991; Vienna, July 9, 1992); Daphnis und Chloe (1993; Dresden, Dec. 11, 1994). other:Traumleben, musical fairy tale (1958; Salzburg, Dec. 22, 1963); Celestina, musical play (1966); other works. ORCH.: Drei Tanzskizzen (1946–51); Konzertantes Triptychon (1950–69); Komplex E (1956; Vienna, Sept. 12, 1957); Concerto des Infants for Piano and Small Orch. (1956); Streichersymphonie mit Quodlibet (1956–65); Cello Concerto (1960; Vienna, May 2, 1966); Concerto for Winds and Strings (1964; Vienna, Nov. 27, 1970); Divertimento for Trumpet and Small Orch. (1966-73; Vienna, Feb. 1, 1976); Suite (1971; Vienna, Aug. 14, 1980); Partita for Strings (1971-72; Vienna, April 8, 1973); Kurzkonzert for Clarinet and Orch. (1973; Vienna, Jan. 25, 1974); Der Rancher for Cello and Strings (1973; Vienna, Jan. 22, 1975); La Symphonie (1974–80); Mediterrane Harmonien for Double Bass and Orch. (1976-77; Vienna, Feb. 28, 1983); Konzert 1977 for Piano and Orch. (1977; Bregenz, Aug. 13, 1979); Vivaldi-Monument (1978; Vienna, Feb. 10, 1980); 5 syms.: No. 1 (1979), No. 2, Der Toten, for Soprano, Chorus, and Orch. (1983), No. 3 (1981), No. 4, Den Liebenden, for Tenor, Women’s Chorus, and Orch. (1983), and No. 5 (1980; Vienna, March 11, 1982); Sinfonia und Sinfonina (1979; Vienna, Oct. 4, 1989); Percussion Concerto (1983; Vienna, May 11, 1986); Concerto (1984); Sache fur Musikanten (1985); Regeriana (1987); Miss Lyss Nausick (1988); Serenade for Strings (1989); Secfuenzen (1991); Konzertante Symphonie for Baritone Saxophone and Strings (Linz, April 30, 1991); Barock Suite (1992); Der grosse Marsch (1992). chamber:Sonate und Sonatine for String Quartet (1944–81); Quartet for Oboe, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, and Bassoon (1947); Quartet for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, and Bassoon (1956); Meditationes Beatae Virginis Mariae for 7 Instruments (1956–61); Holzmusik I for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Flute (1956–82) and II for 6 Instruments (1980–82); Piano Trio (1964); Triptychon in progressiver Besetzung: I, Serenata a tre for Flute, Violin, and Viola (1965), II, Concerto lirico for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1963), and III, Septett for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass (1961); Blechmusik I: 1, Trio for Trumpet, Horn, and Trombone (1966), 2, Quartettino for Trumpet, 2 Horns, and Trombone (1966), and 3, Quartet for Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, and Tuba (1968) and II: 1, Blechmusik for 2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone, and Tuba (1971), and 2, Harmonien for 2 Trumpets, 2 Horns, 2 Trombones, and Tuba (1973); Finis austriae for String Quartet (1973–76); Musica marina for 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1978); Viola Sonata (1979); Kammertanz Suite for Saxophone Quartet (1988); 5 Sketches for Saxophone Quartet (1989); En rose et noir for Piano Trio (1989); Quadrum I and III for Piano (1992), II for Viola (1992), and IV for String Quartet (1992); 4 and Half Very Old Dances for Bassoon Quartet (1992); Eine Sinfonie for 4 Harpsichords (1994); Stuck-Werk, 19 pieces for Alto Saxophone and Accordion (1994); Toccata-Cantata-Sonata for Violin and Piano (1994). vocal: Bruchstucke zu Franz Grillparzers Trauerspiel “Sappho” for Alto and Orch. (1993); choral works; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire