Kupkovicč, Ladislav

Kupkovicč, Ladislav, Slovak conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Bratislava, March 17, 1936. He studied violin and conducting in Bratislava at the Cons. (1950–55) and at the Academy of Music (1955–61). In 1959-60 he was conductor of the Hungarian Folk Ensemble of Bratislava and then played violin in the Slovak Phil, there (1960–63). In 1963 he organized the chamber ensemble Hudba Dneska (Music of Today). He left Czechoslovakia after the Soviet invasion in 1968 and went to Germany; was a stipendiary at Berlin’s Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (1969–71); was made a lecturer (1973) and a prof. (1976) of composition at the Hannover Hochschule für Musik. His music utilizes the cosmopolitan resources of ultramodern music. He initiated “walking concerts” in which a group of musicians walk in the streets playing segments of familiar pieces.

Works

dramatic: singspiel:Die Maske (1986). orch.:Dioe for Orch., with Conductor (1968); Notausgang for Orch. and Microphones (1970); Erinnerungen for Orch. and Tape (1970); Monolith for 48 Strings (1971); Ein Gespräch mit Gott (1972); Das Gebet for Strings and Percussion (1972–73); Concours for the “orchestra of the future” (1973); Carovné slatiky (Magic Bows) for 30 Violins and Low Strings (1974); Serenata (1976); Postillon-Cornet for Trumpet and Orch. (1977); K.-u. K. Musik (1978); Cassation (1979); 3 violin concertos (1980, 1981, 1985); Cello Concerto (1980); Accordion Concerto (1980); Piano Concerto (1980); 2 syms. (1981, 1987); 2 Rococo Symphonies (1982, 1982); Little Rococo Symphony for Strings (1981); Concertante for Violin, Cello, Piano, and Orch. (1982); B-A-C-H Variations (1989); Katinkas Geheimnis, children’s fairy tale for Speaker and Small Orch. (1992). chamber:Maso kriza (Flesh of the Cross) for Trombone and 10 Percussion Players (1961–62); Psalm for 4 Horns (1962); Vykfiky (Exclamations) for Flute, Bass Clarinet, Piano, and Percussion (1964); Rozhovor £asu s hmotou (A Conversation between Time and Matter) for Bassoon and 3 Percussion Players (1965); Ozveny (Echoes) for 31 Players (1966); Pred s za (Before and After) for Chamber Ensemble (1967); Oktoedr (Octohedron) for Chamber Ensemble (1968); Ad libitum, “happening” for a random group of Performers (1969); 312-SL/723 for 2 Accordions (1975); 3 string quartets (1978, 1978, 1984); String Quintet for 2 Violins, Viola, and 2 Cellos (1978); 2 violin sonatas (1979, 1980); Quartet for Flute, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1980); Wind Serenade (1981); 2 piano sonatas (1981, 1981); Cello Sonata (1984); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1985); Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass (1986); Quintet for 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, and Piano (1984); 2 quartets for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano (1986, 1986); Octet for 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns, and 2 Bassoons (1988); 24 Caprices for Violin (1990); piano pieces. vocal:Missa Papae Ioannis Pauli Secundi for Chorus and Orch. (1979). other:Klanginvasion auf Bonn, spectacle of indeterminate duration, representing the invasion of noise on the population of Bonn (1970).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire