Kutavičius, Bronislovas

KutavičiuS, BronislovaS, Lithuanian composer; b. Molainiai, near Paneviezys, Sept. 13, 1932. He studied composition with Antanas Raciunas at the Vilnius Cons., graduating in 1964. In 1975 he was appointed to the music faculty at the Arts School in Vilnius. In his music, he evolves a complex system of varied techniques, impressionistic pointillism, intervallic serialism, and aleatory sonorism, all this intertwined with Lithuanian melorhythms.

Works

dramatic:Doddering Old Man on Iron Mountain, children’s opera-ballet (1976); The Green Bird, opera- poem (1981). orch.:Sinfonietta (1964); Divertimento for Piano and Strings (1967); Sym. for Men’s Chorus and Orch. (1973); Dzukija Variations for Strings and Tape (1975); The Northern Gates for Strings (1991). chamber: Violin Sonata (1962); Prelude and Fugue for 4 Violins (1966); Poem for Cello, Piano, and Wind Quintet (1967); Viola Sonata (1968); From Madrigal to Aleatory, children’s suite for Violin and Piano (1972); 2 string quartets: No. 1 (1972) and No. 2, Anno cum tettigonia (Year with a Cicada; 1980); Prutiena (Buried Village) for Violin, Organ, and Chimes (1977); String Quintet (1978); Clocks of the Past I for String Quartet and Guitar (1978) and II for 13 Instruments (1988); Dances of the Cranes, clarinet sonata (1989); The Gates of Jerusalem, 4 pieces for Different Ensembles (1992–95); Far Away, Until Midnight for 5 Saxophones and 5 Strings (1995); Erotics for Recorder, Horn, and Phonogram (1997). p i a n o: 3 Metamorphoses (1966); Collages for 2 Pianos (1970); Sonata (1975); A Disputation with a Stranger, concerto for 2 Pianos and Tape (1982). vocal:Pantheistic Oratorio for Soprano, Narrator, 4 Men’s Voices, and 12 Instruments (1970); On the Shore for High Voice and 4 Violas (1972); Little Performance for Actress, 2 Pianos, and 2 Violins (1975); 2 Birds in the Thick of the Woods, cantata for Soprano, Oboe, Prepared Piano, and Electronic Tape (1978); The Last Pagan Rites, oratorio for Soprano, Girls’ Chorus, Horns, and Organ (1978); The Stone of the Sudovians, oratorio for Vocal Ensemble and Ancient Folk Instruments (1983); Tree of the World, oratorio for Chorus, Vocal Ensemble, Wind Orch., Organ, Percussion, Piano, and Ancient Folk Instruments (1986); The Magic Circle of Sanskrit for Ensemble and Actor (1990); Der Kampf der Baume for Soprano, Flute, Oboe, Harpsichord, and Organ (1996); Pronounce a Word—Lips Turn into Ice for Chamber Chorus, Trumpet, Trombone, and Piano (1996); Epitaphium tempori pereunti for Chorus and Orch. (Odense, Denmark, Nov. 5, 1998).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire