Matys, Jiří

Matys, Jiří , Czech composer and teacher; b. Bakov, Oct. 27, 1927. He studied with Františele Michálek (organ) at the Cons, (graduated, 1947) and with Kvapil (composition) at the Janáček Academy of Music (graduated, 1951) in Brno. He taught at the latter, served as head of Brno’s public art school Královo Pole, and was a prof, of composition at the Brno Cons.

Works

orch.: Morning Music for Strings, 2 Trumpets, and Percussion (1961–62); Music for String Quartet and Orch. (1971); Symphonic Overture (1973–74); Music for Strings (1982); The Urgency of Time for Viola and Orch. (1986–87). chamber: Viola Sonata (1954); 5 string quartets (1957; 1961; 1963–64; 1973; 1989–90); Sonata for Solo Viola (1963); Violin Sonata (1964–65); Concert Piece for 2 Accordions (1968); Inventions for Flute and Cello (1969); Music for Winds (1970–71); Allusions for 4 Flutes (1971); Suite for Viola and Bass Clarinet (1972–73); Suita Giocosa for Flute and Bassoon (1974); Suite for Clarinet and Piano (1974–75); 4 sonatas for Solo Violin (1977, 1991, 1993, 1994); Suite for Flute and Guitar (1977); Divertimento for 4 Horns (1981); Suite for Wind Quintet (1984); Music for 2, suite for Violin and Marimba (1986); The Soul of My District I for Viola and Guitar or Cello (1987) and II for Viola (1988); Scenes for Clarinet and Piano (1989); Visions for Bass Clarinet and Guitar (1991); Divertimento for 5 Cellos (1996); piano pieces. vocal:Lyrical Melodramas for Reciter and Piano (1957); Variations on Death for Reciter, String Quartet, and Horn (1959); The Red Toadstool for Soloist, Children’s Chorus, Piano, and Flute (1968); Written by Grief into Silence..., song cycle for Medium Voice and Orch. or Piano (1972); 4-Leaf Clover for Reciter and Flute (1979–80); To the Czech-Moravian Uplands for Girl’s or Women’s Chorus (1991).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire