Meyer, Krzysztof
Meyer, Krzysztof
Meyer, Krzysztof , remarkable Polish composer and teacher; b. Krakow, Aug. 11, 1943. He commenced piano lessons when he was 5. At 11, he began to take lessons in theory and composition with Wiechowicz. He pursued his training at the Krakow State Higher School of Music with Penderecki (composition diploma, 1965) and Fraczkiewicz (theory diploma, 1966). He also studied in Fontainebleau and Paris with Boulanger in 1964, 1966, and 1968. From 1965 to 1968 he was a pianist with the contemporary music group MW-2. He was a prof, at the Krakow State Higher School of Music from 1966 to 1987, and also its vice rector from 1972 to 1975. From 1985 to 1989 he was president of the Union of Polish Composers. He was prof, of composition at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik from 1987. In addition to his various articles on contemporary music, he publ, the first monograph on the life and works of Shostakovich in Poland (Krakow, 1973; 2nd ed., 1986; Ger. tr., 1980; new ed., enl., Paris, 1994, and Bergish Gladbach, 1995). A second study on Shostakovich and his era followed (Warsaw, 1999). He prepared his own version of Shostakovich’s unfinished opera The Gamblers (1980–81; Wuppertal, Sept. 9, 1984). His 3rd Sym. won 1st prize in the Young Polish Composers’ Competition in 1968. In 1970 he won the Grand Prix of the Prince Pierre of Monaco composers7 competition for his opera Cyberiada. He received awards from the Polish Ministry of Culture and Art in 1973 and 1975. In 1974 his 4th Sym. won 1stprize in the Szymanowski Competition in Warsaw. In 1984 he received the Gottfried von Herder Prize of Vienna. In 1987 he was made a member of the Freien Akademie der Künste in Mannheim. He received the annual award of the Union of Polish Composers in 1992. As a composer, he abandoned the early influence of Penderecki and Boulanger and pursued his own advanced course without ever transcending the practical limits of instrumental and vocal techniques or of aural perception. His scores are the product of a rare musical intelligence and acoustical acuity.
Works
dramatic:Cyberiada, fantastic comic opera (1967–70; Act. 1, Polish-TV, May 12, 1971; 1st complete perf., Wuppertal, May 11, 1986); Hrabina (The Countess), ballet (1980; Poznan, Nov. 14, 1981); Igroki (The Gamblers), completion of Shostakovich’s opera (1980–81; Wuppertal, Sept. 9, 1984); Klonowi brada (The Maple Brothers), children’s opera (1988–89; Poznan, March 3, 1990). orch.: Concerto da camera for Flute, Percussion, and Strings (1964; Krakow, June 25, 1965), for Oboe, Percussion, and Strings (1972; Zielona Gòra, May 24, 1984), and for Harp, Cello, and Strings (1984; Cologne, Oct. 7, 1987); 6 numbered syms.: No. 1 (Krakow, June 12, 1964), No. 2, Epitaphium Stanislaw Wiechowicz in memoriam, for Chorus and Orch. (1967; Wroclaw, Feb. 15, 1969), No. 3, Symphonie d’Orphée, for Chorus and Orch. (1968; Warsaw, Sept. 16, 1972), No. 4 (1973; Zagreb, May 14, 1975), No. 5 for Chamber String Orch. (1978–79; Biafystok, Sept. 17, 1979), and No. 6, Polish (Hamburg, Nov. 15, 1982); Symphony in D major in Mozartean Style (1976; Poznan, April 1, 1977); 2 violin concertos: No. 1 (1965; Poznan, March 22, 1969) and No. 2 (1996); 2 cello concertos: No. 1 (1971–72; Poznan, April 3, 1975) and No. 2 (1994–95; Düsseldorf, Oct. 25, 1996); Trumpet Concerto (1973; Poznan, April 2, 1976); Fireballs (1976; Warsaw, April 20, 1978); Piano Concerto (1979–89; Cologne, June 14, 1992); Hommage à Johannes Brahms (1982; Hamburg, May 15, 1983); Flute Concerto (1983; Berlin, Dec. 1, 1984); Canti Amadei for Cello and Orch. (Krakow, Dec. 19, 1984); Concerto retro for Flute, Violin, Harpsichord, and Strings (1986; Krakow, April 10, 1988); Musica incrostata (Cologne, June 6, 1988); Caro Luigi for 4 Cellos and Strings (Stuttgart, Sept. 29, 1989); Carillon (1992–93; Flensburg, Aug. 5, 1993); Farewell Music (1997; Warsaw, Feb. 20, 1998). chamber: Sonata for Solo Cello (1959–61; Kamien Pomorski, Aug.15, 1969); Introspection for 5 Cellos (1960; Krakow, May 28, 1961); Music for 3 Cellos, Kettledrums, and Piano (1962; Krakow, May 9, 1963); 10 string quartets: No. 1 (1963; Warsaw, Sept. 26, 1965), No. 2 (Warsaw, Sept. 28, 1969), No. 3 (1971; Warsaw, Sept. 29, 1973), No. 4 (1974; Curitiba, Jan. 29, 1975), No. 5 (1977; Bialystok, March 10, 1978), No. 6 (1981; Plock, June 11, 1982), No. 7 (Wroclaw, April 16, 1985), No. 8 (1985; Munich, March 16, 1986), No. 9 (1989–90; Cologne, Dec. 28, 1991), and No. 10 (1993–94; Poznan, Oct. 3, 1994); Interludio statico for Clarinet and 4 Cellos (1963–64; Poznan, April 19, 1967); Hommage à Nadia Boulanger for Flute, Viola, and Harp (1967–71; Zagreb, May 14, 1971); Quattro colori for Clarinet, Trombone, Cello, and Piano (1970); Sonata for Solo Violin (1975; Poznan, April 22, 1977); Concerto retro for Flute, Violin, Cello, and Harpsichord (1976; Curitiba, Feb. 4, 1977); Moment musical for Cello (1976); 3 Pieces for Percussionist (Copenhagen, June 8, 1977); Interludio drammatico for Oboe and Chamber Ensemble (1980; Leipzig, Jan. 19, 1981); Piano Trio (1980; Wroclaw, April 16, 1985); Sonata for Solo Flute (1980; Darmstadt, March 30, 1985); Canzona for Cello and Piano (1981; Hamburg, Nov. 1, 1982); 6 Préludes for Violin (1981); Pezzo capriccioso for Oboe and Piano (1982; Princeton, N.J., April 18, 1983); Cello Sonata (1983; Klagenfurt, Nov. 22, 1984); Clarinet Quintet (Ulm, Nov. 2, 1986); Capriccio per sei instrumenti (1987–88; Lanaudière, Canada, July 10, 1989); Wittener Kammermusik for Flute, Oboe, and Clarinet (1988; Witten, Germany, April 22, 1989); Monologue for Cello (Hamburg, Oct. 5, 1990); Piano Quartet (1990–91; Cologne, May 25, 1992); String Trio (1993; Munich, March 6, 1994); Misterioso for Violin and Piano (Hannover, Nov. 2, 1994); Au delà d’une absence for String Quartet (1997; Hamburg, July 5, 1998); Trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1997–98; Hitzaker, July 31, 1999). keyboard: piano: Aphorisms (1961; Krakow, June 20, 1962); 5 sonatas: No. 1 (Katowice, April 26, 1962), No. 2 (Krakow, June 3, 1963), No. 3 (Krakow, May 18, 1966), No. 4 (1968; Krakow, June 5, 1969), and No. 5 (1975; Katowice, Jan. 19, 1977); 24 Préludes (1978; Stalowa Wola, May 17, 1979). harpsichord: Sonata (1972–73; Paris, Oct. 28, 1974). organ:Fantasia (1990; Berlin, June 15, 1991). vocal:Songs of Resignation and Denial for Soprano, Violin, and Piano (1963; Prague, April 28, 1966); Quartettino for Soprano, Flute, and Cello (Szczecin, Sept. 11, 1966); 5 Chamber Pieces for Soprano, Clarinet, and Viola (1967; Krakow, April 17, 1969); Polish Chants for Soprano and Orch. (1974; Bydgoszcz, Sept. 9, 1977); Lyric Triptych for Tenor and Chamber Orch. (1976; Aldeburgh, June 22, 1978); 9 Limericks of Stanislaw Jerzy Lee for Soprano and Piano (Baranow Sandomierski, Sept. 7, 1979); Sunday Colloquy for Baritone and Piano (1981; Krakow, March 26, 1987); Mass for Chorus and Organ (1987–92; Cologne, Jan. 24, 1993); Wjelitchalnaja for Chorus (1988; L’Hermitage, May 15, 1989); Te Deum for Chorus (Kiel, May 5, 1995); Mass for Chorus and Orch. (1995–96; Krakow, Dec. 13, 1996).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire