Pipkov, Lubomir

Pipkov, Lubomir, noted Bulgarian composer, son of Panayot Pipkov; b. Lovec, Sept. 19, 1904; d. Sofia, May 9,1974. He studied piano and composition with his father, then entered the Sofia Music School (1919), and completed his training with Boulanger and Dukas (composition) and Lefebure (piano) at the Paris École Normale de Musique (1926–32). Returning to Bulgaria, he occupied several administrative posts, including the directorship of the National Theater in Sofia (1944–47). His style of composition is determined by the inherent asymmetry of Bulgarian folk songs; there is a similarity in his compositions with those of Bartok, resulting from common sources in Balkan and Macedonian music; his harmonic investiture is often polytonal or polymodal.

Works

dramatic: Opera: > Yaninite devet bratya (The 9 Brothers of Yanina; 1929–37; Sofia, Sept. 19, 1937); Momchil (1939–44; Sofia, April 24, 1948); Antigone 43 (1961–62; Ruse, Dec. 23,1963). orch.: Concerto for Winds, Percussion, and Piano (1930); 4 syms.: No. 1 (1939–40), No. 2 (1954), No. 3 for Strings, Trumpet, 2 Pianos, and Percussion (1965), and No. 4 for Strings (1970); Heroic Overture (1950); Journey through Albania, variations for Strings (1950); Violin Concerto (1951); Piano Concerto (1954); Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orch. (1963; Moscow, April 20, 1964); Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orch. (1966); The Partisan’s Grave for Trombone and Strings (1970). chamber: 3 string quartets (1928, 1948, 1966); 2 violin sonatas (1929, 1969); Piano Trio (1930); Piano Quartet (1939); Sonata for Solo Violin (1969). Piano: B- leaux et études métrorythmiques (1972); Suggestions printanières (1972). vocal: 2 cantatas: The Wedding (1934) and Cantata of Friendship (1958); Oratorio for Our Time (Plovdiv, Dec. 18,1959); choruses; songs.

Bibliography

K. Iliev, L. P (Sofia, 1958); L. Koen, L. P. (Sofia, 1968).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire