Salva, Tadeáš

Salva, Tadeáš , Slovak composer; b. Lúčky, near Ružonberok, Oct. 22, 1937; d. Bratislava, Jan. 3, 1995. Following early training with Viliam Kostka, he studied cello, accordion, and piano at the žilina Cons. (1953–58). During this time, he also took composition lessons with Zimmer in Bratislava. He continued his composition studies with Moyzes and Cikker at the Bratislava Academy of Music and Drama (1958–60). Subsequently he completed his composition training with Szabelski in Katowice and Lutoslawski in Warsaw. From 1965 to 1968 he was head of the music dept. of the Czech Radio in Košice. He then was a dramaturg for the Czech TV in Bratislava (1965–77) and the Slovak Folk Artistic Ensemble (1977–88). In his music, Salva embraced sonorism with occasional excursions into aleatory procedures.

Works

DRAMATIC: Margita a Besná, television opera (1971); The Weeping, radio opera (1977); Reminiscor, ballet-opera (1982). ORCH.: Cello Concerto (1966); Burlesca, concerto for Violin and Chamber Ensemble (1970); Étude (1972); Concertante Sym. (1978); Musica in memoriam Arthur Honegger for Trumpet, Bass, Organ, and Strings (1978); Rhapsody for Violin and Orch. (1981); Symfonia pastoralis (1983); 32 Symphonic Préludes (1987); Ballad Symphony (1989); Liturgical Chamber Symphony (1989); Slovak Concerto Grosso No. 5 for Violin, English Horn, Bass Clarinet, Organ, and Strings (1989); Slovak Liturgical Concerto Grosso for Strings (1994). chamber : 4 string quartets (1959, 1962, 1973, 1988); Ballad for Violin (1974); Musica…Musica for Brass and Winds (1979); Fairy Tales about Magic Violins Playing Themselves for Violin, Piano, and Percussion (1979); Variations in memoriam J. Ježek for Flute, Clarinet, Double Bass, Piano, and Percussion (1982); Slovak Rhapsody No. 1 for Clarinet, Trumpet, Cimbalom, and Percussion (1984); Impressions for Horn and Piano (1986); Étude for 3 Violins and Tape (1987); Slovak Concerto Grosso No. 3 for Clarinet, Cello, and Organ (1988) and No. 4 for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1988); Saxofoniada for 4 Saxophones (1988); 3 Arias for Cello and Piano (1990); piano pieces; organ music. VOCAL : Concerto for Reciter, 4 Men’s Voices, Clarinet, and Percussion (1964); Requiem aeternam (1967); Ballad- Fantasia for Soprano, Piano, and Orch. (1971); Wedding Ballad for Soprano, Alto, Chorus, Bass Clarinet, Viola, Double Bass, and Flute (1972); Elegies for Soprano, Reciter, Chorus, and Chamber Ensemble (1972); Good Morning, My Deceased Ones for Soprano and Men’s Chorus (1973); Slovak Concerto Grosso No. 1 for Alto, Baritone, and Folk Instruments (1978) and No. 2 for Soprano, Bass, and Chamber Ensemble (1981); Aria for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, and Piano (1980); Mechúrik-Koúrik and his Friends for Soloists, Women’s Chorus, and Orch. (1983); The Purest Love, cantata (1984); Slovak Song of Songs, oratorio for Soprano, Bass, Chorus, Organ, and Orch. (1987); Slovak Vocal Concerto Grosso for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, and Chorus (1993).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire