Schidlowsky, León

Schidlowsky, León, Chilean composer and teacher; b. Santiago, July 21, 1931. He studied in Santiago at the National Cons. (1940–47), and also took courses in philosophy and psychology at the Univ. of Chile (1948–52), and had private lessons in composition with Focke and in harmony with Allende-Blin. He then went to Germany for further studies (1952−55). Returning to Chile, he organized the avantgarde group Agrupación Tonus for the propagation of new techniques of composition. He taught at the Santiago Music Inst. (1955–63) and served as prof. of composition at the Univ. of Chile (1962–68), then held a Guggenheim fellowship (1968). In 1969 he emigrated to Israel, where he was appointed to the faculty of the Rubin Academy of Music. In his music, he adopts a serial technique, extending it into fields of rhythms and intensities; beginning in 1964, he superadded aleatory elements, using graphic notation.

Works

DRAMATIC : Opera : Die Menschen (1970). ORCH .: Triptico (1959); Erâstrato for Percussion Orch. (1963); Nueva York, dedicated to “my brothers in Harlem” (Washington, D.C., May 9, 1965); Kadish for Cello and Orch. (1967); Epitaph for Hermann Scherchen (1967); Babi Yar for Strings, Piano, and Percussion (1970); Serenata for Chamber Orch. (1970); Arcanas (1971); Constellation II for Strings (1971); Prelude to a Drama (1976); Images for Strings (1976); Lux in Tenebris (1977); Tel Aviv (1978–83); Trilogy (1986); Ballade for Violin and Orch. (1986); Elegy (1988); Laudatio (1988); Kaleidoscope (1989); Prelude (1990); Polyphony IV (1991); Exhortatio (1991); I Will Lay Mind Hand Upon My Mouth (1994); Absalom (1996); Dark Night for Strings (1997); De Profundis for Strings (1997); Mahnmal (Memorial; 1999). CHAMBER : Elegia for Clarinet and String Quartet (1952); Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1955); Cuarteto mixto for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, and Cello (1956); Concerto for 6 Instruments (1957); In memoriam for Clarinet and Percussion (1957); 4 Miniatures for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1957); Soliloauios for 8 Instruments (1961); Visiones for 12 Strings (1967); String Quartet (1967); Wind Quintet (1968); Eclosión for 9 Instruments (1967); 6 Hexaforos for 6 Percussionists (1968); Sextet (1970); Kolot for Harp (1971); Meshulash (Triangle) for Piano Trio (1971); Voices for Harp (1972); Invention for Flute and Piano (1975); Piano Quartet (1988); String Quartet (1988); Shadows II for Chamber Ensemble (1990); Trio-in Memoriam Luigi Nono for Viola, Cello, and Double Bass (1990); Sealed Room for 12 Instruments (1991); Threnos for Flute, Viola, and Percussion (1996). Piano: 6 Miniatures, after paintings by Klee (1952); 8 Structures (1955); 5 Pieces (1956); Actus (1972); Trilogy for 2 Pianos (1990); Toccata (1990). VOCAL : Requiem for Soprano and Chamber Orch. (1954); Caupolicân, epic narrative for Narrator, Chorus, 2 Pianos, Celesta, and Percussion Orch. (1958); Oda a la Herra for 2 Narrators and Orch. (1958–60); La Noche de Cristal, sym. for Tenor, Men’s Chorus, and Orch., commemorating the martyrdom of lews on the Nazi “crystal night” (1961); Invocation for Soprano, Narrator, Percussion, and String Orch. (1964); Amereida (consisting of Memento, Llaqui, and Ecce Homo) for Narrator and Orch. (1965–72); Jeremias for 8 Mixed Voices and String Orch. (1966); Rabbi Akiba, scenic fantasy for Narrator, 3 Soloists, Children’s and Mixed Choruses, and Orch. (1972); Hommage à Neruda for Chorus and Orch. (1975); Adieu for Mezzosoprano and Chamber Orch. (1982); Amerindia, a pentology: I: Prologue for Orch. (1982), II: Los Heraldos Negros for Narrator, Harp, Piano, Percussion, and String Orch. (1983), III: Sacsahuaman for Winds and Percussion (1983), IV: Yo Vengo a Hablar for Narrator and Orch. (1983), and V: Era e Crepusculo de la Iguana for Narrator and Orch. (1985); Missa in nomine Bach for Chorus and 8 Instruments (1984); Laude for Chorus and Orch. (1984); Missadona nobis pacem for Chorus (1987); Chanson for Voice and Tam-tam (1988); Carrera for Narrator and Orch. (1991); Silvestre Revueltas, oratorio for Narrator, 9 Voices, and Chamber Orch. (1994); Am Grab Kafka’s for Woman Singer Playing Crotales (1994); Si muero (If I Die) for Narrator, Flute, Harp, and Organ (1998); The Sacrifice of Isaac for Narrator, Tenor, Bass, Chorus, and Orch. (1999); Der schwarze Gott for Voice, Flute, and Percussion (1999).

Bibliography

W. Elias, L. S. (Tel Aviv, 1978).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire