Srnka, Jiří

Srnka, Jiří, Czech composer; b. Pisek, Aug. 19, 1907; d. Prague, Jan. 31, 1982. He took violin lessons at the Prague Cons. under A. Mařák and J. Feld (1922–24), then studied composition there with Šín (1924–28) and Novák (1928–32); had instruction in quarter tone music with Alois Hába (1927–28; 1934–37). He was an asst. conductor and violinist with J. Jezek’s Liberated Theater in Prague (1929–35), then became interested in film music, producing over 120 film scores. From 1950 to 1953 he taught classes in film music at the Academy of Musical Arts in Prague.

Works

DRAMATIC: Over 120 film scores. ORCH.: Symphonic Fantasy (1932); Violin Concerto (1957; Olomouc, Sept. 23, 1958); Historical Pictures from the Pisek Region for Amateur String Orch. (1961); Partita for Violin and Chamber Orch. (1962); Piano Concerto (1968); Concerto for Flute, Strings, and Piano (1974; Prague, March 8, 1975); Nocturne for Strings (1975); Echo of Songs of the Prachen Region (1976); Sinfonietta (1977); Mater Dolorosa for Flute, Harp, and Strings (1977); Lyrical Symphony (1979). CHAMBER: 2 string quartets (1928, 1936); Wind Quartet (1928); Suite tor Violin and Piano (1929); String Quintet (1930); 3 Pieces for Violin and Piano (1961); Léto budiż pochváleno (Summer Be Thou Praised) for String Quartet (1980); Byl tichý letní večer (There Was a Quiet Summer Evening) for String Quartet (1980); Nonet (1981). Piano: Suite (1933); Fantasy (1934); 2 Quarter-Tone Pieces (1936); 3 Pieces (1936). VOCAL: Songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire