Tutev, Georgi

Tutev, Georgi, Bulgarian conductor and composer; b. Sofia, Aug. 23, 1924; d. there, Sept. 13, 1994. He studied law in Sofia while pursuing private instruction in composition from Pipkov. His formal studies in composition followed with Bely and Shaporin at the Moscow Cons. (1946-50). About the time of his graduation, his father was the victim of a politically staged trial in Bulgaria on charges of revisionism. For the next 17 years, Tutev was not allowed to use his last name, opting for the pseudonym “Ivanov.” He was finally able to again use his last name upon the rehabilitation of his father in 1967. From 1954 to 1958 he was secretary of the Bulgarian Composers Union, and then was chief music ed. of the Bulgarian National Radio from 1958 to 1961. He subsequently served as music director and principal conductor of the Orch. of the National Youth Theater from 1961 to 1987. In 1990 he founded the Soc. of Contemporary Music of Bulgaria, and was its president until his death. His early works were in a romantic Soviet style, but in the late 1960s he adopted more advanced techniques, eventually embracing serialism.

Works

Legend of the Lopian Forest,symphonic poem (1950-51; Sofia, Feb. 15,1951); The Mutiny on the S. S. Nadezhda,symphonic poem (1955); 2 syms.: No. 1 (1959; Sofia, June 22, 1960) and No. 2, Variations (1969-72); Divertimentofor Clarinet, Violin, Harpsichord, and Chamber Orch. (1962); Overturn da Requiemfor Orch. (1963); Metamorphosesfor 13 Strings (1966); Tempi Rithmizatifor Strings, Piano, and Percussion (1968); Musica Concertantefor Strings, Flute, Harpsichord, and Percussion (1968); Soli per trefor Wind Trio (1974); Yearning for the Lost Harmonyfor Strings, Keyboards, and Percussion (1969-82); Calvinomusicafor Cello and Chamber Ensemble (1987); J.S.B. Meditationsfor Chamber Ensemble (1992).

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire