Vorlová, Sláva (actually, Miroslava Johnova)

Vorlová, Slava (actually, Miroslava Johnova), Czech composer; b. Náchod, March 15,1894; d. Prague, Aug. 24, 1973. She studied piano with her mother, then received training in voice at the Vienna Academy of Music; took private lessons in composition with Novák and in piano with Štěpán in Prague. After passing her state examinations in piano and singing (1918), she continued her piano studies with Maxián and her composition studies with Řídký, completing her training with the latter at the Prague Cons, master classes (graduated, 1948). She became interested in writing music for instruments rarely used for solo performances and wrote one of the few concertos for bass clarinet. Her music is tinted with impressionistic colors.

Works

dramatic: Opera:Zlaté ptače (The Golden Birds; 1949-50); Rozmarynka (Rosemary; 1952; Kladno, 1955); Náchodská kasace (The Náchod Cassation; 1955); Dva svëty (2 Worlds; 1958). ORCH.: Fantasyfor Cello and Orch. (1940); Symphony JM,dedicated to Jan Masaryk (1947-48); Bozena Nëmcova,suite (1950-51); Oboe Concerto (1952); 3 Bohemian Dances (1952-53); Trumpet Concerto (1953); Viola Concerto (1954); Clarinet Concerto (1957); Memento (1957); Thuringian Dances (1957); Flute Concerto (1959); Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Strings (1961); Kybernetic Studies (1962); Concerto for Oboe, Harp, and Orch. (1963); Dedications (1965); Bhukhar (Fever Birds; 1965); Concerto for Double Bass and Strings (1968); Correlationsfor Bass Clarinet, Piano, and Strings (1968); Polarizationfor Harp, Wind Orch., and Percussion (1970); Emergencefor Violin and Orch. (1973; Prague, March 24,1974). CHAMBER: String Quartet (1939); Nonet (1944); Melodious Variationsfor String Quartet (1950); Puzzlesfor 2 Pianos (1953); Miniaturesfor Bass Clarinet and Piano (1962); Dessins tetraharpesfor 4 Harps (1963); Variations on a Theme by Handelfor Bass Clarinet and Piano (1965); 6 pro 5for Brass Quintet (1967); Immanencefor Bass Clarinet, Piano, and Percussion (1970). VOCAL: Songs of Gondwana,symphonic epos for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1948-49); 2 African Fablesfor Narrator, Alto Flute, and Percussion (1964); Brief Considerationsfor Soprano, Alto, and Piano (1971); songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire