Jiří Válek

Jiří Válek , born the May 28th 1923 with Prague, is a Czech Compositeur. He writes his first significant works in the years 1942-43 in a Czechoslovakia then occupied by Germany. Horrified by fascistic terror, it does not compose of it less one music which exalte life and nature. This ambivalence of the inspiration will mark all the work of Válek.

Biography

In 1947, it is graduate Conservatoire of Prague in the class of Jaroslav Ridky (musical Composition). He also studies on a purely private basis philosophy, esthetics, the history and the Théorie of the music. In 1950, it is graduate “College off Higher Education” and in 1952, a doctorate with the Université Charles obtains.

From 1949 to 1952, Válek is employed as secretary of the Union of the Czech type-setters and, in 1959, account among the leaders of the publisher Panton. He becomes thereafter artistic director for the Supraphon discs. In 1966, it is named professor of composition to the Academy of Prague and in 1979, professor associated with composition with the Academy of music of Prague.

Main works of Jiří Válek are its 18 Symphonie S which illustrate its reflections on the evolution of modern civilization. Its compositions of Chamber music and concerting Music, plus intimists, are often sources of inspiration for its later symphonies. It was the case, for example, for its Concerto for Violon Hymn off the Sun (Anthem with the sun), ordering of the Austrian Violoniste Lukas David and of the German Leader Othmar Mága, which its eleventh “Revolutionary” symphony succeeded.

The Concerto for marimba and orchestrates of Válek is the first Czech composition of the kind. The most ambitious compositions of Válek are written for the theater: the lyric drama Shakespearean Variations which puts in scene nine opposite situations and human types, the opera Hour off Truth (the Hour of truth) treating on a sarcastic mode of the overlap of the life and play in current civilization, and operated it Hamlet, our Contemporary (Hamlet, our contemporary) optimistic and satirical variation according to the part of Shakespeare.

Beside the Válek operas wrote other satirical work, like “" Sonata butt Auxiliary Life” (" Sonata about the life auxiliaire") for three instruments and a regulator, “Concerto burlesco” for the French horn and orchestrates, and the fifteenth “Sarcastic” symphony-oratorio which, with the fourteenth symphony “Trionfale” and the sixteenth symphony “Neter” represent the culminating point idealogic and artistic of the series of the symphonies of Válek. Two last symphonies - the 17th “Hradcanska” (symphony - opera, libretto of A. France, for 9 soloists, two mixed choruses and orchestra) and the 18th “Alternative” (text of K.H. Borovsky and F. Soukup for baritone, chorus of the white voices and chamber orchestra) are the greatest symphonies vocal of Válek.

In the years 1950-1970 Válek wrote more than 100 songs and compositions for the children and the youth of which much received first prices in contest as a Czech Republic and abroad. Of its didactic compositions, the '" Sonata eroica “for trumpet and piano, became one of the parts obliged in the international contests.

The work of Válek as type-setter is closely dependant with his literary work which consists of monographs, work theoretical and of smaller various work. In 1992 Válek became the cofounder of the private vocal academy of Prague.

Principal works

Symphonies

lère symphony “Year 1948” for trumpet, piano and full orchestra (1948)
2nd symphony “Classical” for orchestrated room; second version for 2 flutes, 2 oboes and chamber orchestra of cords (1957)
3rd symphony “Romantic” , dedicated to the memory of Stanislav Kostka Neumann, for soprano, saxophone tenor and full orchestra (1957 - 1963)
4th symphony “Dialogs with Inner Voice” for mezzo-soprano, baritone, orchestra of wood, piano and percussion instruments, text of William Shakespeare (1964 - 1965)
5th symphony “Guernica” inspired by works of Pablo Picasso, for full orchestra (1968)
6th symphony “Ekpyrosis” for flute, piano, together of and chamber orchestra percussion instruments (1969)
7th symphony “Pompeian Frescoes” for chamber orchestra, piano and together of percussion instruments (1970)
8th symphony “Difficulty sunt homines” for soprano and symphonic full orchestra, on topic and text “Der Amoklaufer” of Stefan Zweig S (1971)
9th symphony-triple concert “Rebirth” for violin, viola, violoncello and orchestra of cords (1971)
l0e symphony “ Baroque” for violin, piano and full orchestra (1973)
lemma symphony “Revolutionary” for violin, viola, piano, quintet of wood and symphonic full orchestra (1974)
l2e symphony-concert “Shakespearean” for violin, viola and symphonic full orchestra; alternate version for violin, viola, orchestra of cords, piano and percussion instruments (1975)
l3e symphony “Gothic” for mixed chorus and symphonic full orchestra, dedicated to the 600e birthday of died of the Czech King Charles IV (1978)
l4e symphony “Trionfale” for two pianos and full orchestra, to celebrate the 65e birthday of the foundation of the Czech Republic and the 40e birthday of the end of the Second world war (1983)
15th symphony-oratorio “Sarcastic” on text of the patriot Czech Karel Havlicek Borovsky, for baritone, low, chorus of women and full orchestra (1986)
l6e symphony “Neter” for low baritone and full orchestra, inspired by the ancient Egyptian culture (1987)
17th symphony “Hradcanska” , symphony-opera, libretto of A. France, for 9 mixed soloists, two choruses and orchestra
18th “Alternative” symphony , text of K.H. Borovsky and F. Soukup for baritone, the chorus of the white voices and chamber orchestra

Concertos with orchestral accompaniment

Concerto drammatico for double bass, chamber orchestra orchestrated and percussion instruments (1974)
Concerto for violin and orchestra “Hymn off the Sun” , dedicated to the Conference of Peace of Helsinki (1975)
Concerto for two flutes and chamber orchestra (1975)
Concerto for marimba and orchestrates “Festivo” (1975)
Concerto for piano and orchestrated “Eroico” (1977)
Concerto for viola and symphony orchestra “Lirico” (1977)
Concerto for flute, marimba, toothing-stone and full orchestra “Giocoso” (1978)
Concerto for violoncello and full orchestra “Maestoso” (1978)
Concerto burlesco for French horn and chamber orchestra (1986)

Other works for orchestra

Symfonietta for full orchestra (1945)
The Prejudice , symphonic poem for full orchestra (1959)
Beyond the Frontiers off Tomorrow , walk ceremonial for full orchestra (1972)
Ceremonial overture for full orchestra (1976)
Ceremonial fresco for full orchestra (1979)
Ballet music of the opera “Hamlet Our Contemporary” for full orchestra (1985)

Works concerting for whole of room

Three night for viola and orchestra of cords of room (1960)
Concertino for 9 instruments with wood and piano (1963)
Concerto notturno for violin, viola and violoncello (1976)
1st concerto for flute, oboe, violin, viola, violoncello and harpsichord or piano (1970)
Cathedral . Musical fresco for violated and orchestrates cords of room (1979)
Concertanto meditation for clarinet, violin, viola and violoncello (1980)
2nd concert for flute, oboe, violin, viola, violoncello and harpsichord “Discovering the Day” (1979)

Compositions for whole of room

Continuation for flute, clarinet and piano (1946)
3rd four-bit byte for cords , inspired by “Rumburk Revolt" , poem of by Milan Jari (1960)
1st nonet-concerting , version of the “Shakespearean Variations” (1967)
4th four-bit byte for cords “Quatrocento” (1972 - 1973)
Three sentences with the memory of A. Einstein for violin, violoncello and piano (1973)
Five songs to sound for oboe, flute, clarinet and bassoon (1974)
Four-bit byte “Revolutionary” for violin, viola, clarinet and piano (1974)
Three sentences with the memory of W.A. Mozart for violin, violoncello and piano (1975)
Tre sorrisi with the honor of W.A. Mozart for flute, oboe, violin, viola, violoncello and harpsichord (1975)
Furnace sculptures for together of instruments of the Rebirth (1977)
Quintet of wood “Gaiamente E degnamente” (1977)
Trio for flute, violin and piano (1978)
Rectangular Circle . Grotesque for 5 flutes (1979)
5 capricci concerti for flute, guitar and marimbaphone (1981)
2nd nonet “Evviva the musica” (1984)

Work for one or two instruments

2nd sonata for violin and piano inspired by “The Revolt" , poem of Mr. Lukonin (1960)
Sonata for trumpet and piano “Eroica” (1960), alternate version for clarinet and piano or orchestra of cords
2nd sonata for piano (1965)
2nd sonata for viola and piano “Tragic” (1961)
dramatic Continuation for double bass and piano (1967)
Sonata for flute and piano (1969)
3rd sonata for piano (1970)
Villa dei Misteri , 11 frescos for violin and piano (1971)
Five meditations on topics of Czech popular songs , for low clarinet and piano (1974)
Fireworks and fountains , for marimba and piano (1976)
Accelerando with toccata for harpsichord (1976)
Three compositions for recorder and piano (1977)
Four musical sculptures , according to Michelangelo Buonarroti, for violin and piano (1977)
Clouds . Study concerting for violin and piano (1979)
Dramas for violoncello and guitar (1979)
Four profiles according to Shakespeare for oboe and bassoon (1979)
Three Czech dances for piano (1980)
Dramatic fresco for viola (1980)
Burlesque for flute and piano (1986)

Vocal works

Glory off nameless people . Cantata for soloists, mixed chorus and piano, on text of Vilem Zavada (1958)
Seven monologs on the love , for soprano and piano (1959)
Five variations on the topic VERITAS for soprano and piano. Alternate version for soprano, wood quintet, percussion instruments and male chorus; or for soprano, male chorus and chamber orchestra (1970 - 1976)
the partenza beyond will primavera . Five panegyrics for soprano and symphony orchestra, on an old Chinese poem. Alternate version for soprano and piano. (1971)
Seven musical fables according to Ezop , on text of Frantisek Branislav, low voice and piano. (1972). Alternate version: chorus of white voices, recitation, sets of children, flute, 2 clarinets, bassoon and percussion instruments.
Life . Five sonnets for male chorus, on poems of Jiří Wolker, Frantisek Hrubin and Julian Tuwim (1975)
Sonatine off the Universe for chorus of white voices, vibraphone and piano (1976)
Virelais festivo in onore G. of Machaut and imperatore Bohemiae Carolus IV , for soprano Gothic instruments (1978)
Five shadows and Epilog for percussion instruments, low baritone and piano, on a poem of Vladimfr Holan (1978)
Praise off Song . 4 studies in concert and madrigal for soprano, contralto, tenor, low and piano, on text of Jarmila Vrchotova-Patova (1981)
Sarkastikon , 16 songs for voice and Piano (text of K.H. Borovsky and Emanuel Frynta) (1996)
Young Gipsy played… 4 songs for two votes, violin, piano, cymbalum and percussion (text of F. Sramek, F. Kolar, E. Low) (1997)

Works for the theater

Shakespearean variations . Musical drama on text of W. Shakespeare and R. Rolland for nine actors, commentator and nonet (1967)
Hour off Truth . Opera in two acts on text of Low Eduard for soprano, tenor, baritone, low and small symphony orchestra (1980)
Sonata one Auxiliary Life , for regulator, violin, piano and percussion instruments, on satirical text of Ivan Vyskocil (1983)
Hamlet, our Contemporary . Satirical opera in three 3 acts, libretto of the type-setter according to the drama of by Ivan Vyskocil (1985)
Hradcanska Station . Satirical opera (text of the type-setter) (1992)
The Way off Demokracy gold (Don' T) Let custom stone Dwarfs! satirical Rock opera of room (text of the type-setter) ( 1997)

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