Fiala, George (Joseph)

Fiala, George (Joseph), Russian-born Canadian composer, pianist, organist, and teacher; b. Kiev, March 31, 1922. As the son of pianists, he began his own piano lessons at 7. At 12, he became a piano student of Mikhailov, and also had training in theory and composition. Following composition studies with Groudine, Revutsky, Liatoshinsky, and Olkhovsky at the Kiev Cons. (1939–41), he went to Berlin to study composition (with Dombrowski), conducting (with Furtwangler) and musicology at the Hochschule für Musik (Ph.D., 1945); he then completed his training with L. Jongen in Brussels. In 1949 he emigrated to Canada and in 1955 became a naturalized Canadian citizen. In addition to his activities as a performer, teacher, and composer, he produced programs for the Russian section of Radio Canada International (1967–87). He composed in a tonal style until the early 1960s, and then began to utilize some serial procedures in his works while retaining traditional forms.

Works

ORCH Piano Concerto (1946); Autumn Music (1949); 5 syms., including Sym. in E minor (1950), No. 4, Ukrainian (1973; Toronto, Nov. 21, 1982), and No. 5, Sinfonia breve (1981); Concertino for Piano, Trumpet, Timpani, and Strings (1950); Suite concertante for Oboe and Strings (1956); Introduction and Fugato for English Horn and Strings (1961); Capriccio for Piano and Orch. (1962); Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors (1962); Divertimento concertante for Violin and Orch. (1965); Eulogy: In Memory of President J.F. Kennedy (1965; rev. 1985); Montreal (1967); Musique concertante for Piano and Orch. (1968); Serenade concertante for Cello and Strings (1968); Sinfonietta concertata for Accordion, Harpsichord, and Strings (1971); Ouverture burlesque (1972); Violin Concerto (1973); Overtura bufa (1981); The Kurelek Suite (1982); Festive Ouverture (1983); Music for Strings No. 1 (1985) and No. 2 (1989); Overture and out (1989); Divertimento capriccioso for Flute and Strings (1990). CHAMBER: Chamber Music for 5 Wind Instruments for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, and Bassoon (1948); Ukrainian Suite for Cello and Piano (1948); Trio for Oboe, Cello, and Piano (1948); Wind Octet (1948); 3 saxophone quartets (1955, 1961, 1983); String Quartet (1956); Piano Quartet (1957); 3 Movements for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano (1957); Pastorale and Allegretto for 4 Recorders (1963); 3 cello sonatas (1969, 1971, 1982); Violin Sonata (1969); Saxophone Sonata (1970); Duo Sonata for Violin and Harp (1971); Sonata for 2 for Soprano Saxophone and Accordion (1971); Concertino canadese for 4 Harps (1972); Sonata breve for Clarinet and Harp (1972); Partita da camera for 2 Violins (1977); Duettino concertante for Clarinet and Harp (1981); Terzetto concertante for Clarinet, Cello, and Harp (1981); Partita concertata for Violin and Cello (1982); Piano Quintet (1982); 2 Movements for Oboe and Piano (1984); Flute Sonata (1986); Trio Sonata for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1987); Viola Sonata (1989). KEYBOARD : Piano : Children’s Suite (1941; rev. 1975); 8 sonatas (n.d.-1970); 10 Postludes (1947; rev. 1968); Australian Suite (1963); 3 Bagatelles (1968); 3 sonatas for 2 Pianos (1970, 1983, 1989); Piano Music Nos. 1–3 (1976–89); Concerto da camera for Piano, 4-Hands (1978); Concerto breve for 2 Pianos (1979); Ukrainian Dance for 2 Pianos (1979); Canadian Sketches (1989). VOCAL: Cantilena and Rondo for Soprano, Recorder, and Piano (1963); Canadian Credo for Chorus and Orch. (1966); 5 Ukrainian Songs for Soprano and Orch. (1973); Concerto Cantata for Chorus, Piano, and Chimes Obbligato (1984); The Millennium Liturgy for Chorus (1986); other songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire