Jirák, K(arel) B(oleslav)

Jirák, K(arel) B(oleslav), distinguished Czech conductor and composer; b. Prague, Jan. 28, 1891; d. Chicago, Jan. 30, 1972. He received training in law and philosophy at the Univ. of Prague, and studied composition privately with Novak (1909–11) and J. B. Foerster (1911–12). He was a répétiteur and conductor at the Hamburg Opera (1916–19), and also conducted opera in Brno and Moravska Ostrava (1918–20). He then was conductor of Prague’s Hlahol choir and second conductor of the Czech Phil. (1920–21), as well as prof, of composition at the Prague Cons. (1920–30). From 1930 to 1945 he was music director of the Czech Radio. From 1935 to 1946 he was married to Marta Krásová. In 1947 he went to the U.S., and in 1948 became chairman of the theory dept. at Roosevelt Coll. (later Univ.) in Chicago. He held the same position also at Chicago Cons. Coll. from 1967 to 1971. His music represents the finest traditions of Middle European 20^th-century Romanticism. His 5^th Sym. won the Edinburgh International Festival prize in 1951. He publ, a textbook on musical form (Prague, 1922; 5^th ed., 1946); also biographies of Fibich (Ostrava, 1947), Mozart (Ostrava, 1948), and Dvorak (N.Y., 1961).

Works

dramatic: Opera: Žena a buh (The Woman and God; 1911-14; Brno, March 10, 1928). ORCH.: 6 syms.: No. 1 (1915–16), No. 2 (1924), No. 3 (1929-38; Prague, March 8, 1939), No. 4, Episode from an Artist’s Life (1945; Prague, April 16, 1947), No. 5 (1949; Edinburgh, Aug. 26, 1951), and No. 6 (1957-70; Prague, Feb. 17, 1972); Overture to a Shakespearean Comedy (1917-21; Prague, Feb. 24, 1927); Serenade for Strings (1939); Symphonic Variations (Prague, March 26, 1941); Overture “The Youth” (1940–41); Rhapsody for Violin and Orch. (1942); Symphonietta for Small Orch. (1943–4); Piano Concerto (1946; Prague, Dec. 12, 1968); Symphonic Scherzo for Band or Orch. (1950; orch. version, Chicago, April 25, 1953); Serenade for Small Orch. (1952; Santa Barbara, Calif., March 24, 1965); Legend for Small Orch. (1954; Chicago, March 20, 1962); Concertino for Violin and Chamber Orch. (1957; Chicago, May 18, 1963). CHAMBER: 7 string quartets (1915; 1927; 1937-40; 1949; 1951; 1957-58; 1960); String Sextet, with Alto Voice (1916–17); Cello Sonata (1918); Violin Sonata (1919); Viola Sonata (1925); Divertimento for String Trio (1925); Flute Sonata (1927); Wind Quintet (1928); Variations, Scherzo and Finale, nonet (1943); Serenade for Winds (1944); Piano Quintet (1945); Mourning Music for Viola and Organ (1946; also for Orch.); Clarinet Sonata (1947); Introduction and Rondo for Horn and Piano (1951); 3 Pieces for Cello and Piano (1952); Horn Sonata (1952); Oboe Sonata (1953); Trio for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1956); Suite for Solo Violin (1964); Piano Trio (1966–67). keyboard: piano:Summer Nights, 4 pieces (1914); Suite in Olden Style (1920); The Turning Point (1923); 2 sonatas (1926, 1950); Epigrams and Epitaphs (1928–29); 4 Caprices in Polka Form (1945); 5 Miniatures (1954); 4 Pieces for the Right Hand (1968–69). o r -g a n: Suite (1958–64); Passacaglia and Fugue (1971). VOCAL: Psalm 23 for Chorus and Orch. (1919); Requiem for Solo Quartet, Chorus, Organ, and Orch. (1952; Prague, Nov. 17, 1971); works for male chorus; song cycles (many with orch.), including Lyric Intermezzo (1913), Tragicomedy, 5 songs (1913), Fugitive Happiness, 7 songs (1915–16), 13 Simple Songs (1917), 3 Songs of the Homeland (1919), Evening and Soul (1921), Awakening (1925), The Rainbow (1925–26), The Year (1941), 7 Songs of Loneliness (1945–6), Pilgrim’s Songs (1962–63), and The Spring (1965).

Bibliography

M. Ocadlik, K.B. J. (Prague, 1941); A. Tischler, K.B./.: A Catalog of his Works (Detroit, 1975).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire