Kotoński, Wtodzimierz

Kotoński, Wtodzimierz, Polish composer and pedagogue; b. Warsaw, Aug. 23, 1925. He studied composition with Piotr Rytel at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw (1945–51), and also received private training in composition from Tadeusz Szeligowski (1950–51) and in piano from K. Klimont-Jacynowa. He later attended the summer courses in new music in Darmstadt (1957–61). From 1958 he was active with the Polish Radio Experimental Studio. In 1959 he composed the first electronic score in Poland, Etiuda na jednouderzenie w talerz (Study on one cymbal stroke). In 1967 he became a lecturer in composition at his alma mater, becoming an assoc. prof. in 1972. In 1983 he was honored with the state title of prof. From 1983 to 1989 he was president of the Polish section of the ISCM. He received the Minister of Culture and Arts Award in 1973 and the Polish Composers’ Union Award in 1976. Among his books are Instrumenty perkusyjne we wspólc-zesnejorkiestrze (Percussion instruments in the modern orchestra; Krakow, 1963; 2^nd ed., 1981), Muzyka elektroniczna (Electronic music; Krakow, 1989), and Leksykon wspókzesnej perkusji (Lexicon of modern percussion; Krakòw, 1999).

Works

Poemat (Poem) for Orch. (Poznań, Oct. 1949); Tańce góralskie (Danses montagnardes) for Orch. (1950); Prelu-dium i passacaglia for Orch. (1953; Warsaw, March 5, 1954); 6 Miniatures for Clarinet and Piano (1957; Warsaw, Feb. 28, 1958); Chamber Music for 21 Instruments and Percussion (Warsaw, Oct. 3, 1958); Musique en relief, 5 miniatures for 6 Orch. Groups (Frankfurt am Main, Sept. 5, 1959); Etiuda na jedno uderzenie w talerz (Study on one cymbal stroke), musique concrète (1959; Warsaw, Sept. 21, 1960); Trio for Flute, Guitar, and Percussion (1960; Palermo, May 22, 1961); Concerto per quattro for Harp, Harpsichord, Guitar, Piano, and Chamber Orch. (1960; Venice, April 1961; also for Harp, Harpsichord, Guitar, Piano, and Chamber Orch., Lübeck, March 8, 1965); Canto for Chamber Group (Darmstadt, Sept. 4, 1961); Selection I for 4 Jazz Players (Warsaw, Oct. 17, 1962); Pezzo for Flute and Piano (Venice, April 23, 1962); Musica for Winds and Timpani (Cologne, May 20, 1963); Mikrostruktury (Microstructures) for Tape (Warsaw, Sept. 26, 1963); Monochromia for Oboe (1964); Wind Quintet (1964; Warsaw, Sept. 26, 1965); A battere for Guitar, Viola, Cello, Harpsichord, and Percussion (Warsaw, Sept. 20, 1966); Pour quatre for Clarinet, Trombone, Cello, and Piano (London, Feb. 22, 1968); Muzyka for 16 Cymbals and Strings (Warsaw, Sept. 20, 1969); AELA czyli gra Struktur aleatorycznych na jednym dzieku harmonicznym (AELA or the interplay of aleatory structures on one harmonic tone), electronic piece (Warsaw, Sept. 21, 1970); Multiplay, instrumental theater for 6 Brass Instruments (Urnea, Feb. 12, 1971); Concerto per oboe for Oboe, Oboe d’amore, 6 Winds, and Orch. (Berlin, April 6, 1972); Promenada I, instrumental theater for 4 Players (Warsaw, Nov. 12, 1973) and II, instrumental theater for Clarinet, Trombone, Cello, and 3 Synthesizers (Warsaw, Nov. 12, 1973); Harfa Eola (Aeolian Harp) for Soprano and 4 Players (1973; Bonn, Dec. 1, 1974); Musical Games for Wind Quintet (1973; Oslo, May 21, 1974); Róza wiatrów (Wind Rose) for Orch. (Graz, Oct. 14, 1976); Muzyka wiosenna (Spring Music) for Flute, Oboe, Violin, and Synthesizer (Buffalo, May 7, 1978); Pelnia lata (Midsummer) for Clarinet, Piano, Cello, and Electronics (Stuttgart, Nov. 9, 1979); Bora for Orch. (Poznan, March 31, 1979); Sirocco for Orch. (1980; Dallas, April 4, 1981); Piesn jesienna (Autumn Song) for Harpsichord and Tape (Dortmund, April 18, 1981); Terra incognita for Orch. (Warsaw, Sept. 30, 1984); Textures for Tape (1984); Sceny liryczne (Lyric Scenes) for 9 Instruments (Nuremberg, Nov. 16, 1986); Tlaloc for Harpsichord and Percussion (1986; Lisbon, May 8, 1987); Ptaki (Birds) for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1988; Copenhagen, April 18, 1989); Cadenze e arie for Guitar (1988; Warsaw, May 16, 1989); Antiphonae for Tape (Koriyama, Aug. 23, 1989); Bucolica (Morton Feldman in memoriam) for Flute (1989; Warsaw, June 5, 1990); Trzy etiudy rytmiczne (Three rhythmic studies) for Piano (1990); Warsaw, Sept. 21, 1995); La gioia for 9 Strings (Poznan, April 6, 1991; also for String Orch.); Tierra caliente for Tape (1992); Motu proprio for Bassoon and Piano (Amsterdam, May 9, 1992); 7 Haiku for Woman’s Voice and 5 Instruments (1993; Warsaw, Sept. 17, 1994); Concerto for Electric Guitar and Instrumental Ensemble (1993; Apeldoorn, Sept. 30, 1994); Po-dróz zimowa (Winterreise) for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Harpsichord, and Tape (Warsaw, May 12, 1995); Sym. No. 1 (Warsaw, Sept. 18, 1995); Mijikayo for Japanese Instruments (1996; Tokyo, July 10, 1997); Speculum for Tape and Orch. (1996).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire