Perkowski, Piotr

Perkowski, Piotr , Polish composer and pedagogue; b. Oweczacze, Ukraine, March 17, 1901; d. Otwock, near Warsaw, Aug. 12, 1990. He studied composition with Statkowski at the Warsaw Cons. (1923–25), then took private lessons with Szymanowski in Warsaw and with Roussel in Paris. He was director of the Torun Cons. (1936–39), and taught composition at the Warsaw Cons. (1946–51; 1954–73). He was artistic director of the Krakow Phil. (1949–51) and dean of the Music Academy in Wroclaw (1951–55); served as councilor for cultural development for the city of Warsaw (1965–74). In his earlier years, he followed the fashionable cosmopolitan trend of absolute music without reference to national or general programmatic subjects, but under the influence of social changes he began introducing concrete, historic, and pictorial representations.

Works

dramatic: Opera: Garlands (Warsaw, 1962). ballet:Swantewit (1930; rev. 1945–47; Poznan, June 19,1948); Rhapsody (1949); Fantasia (1950); Clementine (1960–63); Balladyna (1960–64; Warsaw, 1965). orch.: 2 syms.: No. 1 for Chorus and Orch. (1925; lost; reconstructed 1955) and No. 2 (1949); Geometric Suite (1930); 2 violin concertos (1933, 1960); Warsaw Overture (1954); Sinfonia drammatica (1963); Scottish Impressions (1968); Amphiction (1970); Cello Concerto (1973). chamber: 2 string quartets (1930, 1977); Elegia for Cello and Organ (1945); Trumpet Sonatina (1954); Flute Sonata (1954); piano pieces. vocal: 5 cantatas: Wisla (1951), Epitaphe pour Nicos Belojannis (1952), Suita weselna (Merry Suite) for Soprano, Tenor, Chorus, and Orch. (1952), Suita epicka (1953), and Alexiares, with Narrator and Tape (1966–69); Niebo w plomieniach (The Sky in Flames), song cycle, for Voice and Orch. (1969).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire