Seiber, Mátyás (György)

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Seiber, Mátyás (György) (b Budapest, 1905; d Kruger Nat. Park, S. Africa, in car crash, 1960). Hung.-born composer and cellist. Settled in Ger. where he played in th. orchs. and taught jazz at Frankfurt. Went to Eng. 1935, working for publisher. Taught at Morley Coll. from 1942. Co-founder of Committee (now Soc.) for Promotion of New Mus., 1942. Founder and cond., Dorian Singers, 1945. Great influence as teacher. Eclectic in style, his mus. is distinguished by fastidious craftsmanship and imagination. Works incl. opera Eva spielt mit Puppen (1934); ballet The Invitation (1960); Missa brevis (1924); 4 Greek Folk-Songs, sop., str. (1942); cantata Ulysses (1946–7); Faust, sop., ten., ch., orch. (1949); Cantata secularis, ch., orch. (1949–51); 3 Fragments from Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, narr., ch., ens. (1956–7); Fantasia Concertante, vn., str. (1943–4); Elegy, va., str. (1953); cl. concertino (1954); Tre Pezzi, vc., orch. (1956); 3 str. qts. (1924, 1934–5, 1948–51); Concert piece, vn., pf. (1953–4); Improvisation, ob., pf. (1957); Permutazione a cinque, wind quintet (1958); vn. sonata (1960); pf. pieces; and film mus. (notably for Orwell's Animal Farm).

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