SREBOTNJAK Alojz

Slovene composer and pedagogue.

EDUCATION:

- Academy of Music in Ljubljana: degree in composition (1958, class of Prof. Lucijan Marija Škerjanc),

- further specialization in Rome (Boris Porenna), London (Peter Racin Fricker ), Paris and Siena - Accademia Musicale Chigiana (Vito Frazzi, Francesco Lavagnino).

CAREER:

- full professorship for composition at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana (1970-2001).

AWARDS AND PRIZES:

- prize-winner at the music competition ZDPD "Svoboda", Ljubljana, 1955,

- Prešeren Prize for best students, Ljubljana, 1956,

- diploma di segnalazione at the International Music Competition G. B. Viotti, Vercelli (Italy), 1956,

- a prize for music at the Festival of Short Film, Belgrade, 1960,

- prizes for music at the Festival of Yugoslav Film, Pula, Croatia 1961, 1964, 1974,

- The Kajuh Award, Ljubljana, 1963,

- Award of the Prešeren Foundation, Ljubljana, 1965,

- Award of the Slovene National Uprising, Ljubljana, 1966,

- Gold Medal at the International Music Competition G. B. Viotti, Vercelli (Italy), 1966,

- award of the Yugoslav Television, Belgrade, 1972,

- medal of the City of Trieste, Italy, 1987,

- Prešeren Prize for Life achievement, Ljubljana, 1998,

- Acknowledgement Award "27th April", municipality of Postojna, 1999,

- The Kozina Award, Ljubljana, 1999,

- The Županèiè Award, Ljubljana, 2005.

WORKS:

Srebotnjak, owing to the vastness of his output, is counted among the most respected and renowned Slovene composers.

ORCHESTRAL WORKS:

Music for Strings (1955, rev. 1982), Sinfonietta in due tempi (1958), Monologues for flute, oboe, French horn and strings (1962), "Kraška suita";Suite from the Karsts (1964), Antiphon (1964), Episodes concertantes (1967), Concerto for harp and orchestra (1971), Concerto for violin and orchestra (1975), Slovenica (1976), Macedonian Dances for sting orchestra (1976), Ballade (1977), "Klic narave"; Nature Calls (1981), Slovene Folk Dances for orchestra (1982), "Trobenta in vrag" - The Trumpet and the Devil , ballet suite (1983), Rapsodica for string orchestra (1988), Comedians for voice and orchestra (2005).

CHORAL WORKS:

Six Macedonian Folk Songs for mixed, male and female choir (1965), Two Macedonian Folk Songs for mixed choir (1966), Six Yugoslav Folk Songs for mixed choir (1970), Three Slovene Folk Songs for mixed choir (1983), Choral Songs on texts by Sreèko Kosovel I (1989), Choral Songs on texts by Sreèko Kosovel II (1989), Burlesca for mixed choir (2008).

OPERA AND BALLET:

"Trobenta in vrag" - The Trumpet and the Devil, ballet in one act (1980).

CHAMBER MUSIC:

Allegro, Choral and Passacaglia fro string quartet (1954), Fantasia notturna fro three violins, clarinet and harp (1957), Serenata for flute, clarinet and bassoon (1961), "Dnevnik"; The Diary for piano trio (1972), Lamento for chamber ensemble (1976), Naif - collage for a group of different instruments (1977), Macedonian Dances for two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons and percussion (1978), Macedonica - collage for a group of different instruments (1978), Spray - collage for a group of different instruments (1981).

VOCAL-INSTRUMENTAL WORKS:

"Ne, jaz noèem ¹e umreti" – No, I wish not yet to die for voice and piano (1951), "Oranža"; Orange for voice and piano (1952), "Mati"; Mother for voice and strings (1955), "Pisma"; Letters for soprano and harp (1956), "Vojne slike" - War Images for tenor, viola, percussion and piano (1957), "Rekviem za talca"; Requiem for an hostage for mixed choir, harp, kettle drums and tam-tam (1963), Micro songs fro voice and chamber ensemble (1964), "Ekstaza smrti"; Ecstasy of Death for mixed choir, baritone solo and orchestra (1965), "Naivni Orfej" - The Naivety of Orpheus for mixed choir and chamber ensemble (1973), "Zjasni zvezde mu temne!"; Make his dark stars bright! cantata for baritone solo, trumpet, harp, kettle drums and string orchestra (1989), Sonnets for tenor and piano (1991), "Portret pesnika"; Poet's Portrait for voice-tenor and piano (1993), Passion-play of Škofja Loka for four solo singers, mixed choir and orchestra (2000).

INSTRUMENTAL WORKS:

Sonatina for violin and piano (1954), Five Preludes for harp (1960), Invenzione variata for piano (1961), Six Pieces for bassoon and piano (1963), Second Sonatina for violin and piano (1966), Sonatina III for violin and piano (1968), Macedonian Dances for piano (1976), Two Movements for guitar (1976), Macedonian Love Song for violin and piano (1977), Slovene Folk Dances for violin and piano (1982), Variations on a theme by Marij Kogoj for piano (1984), "Godec"; The Music Maker, folk songs and dances for piano (1988), Variations on a theme by Slavko Osterc for piano (1990), Improvisation over Tartini for violin solo (1991), Variations on a theme by Lucijan M. Škerjanc for piano (1996), Scherzzzando for piano (1999), Variations on a theme by Jacobus Gallus for piano (2003).

FILM MUSIC:

"Akcija"; Action, J. Kavèiè (1960), "Balada o trobenti in oblaku";Ballad of the Trumpet and the Cloud, F. Štiglic (1961), "Tistega lepega dne"; On That Pretty Day, F. Štiglic (1962), "Zarota"; Conspiracy, F. Križaj (1964), "Ne joèi, Peter"; Don't cry, Peter, F. Štiglic (1964), Amandus, F. Štiglic (1966), "Pastirci"; The Shepherds, F. Štiglic (1974), "Praznovanje pomladi" -Celebration of the Spring, F. Štiglic (1978), "Oda Prešernu" - Ode to the poet Prešeren, M. Srebotnjak (2001).

DISCOGRAPHY:

- Alojz Srebotnjak in njegovi študenti, Ljubljana (2009): Variacije na temo Jacobusa Gallusa, Scherzzando za klavir, Dušan Bavdek: Prebujenje, Marko Mihevc: Karneval, Peter Šavli: Requieto-irrequieto za fortepiano (Ed. DSS 200973).  

PUBLICATIONS:

Orchestration, part I – Analysis and Exercises (1972), Tonal Scales in the Music of the 20th Century (1981).