Petr Eben (22.1.1929, Zamberk – 24.10.2007 Praha)
recognized Czech composer of contemporary classical music mainly of spiritual content, also excellent musician and pedagogue.
Studied at the Prague Academy of Musical Arts composition under P.Borkovec, piano under F.Rauch. His music influenced by medieval and folk music, distiguished by strong melodical invention and contemporary usage of harmony. In his wide style span, vocal works on spiritual themes are dominating. His most often played work is the cycle Sunday Music for Organ Solo written in 1959, inspired by Gregorian Chant.
He was an excellent pianist and organist with extraordinary improvisation abilities.Since 1955 he lectured on history of music at the university of Prague. He got a lot of domestic and international awards.
In Opava, every year the organ competition is held, carrying his name since 2004.
Works (selected):
- Orchestrální tvorba
- Concerto for Organ and Orchestra No. 1 (Symphonia gregoriana), 1954
- Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, 1961
- Vox clamantis (symphonic movement for 3 trumpets and orchestra), 1969
- Night Hours (concertant symphony for wind quintet, tenor tuba, string orchestra, childrens choir ad lib., piano and percussion), 1975
- Concerto for Organ and Orchestra No 2, 1983
- Prague Nocturne (Hommage a W. A. Mozart), 1983
- Improperia for Symphonic Orchestra, 1995
- Chamber Works
- Sonata for Oboe and Piano, 1950
- Suita balladica for cello and piano, 1955
- Sonatina semplice for Violin (or Flute) and piano, 1955
- Duetti per due trombe (2 trumpets), 1956
- Ordo modalis for oboe and harp, 1964
- Quintetto per stromenti a fiato (Wind Quintet), 1965
- Green Green Grove (8 arrangements of folk songs for 4 hands piano), 1963
- Fantasia vespertina for trumpet and piano, 1969
- Brass Quintet (Variations on a Chorale; 2 trumpets, french horn and 2 trombones), 1969
- Music for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano, 1970
- Windows on the Pictures of Marc Chagall fortrumpet and organ, 1976
- Sonata for Flute and Marimba (Subtitled: Wood and Wind), 1978
- String Quartet ("Labyrint of the World and Paradise of the Heart"), 1981
- Fantasia for Viola and Organ Rorate Coeli, 1982
- Landscapes of Patmos for Organ and Drums, 1984
- Opponents for clarinet, piano and drums, 1985
- Piano Trio, 1986
- Tres iubilationes for 4 brasses and organ, 1987
- Two Invocations for Trombone and Organ, 1987
- Piano Quintet, 1992
- Old Testament Fresco for Violin and Piano, 1993
- Apello for oboe and piano, 1995
- Miniatures for Flute and Drums), 1972
- Music for solo instruments
- Sonata in D Flat Major for Piano, 1951
- Sunday Music for Organ, 1959
- Laudes for Organ, 1964
- Little Portraits for Piano, 1968
- Ten Choral Ouvertures for Organ, 1971
- Two Choral Fantasies for Organ, 1972
- Little Choral Partita for Organ, 1978
- Tabulatura Nova for Guitar, 1979
- Faust for Organ, 1980
- Mutationes per organo grande e piccolo, 1980
- Mare nigrum for Guitar, 1981
- Versetti for Organ, 1982
- Risonanza for Harp, 1986
- A Festive Voluntary (Variation on Good King Wenceslas Carol) for Organ, 1986
- Hommage a Buxtehude for Organ, 1987
- Job for Organ, 1987
- Letters to Milena for Piano, 1990
- Two Festive Preludes for Organ, 1990
- Biblical Dances for Organ, 1991
- Veni Creator Spiritus for Piano, 1992
- Amen, Be It for Organ, 1993
- Momenti d’organo for Organ, 1994
- Hommage a Henri Purcell for Organ, 1995
- Campanae gloriosae for Organ, 1999
- Universi for Organ, 2003
- Choral Works
- Missa adventus et quadragesimae for Unison Male Chorus and Organ, 1952
- National Songs for mixed choir, 1952
- The Ancient witchcraft for the Lover for three female voices and Mixed Chorus, 1957
- Love and Death, Series of mixed chorals on folk poetry, 1958
- On Swallows and Girls, Series of three-voiced female chorals on folk poetry, 1960
- Ubi caritas et amor for mixed choir, 1964
- Chad gadyoh for male choir on hebrew lyrics, 1965
- Ordinarium missae for Organ, 1966
- Apologia Socratus. Oratorio for Alto, Barytone, mixed and Children's Choirs and Orchestra on Greek Lyrics by Plato, 1967
- Vesperae for Boys' and Male Choirs, Folk Singing and Organ on liturgical lyrics in Catalan Language, 1968
- Trouvere's Mass for solos, Choir, two Flutes, Guitar and Drums on lyrics by Z. Lomova), 1969
- Cantica Comeniana 3-voiced mixed chorus a capella and female chorus with flute on lyrics by J. A. Komensky, 1970
- Pragensia. Cantata for chamber mixed chorus and renaissance musical instruments on recipes from the Court of Rudolph the II., 1972
- Four Choruses on Latin lyrics for children's or female choir (I.- III. anonymous medieval lyrics; IV. mixed Choir on lyrics by H. Contractus), 1973
- Greek Dictionary. Series of female choruses with Harp, 1974
- Homage to Charles IV. Cantanta for male choir and orchestra on the Foundation Charter of Charles University of Prague, 1978
- Greeting to Marsyas. Series for 8 mixed voices and small ensemble, 1980
- Missa cum populo for mixed chorus, folk singing, four drums and organ, 1982
- Breath of Days Long Gone (three mixer choruses on lyrics of A. Symons), 1985
- Eternal Cosmetics for four 3-voiced femal choirs on poems by P. Ovidius Naso (Latin, Czech, German), 1985
- Night for mixed choir on poem by K. H. Macha, 1986
- Cantico delle creature for mixed choir on lyrics by St. Francis of Assisi, 1987
- Prague Te Deum 1989 for mixed choir, brass instruments and drums or Organ, 1990
- From Life to Life for mixed choir on lyrics by Delores Dufner, 1991
- Verba sapientiae. Triptych pro smíšený sbor na texty Starého zákona, 1992
- Holy Signs. Oratorio for soprano, barytone, mixed and children's Chorus, wind and brass orchestra, drums and organ on lyrics of Bible and Pontificale Romanum, 1993
- Proprium festivum monasteriense for mixed choir and four brasses or organ on lyrics from Old and New Testament, 1993
- The Question for mixed choir a capella on lyrics by W. Willms, 1994
- Spiritus mundum adunans for mixed choir on lyrics by N. Balbulus (Organ ad lib.), 1994
- Mundus in Periculo. Triptych for mixed choir on lyrocs of Old Testament, 1995
- Suita liturgica pro jednohlasý sbor a varhany, 1995
- Rhytmus de gaudiis Paradisi for mixed choir on lyrics by Tomas Kempensky, 1995
- Komm herab o heiliger Geist: Veni Sancte Spiritus for mixed choir, 1996
- De sancto Adalberto. Three songs on Millenium of St. Vojtechfor for male choir a capella on medieval lyrics, 1996
- Abba Amen for mixed choir a capella, 1999
- Rilke–Stundenbuch for mixed choir a capella, 2000
- Psalmi Peregrini. Four mixed choruses on Latin lyrics, 2001
- Songs
- Nursery Rhymes for soprano and piano (English and Czech lyrics), 1953
- Songs for voice and lute on medieval and renaissance lyrics
- Six Lovesongs for Medium Voice and Piano on medieval lyrics, 1951
- The most secret songs for lower voice and piano, 1952
- Songs from Tesin for lower voice and piano on folk lyrics, 1952
- Three silent songs for soprano, flute and piano on poems by F.Halas, 1955
- SOngs on lyrics by R. M. Rilke for mezzosoprano or barytone and piano, 1961
- The songs unkind for alto and viola, 1963
- Little Sadness. Series of 5 song miniatures for soprano and piano on poems by Zuzana Rencova, 1965
- Air Ruth for Alto and organ on the lyrics from the Old Testaments, 1970
- De nomine Caeciliae for mezzosoprano or barytone and organ on lyrics by T. Kempensky, 1994
- scénická hudba
- Faust (scenic music to drama by J.W.Goethe), 1976
- Hamlet (scenic music to play by W. Shakepeare), 1977
- Curses and benedictions (ballet for chorus and orchestra), 1983
- Jeremias (sacred opera, on theme by S. Zweig), 1997
- Four biblical dances for organ and two dancers, 1997
- Anno Domini – Vorübergang des Herrn. Oratorio for soprano, barytone, reciter, men's, mixed and childrens's choirs, organ and chamber orchestra on biblical lyrics, 1999
- Works for children
- Twig growing green (fourteen 1 to 3 - voiced children's choruses with piano or instrumental band), 1954
- World of little (20 instructive compositions for piano), 1955
- Autumn growing mature. Series of 3 choruses for 3-voiced children's choir a capella, 1956
- Folk songs and carols (instructive compositions for piano), 1960
- Christmas songs (double and tripple-voiced childrens's choruses with piano on lyrics by P. Tumlir), 1960
- Spring tunes for childrens's choir with piano or small orchestra on poems by V. Ctvrtek and F. Branislav, 1961
- Duettinos for soprano instrument and piano (or harp), 1963
- Concertino pastorale for 3 solos (3 violins, 3 clarinets or 2 oboes+English Horn) and string orchestra, 1963
- Carollers of Tesin. Bunch of carols for children's solos, one-voiced children's choir and piano on folk lyrics, 1963
- Carousel and stars (one-to three-voiced childrens's choirs with piano on lyrics by K. Siktanc), 1964
- Deset poetických duet (dvojhlasé dětské sbory na básně V. Nezvala), 1965
- Orff School I., II. (adaptation of Schulwerk by C. Orff), 1966
- Orff School III.. (adaptation of Schulwerk by C. Orff), 1969
- Elce pelce kotrmelce (close to: Hubble Bubble Flip Flop). 50 motion songs for children's chorus and piano on lyrics by V. Fischer, 1970
- Little Nightingale of Eden (six three-voiced children's choruses in lyrics by J. Bozan), 1970
- Skizza pro C. B. pro dvě flétny (amatérský a koncertantní part) a klavír, 1972
- What happens through the day (ten one- od double-voiced children's choruses with piano on lyrics by Ilja Hurnik), 1973
- Zvědavé písničky pro dospělý sólový hlas, jednohlasý dětský sbor a klavír, 1974
- Catonis moralia (six four-voiced children's choruses on Latin lzrics from 3rd century a.d.), 1975
- Autumn and winter folk songs for single-voiced children§s chorus and melodical instrument, 1976
- Story of Mr. Mozart for four-voiced children's chorus on lyrics by J. Skacel), 1988
- Rondel (tripple-voiced children's or female chorus on lyrics by Ch. d’Orleans), 1992
- Psalmus 8 (tripple-voiced children's or female chorus on lyrics of Old Testament), 1993
- Church-like. Song for children"s chorus and organ (or piano), 1999
Prameny:
Wikipedia
Musica.cz
Little Encyclopedie of Music (dr. Jar. Smolka; &col., Supraphon 1983)
Book of Music (V.Holzknecht &col., Orbis 1964)
Samples:
Four Songs on Latin Lyrics (2.De Angelis, Children's Choir Jitro singing, dir. Jiri Skopal, CD Amabile 1993)
Pragensia (1.How to make Fireballs, Prague Madrigalists singing, dir. Miloslav Venhoda, Supraphon 1975)
