Page 367 - Weiss, Jernej, ur. 2018. Nova glasba v “novi” Evropi med obema svetovnima vojnama ?? New Music in the “New” Europe Between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 2
P. 367
summaries
it. This enthusiasm, however, soon waned. The introductory section is fol-
lowed by brief reflections on choral composers, performers, choirs, cho-
ir directors and, finally, listeners. Composers were well trained. Many of
them wrote in a traditional, post-Romantic style, while others took new
directions (Kogoj, Osterc). They published their works in music periodi-
cals, via publishing houses or in self-published form. They composed for
numerous choirs, including at least some at the very highest level, capable
of performing the most demanding pieces. Attention was also paid to lis-
teners and to their musical education. In the second part, the author offers
some examples of the interwar choirs of selected Slovene composers from
different generations (Foerster, Adamič, Lajovic, Vodopivec, Premrl, Ko-
goj, O sterc, etc.).
Keywords: musical composition, choral music, Slovenian choral music, mu-
sic theory, musicology
Niall O’Loughlin
Slavko Osterc’s Compositional Journey
and his Assimilation of New Techniques
The composing career of the leading Slovene composer Slavko Osterc (1895-
1941) spanned twenty years from 1921 to 1941. There are some forty compo-
sitions of his written in Slovenia dating from 1921-25, reportedly somewhat
immature, but showing numerous very interesting features. His studies
in Prague (1925-27) with Jirák and Alois Hába gave him a grounding in
new techniques. After returning to Slovenia, during the years 1927-30 Os-
terc composed chamber music miniatures often harmonically discordant,
interestingly scored and neo-classical in style and vocal music. The latter
included the intense Gradnik songs, four mini-operas characterised by a
wry sense of humour and the full-length opera Krog s kredo which pres-
ents a wide-ranging synthesis of his stylistic traits at this stage in his de-
velopment. Notable is the way that apparent set-pieces such as arias, recita-
tives and choruses are seamlessly joined by skilful transitions; significant
too are harmonies that often contradict the possible tonal-harmonic im-
plications of many of the vocal lines. From 1930 Osterc extended his me-
lodic, harmonic and contrapuntal techniques and importantly developed
his far-reaching ideas of formal construction. This is found especially in
single-movement multi-tempo works such as the Passacaglia in koral, the
Mouvement symphonique and the symphonic poem Mati, as well as in the
unusual formal plans of the Nonet, String Quartet No.2, and the Saxophone
365
it. This enthusiasm, however, soon waned. The introductory section is fol-
lowed by brief reflections on choral composers, performers, choirs, cho-
ir directors and, finally, listeners. Composers were well trained. Many of
them wrote in a traditional, post-Romantic style, while others took new
directions (Kogoj, Osterc). They published their works in music periodi-
cals, via publishing houses or in self-published form. They composed for
numerous choirs, including at least some at the very highest level, capable
of performing the most demanding pieces. Attention was also paid to lis-
teners and to their musical education. In the second part, the author offers
some examples of the interwar choirs of selected Slovene composers from
different generations (Foerster, Adamič, Lajovic, Vodopivec, Premrl, Ko-
goj, O sterc, etc.).
Keywords: musical composition, choral music, Slovenian choral music, mu-
sic theory, musicology
Niall O’Loughlin
Slavko Osterc’s Compositional Journey
and his Assimilation of New Techniques
The composing career of the leading Slovene composer Slavko Osterc (1895-
1941) spanned twenty years from 1921 to 1941. There are some forty compo-
sitions of his written in Slovenia dating from 1921-25, reportedly somewhat
immature, but showing numerous very interesting features. His studies
in Prague (1925-27) with Jirák and Alois Hába gave him a grounding in
new techniques. After returning to Slovenia, during the years 1927-30 Os-
terc composed chamber music miniatures often harmonically discordant,
interestingly scored and neo-classical in style and vocal music. The latter
included the intense Gradnik songs, four mini-operas characterised by a
wry sense of humour and the full-length opera Krog s kredo which pres-
ents a wide-ranging synthesis of his stylistic traits at this stage in his de-
velopment. Notable is the way that apparent set-pieces such as arias, recita-
tives and choruses are seamlessly joined by skilful transitions; significant
too are harmonies that often contradict the possible tonal-harmonic im-
plications of many of the vocal lines. From 1930 Osterc extended his me-
lodic, harmonic and contrapuntal techniques and importantly developed
his far-reaching ideas of formal construction. This is found especially in
single-movement multi-tempo works such as the Passacaglia in koral, the
Mouvement symphonique and the symphonic poem Mati, as well as in the
unusual formal plans of the Nonet, String Quartet No.2, and the Saxophone
365
