Darijan Božic
Encyclopedia
Darijan Božič is a Slovenian composer and conductor.
, today Croatia) as the younger of two children. When he was 7 years old, the family moved to Ljubljana
, the capital of Slovenia
, then a Yugoslav republic.
He attended the Ljubljana Academy of Music, completing his studies with Lucijan Marija Škerjanc (composition) in 1958 and with Danilo Švara (conducting) in 1961. He joined the Pro Musica Viva group of composers in 1962, and won the Prešern Award of the Ljubljana Academy. Shortly thereafter, he became assistant conductor of the Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet Company in Ljubljana and from 1970 to 1974, was artistic director of Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra
. Between 1980 and 1995, he held a teaching position at the University of Ljubljana
and the University of Maribor
. In 1995, he became a manager and artist director of The Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet
Ljubljana. He retired in 1998.
Orchestral: Pf Conc., 1956; A Sax Conc., 1958; Humoreska, hn, orch, 1959; Trbn Conc., 1960; Tpt Conc., 1961; Improvizacije, 6 groups, 1963; Sym., 1964-5; Audiografika, cl, trbn, pf, perc, str, 1970; Audiospectrum, 1972; Audiostructurae, pf, orch, 1973
Vocal: Ciganske pesme [Gipsy songs], cantata, reciter, solo vv, chorus, ens, 1962; Sedmina, 4 reciters, orch, 1966; Šesta pesma iz ciklusa Blaznost [Madness] (G. Strniša), reciter, b cl, tpt, str qnt, 1965; Collage sonore (S. Makarović), 2 speakers, cl, tpt, str qnt, 1966; Kriki [Screams] (T. Šalamun), speakers, brass qnt, tape, 1966; Polineikes (D. Smole), 5 reciters, orch, tape, 1966; Slovenske pesmi, cantata, 2 speakers, Mez, orch, 1973, rev. 1975
Chamber: Conc. grosso, ens, 1960; Sonata in cool no.1, fl, pf, 1961; Sonata in cool no.2, cl, pf, 1962; 5 Sketches, tpt, pf, db, 1963; Sonata in cool no.3, fl, b cl, harp, 1965; Elongacije, pf, ens, 1967; Polyrhytmia, wind qnt, 1968; Pop art I, pic, str qt, 2 metronomes, watch, 1969; Pop art II, str qt, tape, 1971; 3 D, tpt, hn, trbn, 1972; ABA 72, cl, pf, 1972; Pop art III, str qt, 1973; Audiogem I-IV, str, qt, 1974
Tape: Trije dnevi Ane Frank [Three days in the life of Anne Frank], reciter,6 insts, elec, all on tape, 1963; Requiem spominu umorjenega vojaka - mojega očeta [Requiem to the memory of a murdered soldier - my father] (R. Roždestvenski), 5 reciters, chorus, ens, all on tape, 1969
Principal publishers: Društvo slovenskih skladateljev, Gerig
Biography
Darijan Božič was born to Ivo and Ana Nuša in Slavonski Brod (then YugoslaviaYugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, today Croatia) as the younger of two children. When he was 7 years old, the family moved to Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, the capital of Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, then a Yugoslav republic.
He attended the Ljubljana Academy of Music, completing his studies with Lucijan Marija Škerjanc (composition) in 1958 and with Danilo Švara (conducting) in 1961. He joined the Pro Musica Viva group of composers in 1962, and won the Prešern Award of the Ljubljana Academy. Shortly thereafter, he became assistant conductor of the Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet Company in Ljubljana and from 1970 to 1974, was artistic director of Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra
Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra
The Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra is the national philharmonic orchestra of Slovenia, based in the capital Ljubljana.On the Philharmonic Hall, a pastel yellow building on Kongresni trg., is a plaque stating that the Philharmonic was founded in 1701; though this refers to the founding of the...
. Between 1980 and 1995, he held a teaching position at the University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
and the University of Maribor
University of Maribor
The University of Maribor is the second university in Slovenia, established in 1975. It currently has 17 faculties.-History:The university's roots reach back to 1859, when a theological seminary was established with the encouragement of Maribor bishop and patriot Anton Martin Slomšek...
. In 1995, he became a manager and artist director of The Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet
Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet
Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet is Slovenia's national opera and ballet company, and is based at the Slovene National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Ljubljana on Župančičeva 1....
Ljubljana. He retired in 1998.
Works, musical style, and innovations
Božič's music has been strongly influenced by jazz and a keen sense of musical drama. His early concertos for trumpet, trombone and saxophone and his Sonatas in cool show clearly the jazz influence (similar to that on Tippett), and his use of extended tonality and traditional forms. From 1963 he adopted new methods, including a form of serial working and free rhythmic coordination, but with no loss of melodic interest. His frequent use of speakers is well illustrated by the collage tape work Trije dnevi Ane Frank ('Three days in the life of Anne Frank'), Polineikes and, above all, Jago, a musico-dramatic characterization derived from Shakespeare. Even in chamber works such as Kriki ('Screams') and Collage sonore, speakers are included in the ensemble. Although Božič has made only modest use of electronic sounds, he frequently uses collage rather than musique concrete tape techniques, as in the bitterly ironical but magnificent reinterpretation of the funeral rite in his Requiem of 1969.Works (selective list)
Dramatic: Mali prodajalci (ballet), 1957; Baletska jednočinka (ballet), 1957; Humoreske (opera, R. Dorgeles), 1958; Spoštovanja vredna vlačuga (opera), 1960; Gluha okna (television ballet), 1967; Jago (happening, W. Heinrich, after Shakespeare), 8 performers, tape, 1967-8; Ares-Eros (musical drama, Božič), 1970; Lizistrata (opera, after Aristophanes), 1975Orchestral: Pf Conc., 1956; A Sax Conc., 1958; Humoreska, hn, orch, 1959; Trbn Conc., 1960; Tpt Conc., 1961; Improvizacije, 6 groups, 1963; Sym., 1964-5; Audiografika, cl, trbn, pf, perc, str, 1970; Audiospectrum, 1972; Audiostructurae, pf, orch, 1973
Vocal: Ciganske pesme [Gipsy songs], cantata, reciter, solo vv, chorus, ens, 1962; Sedmina, 4 reciters, orch, 1966; Šesta pesma iz ciklusa Blaznost [Madness] (G. Strniša), reciter, b cl, tpt, str qnt, 1965; Collage sonore (S. Makarović), 2 speakers, cl, tpt, str qnt, 1966; Kriki [Screams] (T. Šalamun), speakers, brass qnt, tape, 1966; Polineikes (D. Smole), 5 reciters, orch, tape, 1966; Slovenske pesmi, cantata, 2 speakers, Mez, orch, 1973, rev. 1975
Chamber: Conc. grosso, ens, 1960; Sonata in cool no.1, fl, pf, 1961; Sonata in cool no.2, cl, pf, 1962; 5 Sketches, tpt, pf, db, 1963; Sonata in cool no.3, fl, b cl, harp, 1965; Elongacije, pf, ens, 1967; Polyrhytmia, wind qnt, 1968; Pop art I, pic, str qt, 2 metronomes, watch, 1969; Pop art II, str qt, tape, 1971; 3 D, tpt, hn, trbn, 1972; ABA 72, cl, pf, 1972; Pop art III, str qt, 1973; Audiogem I-IV, str, qt, 1974
Tape: Trije dnevi Ane Frank [Three days in the life of Anne Frank], reciter,6 insts, elec, all on tape, 1963; Requiem spominu umorjenega vojaka - mojega očeta [Requiem to the memory of a murdered soldier - my father] (R. Roždestvenski), 5 reciters, chorus, ens, all on tape, 1969
Principal publishers: Društvo slovenskih skladateljev, Gerig
External links
- http://www2.arnes.si/~darijan.bozic/