Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Czech Republic

Birth

:

August 1, 1908 in Prague, Czech Republic

Death

:

September 17, 1979 in Prague, Czech Republic

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Symphony

 

Miloslav Kabelác was a Czech composer who was born on December 1, 1908, in Prague. He was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a musical family. Kabelác began his musical studies at the Prague Conservatory, where he studied composition with Josef Suk and Alois Hába. He later continued his studies at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Prague, where he studied with Jaroslav Křička. Kabelác's early works were influenced by the music of his teacher, Alois Hába, who was a proponent of microtonal music. Kabelác's early compositions were characterized by their use of quarter-tones and other microtonal intervals. However, Kabelác later abandoned microtonal music and began to focus on more traditional tonal music. Kabelác's early works were also influenced by the music of his contemporaries, such as Bohuslav Martinů and Leoš Janáček. Kabelác's music was characterized by its use of folk melodies and rhythms, as well as its use of unconventional harmonies and textures. Kabelác's first major work was his Symphony No. 1, which he composed in 1935. The symphony was well-received and helped establish Kabelác as a major composer in Czechoslovakia. Kabelác went on to compose several more symphonies, including his Symphony No. 2, which he composed in 1941. The Symphony No. 2 was dedicated to the memory of Kabelác's father, who had died the previous year. Kabelác's music was also influenced by his interest in astronomy and science fiction. He composed several works that were inspired by these subjects, including his Symphony No. 8, which he composed in 1971. The Symphony No. 8 was inspired by the science fiction novel Solaris by Stanisław Lem. Kabelác's music was also characterized by its use of unconventional instrumentation. He often used instruments such as the ondes Martenot, a keyboard instrument that produces electronic sounds, and the theremin, an electronic instrument that is played without physical contact. Kabelác's music was not widely known outside of Czechoslovakia during his lifetime. However, his music has since gained recognition and is now performed by orchestras around the world. Kabelác died on September 17, 1979, in Prague.

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