Bogusław Julian Schaeffer (also Schäffer) (6 June 1929 – 1 July 2019[1]) was a Polish composer, musicologist, and graphic artist, a member of the avant-garde "Cracow Group" of Polish composers alongside Krzysztof Penderecki and others.
Schaeffer was born in Lwów (now Lviv, Ukraine). After studying violin in Opole and graduating with a degree in musical composition under Zdzisław Jachimecki in 1953 at the Academy of Music in Kraków, he became an active composer and musical theoretician. From 1963, he was a lecturer on composition at the Kraków Academy, and he was a professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Salzburg from the mid-1980s to 2000.
Konstancja Kochaniec was one of his students.
Schaeffer's 'Klavierkonzert' was used on the soundtrack of David Lynch's 2006 film Inland Empire. "Solo", a documentary about Schaeffer was released in 2008.[2]
In 2022, American electronic music duo Matmos released an album dedicated to the composer.
Awards
- 1959 - 2nd Prize at the Grzegorz Fitelberg Competition in Katowice for Monosonata for 24 solos string instruments
- 1962 - Prize at the Artur Malawski Competition in Kraków for Musica ipsa
- 1964 - 2nd Prize at the Fitelberg Competition for Little Symphony
- 2007 - Grand cultural award of the province of Salzburg
Most significant works
Books
- New Music. Problems in Contemporary Composing techniques (Nowa Muzyka) - 1958
- Introduction to Composition (1974)
Musical works
Orchestral works
- Quattro Movimenti for piano and orchestra - 1957
- Topofonica for 40 different instruments - 1960
- Musica ipsa for orchestra - 1962
- Music for MI for vibraphone and orchestra - 1963
- Collage and Form for 8 jazz musician and orchestra - 1963
- Collage for orchestra - 1964
- Text for orchestra - 1971
- Warsaw Overture for orchestra - 1975
- Stabat Mater for sopran, alt, string orchestra and orgeln - 1983
- Missa Sinfonica for orchestra - 1986
Concertante
- 4 Movimenti for piano and chamber orchestra - 1957
- Concerto Breve for cello and orchestra - 1959
- Concerto for flute, flute trio and orchestra - 1963
- Violin Concerto - 1963
- Piano Concerto II for piano and orchestra - 1967
- Jazz Concerto for 12 musicians and orchestra - 1969
- Concerto for 3 pianos - 1972
- Concerto for guitar and orchestra - 1984
- Concerto for 2 piano 4 hands and orchestra - 1988
- Violin Concerto II - 1989
- Piano Concerto III for piano, orchestra and electronic media - 1990
- Concerto for Viola and Orchestra - 1997
- Piano Concerto IV for piano, orchestra and electronic media - 1999
- Violin Concerto III for violin and orchestra - 1999
- Violin Concerto IV for violinist with 3 violins and chamber orchestra - 2003
- Piano Concerto V for piano and 15 vocalists - 2004
- Piano Concerto VI for piano and 11 instruments (including accordion) - 2004
- Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra - 2004
- Piano Concerto VII for piano and chamber orchestra - 2005
- Violin Concerto V for violin and female chorus - 2006
Chamber music
- Music for string quartet - 1954
- Permutations for 10 instruments - 1956
- String Quartet No.1 - 1957
- Extremes for 10 instruments - 1957
- Monosonate for 6 string quartets - 1946
- Lineare Construction for piano - 1959
- Kodes for chamber orchestra - 1961
- String Quartet No.2 - 1964
- Composition for harp and piano - 1966
- Estratto for string trio - 1971
- String Quartet No.3 - 1971
- Mare for piano and 9 instruments - 1971
- Negative Music for chosen instrument - 1972
- Free Form I for 5 instruments - 1972
- Iranian Set for flute, piano, 3 actors & ensemble of performers - 1976
- Minimal Art for tuba and piano - 1977
- Gravesono for wind instrument - 1977
- Self-expression for violoncello - 1978
- Kesukann for 13 string instruments - 1978
- Esatto e libero for violin and piano - 1983
- Mouhadatsa for viola and violoncello - 1985
- Kwaiwa for violin and computer - 1986
- Summer Music for accordion and piano - 1987
- Missa brevis for choir - 1988
- Spring Music for viola and piano - 1988
- Winter Music for horn and piano - 1988
- Love Moments - 1990
- Monophonie II for 13 violas - 1997
- Kreuzweg 11 for saxophone, accordion, percussion and viola - 2003
- Salzburg Spectres for 4 violas - 2005
- Quartet for 4 violas - 2006
- String Quartet No.17 - 2006
Solo works
- Sonate for violin solo - 1955
- Negative for flute solo - 1960
- Construction for vibraphone solo - 1962
- Project for tuba and tape - 1980
- Euterpe for oboe solo - 1984
- Sonata for viola solo - 1991
- Espedozione for trombone solo - 2000
- Per Violino Solo - 2002
- Raccontino for marimba solo - 2005
Keyboard works
- Sonatine - 1952
- Composition - 1954
- Model I-XXXIV - 1956-2006
- Described Emotions - 1966
- Sonate II for organ - 1985
- Sonate III-IV for organ - 1986
- Megasonata for piano - 1994
- Fantasia (24 movements) for organ - 2003
- Fantasie Impromptu for piano - 2004
- Grand Sonata for piano solo and electronic media - 2006
Opera
- Monodram, opera radiowa, 65' - 1968
- Liebesbliecke opera, 150' - 1990
See also
- Regards/Ukłony dla Bogusław Schaeffer, 2022 experimental electronic album by Matmos sampled from Schaeffer's complete works
References
- ^ "Bogusław Schaeffer nie żyje". PolskieRadio.pl. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
- ^ Culture.pl. "Solo-Maciej Pisarek". Culture.pl.
