Zbyněk Matějů (1958- )
Czech
composer Zbyněk Matějů is a graduate of the Prague Conservatoire, where
he attended a class led by Jindřich Feld, and the Academy of Performing
and Dramatic Arts, having studied under Jiří Pauer. On finishing his
studies, Matějů received a scholarship from the Czech Music Fund, his
tutors being Jiří Dvoracek and Svatopluk Havelka. It is no exaggeration
to say that there is hardly any other young Czech composer who can
match Matějů's successful career both in terms of awards bestowed on
him or his truly wide-ranging musical production. He received his first
prize at the age of 15, when he won a Czechoslovak radio competition
and during his relatively short career as a composer Matějů has managed
to carry away as many as 15 major Czechoslovak and international awards
(eg. in the Competition of Young Composers of the Czech Socialist Republic, the 1986 Intervision International Prize for his share in the staging of "Hands", the Voya Toncitch award in Paris in the same year for his "Self-Portrait"
etc.). The composer's lively interest in musical theatre is manifested
in his intense colaboration with several leading stage directors,
choreographers and script-writers. In 1991, Matějů became
Professor of the Prague Conservatory. He has received commissions from
the Fractal Ensemble, the Holland Dance Festival, Deutsche
Kammerphilharmonie, and National Theatre in Brno among others. COMPOSITIONS Matějů Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre
Caricatures for Piano (1977) [also for 2 clarinets and bassoon]
Preludes for Piano (1977)
Sonatina, viola and piano (1980)
Four Ideas, flute (1980)
Four Songs, children's chorus (1981)
String Quartet No. 1 (1981)
Fobia (Fobie), short ballet (1982)
Sprite, grand jazz orchestra (1982)
Violin Concerto (1982)
A Queer Day for Wind Quintet (1982)
Chewing Gum, a jazz encore, violin (or viola) and piano (1982)
Intrusions, sonatina for trumpet and piano (1982)
Leaf on the Water, Performance on the Cobweb, piano (1982)
Music for Dandelions, short ballet, solo harp (1983?) [Music for Dandelions, harp, 1983]
Detrimentum pacior, girl's chorus (1983)
Intermezzo - variations on a theme by R. Wagner, violin and double bass (1983)
Self-portrait, piano (1983)
Villa of Mystery, short ballet (1984)
Evocation (a symphony), orchestra (1984)
A Villa of Mysteries, flute, violin, viola and piano (1984)
Serenade for Guitar (1984)
The Garden of Aquatic Delights, soprano, flute, horn, piano, string quartet and 2 harps (1984)
Sinfonia brevis, orchestra (1985)
Music for My Girl, saxophone quartet (1985)
Flirtation, 2 guitars (1985)
Songs for Lenka, [voice and piano] (1985)
The Garden of Love (Zahrada lasky) (5 songs), soprano and cello (1985)
Proverbs, short ballet, soprano, harp and string quartet (1986)
Windows with Angels, string orchestra (1986)
Virtues and Vices, guitar; or guitar tape (1986)
Proverbs, soprano, harp and string quartet (1986)
Annie the Sprite and Straw Hubert, opera, 10 musicians and puppet singers (1987)
Verses on the Rose, chorus (1987)
A Juggler, viola and harp (1987)
Harlequin, violin and piano (1987)
Figures, Mountains, the Sky, a Star and Birds, organ (1987)
A Casual Piece for Harpsichord (1987)
"Zitti!" ("Hush!"), capriccio for chamber orchestra, with concertante harp (1988)
Three Minutes Boredom, flute, viola, cello and harp (1988)
Smorfia (Grimace), clarinet and piano (1988)
Ein Mensch, chorus (1989) [from Psalm No. 146]
By the Way, violin, cello and piano (1989?)
Et cetera, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano and percussion instruments (1989)
...Dona Nobis Pacem, mez., pf, 4 percussionists, 5 stringed instrument and string orchestra (1989)
Dynamit, film score (1989)
Trivial Symphony, orchestra (1990)
Normal Symphony, symphony-ballet on themes from the brothers Čapků play "The Insect", string orchestra (1990)
A Sparsely Populated Country (Ridce obydlena krajina), harp, one percussionist and cello (1990)
On the Tap that Sang in the Opera, animated film score (1990)
Jak se divi divocak (The Amazement of a Wild Boar), documentary film score (1990)
Mozartinka, children's chamber opera on themes by W. A. Mozart (1991)
Play Magic Flute - a paraphrase on Mozart's opera,chamber ensemble and actors (1991)
Ezio, opera (1991) [based on J. A. Hasse's 18th century opera]
In the Middle of Summer (Uprostred leta), impromptu for harp and chamber orchestra (1991)
Stele of Forbiddance, clarinet and harp (1991) [The Stone of Bans]
A Guide to Colour Woodcuts (Receptar barevneho drevorytu), harp (1991)
Parable, viola (1991)
Looking for Lennon, film score (1991)
Někde je možná hezky (Somewhere It May Be Nice), TV film score (1991)
Roots, ballet, orchestra and electronic music (1992)
Stela II, bass clarinet and harp (1992)
Alleluia, soprano, harp, Tibetan bowls and organ; or soprano, harp and synthesiser (1992) [1991]
The World of Vilem of Rozmberk, art documentary film score (1992)
Veiling (Obestírání?), flute, harp and synthesiser (1993)
Calm relatif, 14-member chamber ensemble (1993)
Tomas I (Bata), art documentary film score (1993)
Lekce Faust, film score (1993) [cooperation on Jan Svankmajer s full-length film]
Bohemia and the Habsburg monarchy, series film score (1993-94)
Adam a Eva, planetarni oratorium (1994) [multimedia proj.] [w/Daniel Dlouhý, Daniel Forró, Kiří Kollert, Ivo Medek, Alois Piňos]
No, Thank You, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano (1994)
Saxomania, The Singing Angel, alto saxophone (1994)
Kulihrasek, 13 songs for children (1994) [from the incidental music to the play of the same name]
O Sedivcovi (The Grey Man), film score (1994) [Fairy film]
Minicomedies, [incidental music (?)] (1994) [Pierre-Henri Cami]
Secret Life, ballet, chamber orchestra (1995) [Suite from ballet "Secret Life", orchestra, 1995]
Bláznivá Markéta (Foolish Margaret), cello (1995)
Křížová cesta (Crucifix Way), film score (1995)
Jak chutná smrt (The Taste of Death), film score (1995)
Capriccio, chamber ensemble (1996)
Mechanika nebeského ticha (Mechanics of Celestial Silence), chamber ensemble (1996)
Little Afternoon Alleluia, violin (1996)
Drákulův švagr (Dracula's Brother In Law), series film score (1996)
Christmas, film score (1996)
Komboloi, ballet, 8 musicians (1997) [also as separate chamber piece]
The Garden of Celestial Silence (Zahrada nebeskeho ticha), voice and chamber orchestra (1997)
Romeo, Julie a tma (Romeo, Juliet and Dark), TV film score (1997)
Boots, animated film score (1997)
Křehké touhy (Tender Yearnings), film score (1997) [1998]
Wizard of Oz, children's ballet (1998) [Suite from ballet "Wizard of Oz", 1998]
Poklad (Treasure), TV film score (1998?)
Genij vlasti (Genius of Native Country), TV film score (1998)
Všechno pro firmu (All for Firm), TV film score (1998)
Mezi zaslepenými blázny (Among Blind Fools), documentary film score (1998)
Gooseberry Concerto, bass clarinet and strings (1999)
Mystery Play, saxophone quartet and simple percussion (1999)
Silent Succession (Ticha posloupnost), flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano (1999)
Příběhy detektivní kanveláře Ostozrak (Stories of Detective Office "Ostrozrak"),TV series score (1999)
Na zámku (The Castle), TV film score (2000)
Případy detektivní kanceláře Ostrozrak, film score (2000)
Golem, ballet (2001)
We Were Five, an opera for the whole family (2001)
Vůně vanilky (The Aroma of Vanilla), film score (2001)
Vyvraždění rodiny Greenů (Slaughter of the Green Family), film score (2002)
Probuzená skála, film score (2004)
Ibbur, or A Prague Mystery, ballet (2004-05)
The Garden, full length family ballet (2006) [on the fable by Jiri Trnka]
Kevel, experimental ballet (2006)
O kominickém učni a dceři cukráře, film score (2006)
Maharal - Tajemství talismanu (Maharal - The Secret Inheritance), film score (2007)
Operace Silver A, TV film score (2007)
Background, oboe and piano (2008)
BrainStorm, TV film score (2008)
Watch Your Pantry, chamber opera, 5 musicians and 6 singers (2008/2009?)
The Great Gatsby - commission of National Theatre in Prague (????)
WORKS BY GENRE Matějů Links ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Annie the Sprite and Straw Hubert, opera, 10 musicians and puppet singers (1987)
On the Tap that Sang in the Opera, animated film opera (1990)
Mozartinka, children's chamber opera on themes by W. A. Mozart (1991)
Play Magic Flute - a paraphrase on Mozart's opera,chamber ensemble and actors (1991)
Ezio, opera (1991) [based on J. A. Hasse's 18th century opera]
Adam a Eva, planetarni oratorium (1994) [multimedia proj.] [w/Daniel Dlouhý, Daniel Forró, Kiří Kollert, Ivo Medek, Alois Piňos]
We Were Five, an opera for the whole family (2001)
Watch Your Pantry, chamber opera, 5 musicians and 6 singers (2008/2009?)
The Great Gatsby - commission of National Theatre in Prague (????)
Ballet
Fobia (Fobie), short ballet (1982)
Music for Dandelions, short ballet, solo harp (1983?)
Villa of Mystery, short ballet (1984)
Proverbs, short ballet, soprano, harp and string quartet (1986)
Roots, ballet, orchestra and electronic music (1992)
Secret Life, ballet, chamber orchestra (1995)
Komboloi, ballet, 8 musicians (1997)
Wizard of Oz, children's ballet (1998)
Golem, ballet (2001)
Ibbur, or A Prague Mystery, ballet (2004-05)
The Garden, full length family ballet (2006) [on the fable by Jiri Trnka]
Kevel, experimental ballet (2006)
Orchestra
Sprite, grand jazz orchestra (1982)
Evocation (a symphony), orchestra (1984)
Sinfonia brevis, orchestra (1985)
Windows with Angels, string orchestra (1986)
"Zitti!" ("Hush!"), capriccio for chamber orchestra, with concertante harp (1988)
Trivial Symphony, orchestra (1990)
Normal Symphony, symphony-ballet on themes from the brothers Čapků play "The Insect", string orchestra (1990).
Suite from ballet "Secret Life", orchestra (1995)
Suite from ballet "Wizard of Oz" (1998)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Violin Concerto (1982)
In the Middle of Summer (Uprostred leta), impromptu for harp and chamber orchestra (1991)
Gooseberry Concerto, bass clarinet and strings (1999)
Choral
Four Songs, children's chorus (1981)
Detrimentum pacior, girl's chorus (1983)
Verses on the Rose, chorus (1987)
Ein Mensch, chorus (1989) [from Psalm No. 146]
Chamber
Caricatures, 2 clarinets and bassoon (1977) [from original work for piano]
String Quartet No. 1 (1981)
A Queer Day for Wind Quintet (1982)
Intermezzo - variations on a theme by R. Wagner, violin and double bass (1983)
A Villa of Mysteries, flute, violin, viola and piano (1984)
Music for My Girl, saxophone quartet (1985)
Flirtation, 2 guitars (1985)
Three Minutes Boredom, flute, viola, cello and harp (1988)
By the Way, violin, cello and piano (1989?)
Et cetera, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano and percussion instruments (1989)
A Sparsely Populated Country (Ridce obydlena krajina), harp, one percussionist and cello (1990)
Veiling (Obestírání?), flute, harp and synthesiser (1993)
Calm relatif, 14-member chamber ensemble (1993)
No, Thank You, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano (1994)
Capriccio, chamber ensemble (1996)
Mechanika nebeského ticha (Mechanics of Celestial Silence), chamber ensemble (1996)
Komboloi, chamber ensemble (1997) [from ballet]
Mystery Play, saxophone quartet and simple percussion (1999)
Silent Succession (Ticha posloupnost), flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano (1999)
Solo Instrument
Sonatina, viola and piano (1980)
Four Ideas, flute (1980)
Chewing Gum, a jazz encore, violin (or viola) and piano (1982)
Intrusions, sonatina for trumpet and piano (1982)
Music for Dandelions, harp (1983)
Serenade for Guitar (1984)
Virtues and Vices, guitar; or guitar tape (1986)
A Juggler, viola and harp (1987)
Harlequin, violin and piano (1987)
Smorfia (Grimace), clarinet and piano (1988)
Stele of Forbiddance, clarinet and harp (1991) [The Stone of Bans]
A Guide to Colour Woodcuts (Receptar barevneho drevorytu), harp (1991)
Parable, viola (1991)
Stela II, bass clarinet and harp (1992)
Saxomania, The Singing Angel, alto saxophone (1994)
Bláznivá Markéta (Foolish Margaret), cello (1995)
Little Afternoon Alleluia, violin (1996)
Background, oboe and piano (2008)
Piano
Caricatures for Piano (1977) [also for 2 clarinets and bassoon]
Preludes for Piano (1977)
Leaf on the Water, Performance on the Cobweb, piano (1982)
Self-portrait, piano (1983)
Figures, Mountains, the Sky, a Star and Birds, organ (1987)
A Casual Piece for Harpsichord (1987)
Vocal
The Garden of Aquatic Delights, soprano, flute, horn, piano, string quartet and 2 harps (1984)
Songs for Lenka, [voice and piano] (1985)
The Garden of Love (Zahrada lasky) (5 songs), soprano and cello (1985)
Proverbs, soprano, harp and string quartet (1986)
...Dona Nobis Pacem, mez., pf, 4 percussionists, 5 stringed instrument and string orchestra (1989)
Alleluia, soprano, harp, Tibetan bowls and organ; or soprano, harp and synthesiser (1992) [1991]
Kulihrasek, 13 songs for children (1994) [from the incidental music to the play of the same name]
The Garden of Celestial Silence (Zahrada nebeskeho ticha), voice and chamber orchestra (1997)
Incidental/Film
Dynamit, film score (1989)
On the Tap that Sang in the Opera, animated film score (1990)
Jak se divi divocak (The Amazement of a Wild Boar), documentary film score (1990)
Looking for Lennon, film score (1991)
Někde je možná hezky (Somewhere It May Be Nice), TV film score (1991)
The World of Vilem of Rozmberk, art documentary film score (1992)
Tomas I (Bata), art documentary film score (1993)
Lekce Faust, film score (1993) [cooperation on Jan Svankmajer s full-length film]
Bohemia and the Habsburg monarchy, series film score (1993-94)
O Sedivcovi (The Grey Man), film score (1994) [Fairy film]
Minicomedies, [incidental music (?)] (1994) [Pierre-Henri Cami]
Křížová cesta (Crucifix Way), film score (1995)
Jak chutná smrt (The Taste of Death), film score (1995)
Drákulův švagr (Dracula's Brother In Law), series film score (1996)
Christmas, film score (1996)
Romeo, Julie a tma (Romeo, Juliet and Dark), TV film score (1997)
Boots, animated film score (1997)
Křehké touhy (Tender Yearnings), film score (1997) [1998]
Poklad (Treasure), TV film score (1998?)
Genij vlasti (Genius of Native Country), TV film score (1998)
Všechno pro firmu (All for Firm), TV film score (1998)
Mezi zaslepenými blázny (Among Blind Fools), documentary film score (1998)
Příběhy detektivní kanveláře Ostozrak (Stories of Detective Office "Ostrozrak"),TV series score (1999)
Na zámku (The Castle), TV film score (2000)
Případy detektivní kanceláře Ostrozrak, film score (2000)
Vůně vanilky (The Aroma of Vanilla), film score (2001)
Vyvraždění rodiny Greenů (Slaughter of the Green Family), film score (2002)
Probuzená skála, film score (2004)
O kominickém učni a dceři cukráře, film score (2006)
Maharal - Tajemství talismanu (Maharal - The Secret Inheritance), film score (2007)
Operace Silver A, TV film score (2007)
BrainStorm, TV film score (2008)
MATEJU LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
Ibbur, or A Prague Mystery
Composer website [at Czech Information Centre]
Matějů @ CFN.cz (České Filmové Nebe)
Matějů @ Classical Composers Database
Matějů @ Czech Dictionary of Individuals and Institutions (translated from Czech by google)
Matějů @ Czech Music Informantion Centre
Matějů @ Dilettante Music
Matějů @ filmweb.pl
Matějů @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Matějů @ Musicians Page
Matějů @ State Opera Prague
Matějů @ theatre cz
Streaming Audio
[none at the moment]
Recordings
Matějů @ ARTA Records
Matějů @ YouTube
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IBBUR, OR A PRAGUE MYSTERY
World premieres on May 12 and 14, 2005 in the Theatre of the Estates
Libretto: Daniel Wiesner
Music and sound effects: Zbyněk Matějů
Choreography: Petr Zuska
Production: Daniel Wiesner and Petr Zuska
Sets: Jan Dušek
Costume Designer: Roman Šolc
Lighting Design: Petr Zuska
Assistant choreographer: Nelly Danko and Jan Kodet
The ballet is based on the themes contained in the novel Golem by Gustav Meyrink. The artists, Daniel Wiesner, Petr Zuska and
Zbyněk Matějů created this original Czech ballet which does a balancing act between a dream and reality, a mystic vision and a legend and mirrors the fragile world of a spiritual equilibrium. As far as the actual dancing is concerned we are faced with an extremely demanding project which aims at presenting a theme and creating an atmosphere of the original literary work by employing the means available in contemporary dance staging, the distinctive choreographic “language” which thus expands the audiences’ artistic experience by introducing non-traditional procedures in the direction of the show and in the actual performance by the artists. Whereas the theatre spectators have given the show a warm reception, critiques have been somewhat restrained. “Ibbur can be perceived as a step leading along the path in search of a widely communicative repertoire”. (Nina Vangeli, Hospodařské noviny/Business News)
“For that the final scene is beautiful – the graveyard with tombstones of suitcases not only presents a genuine work of art but also a touching metaphor. It is a pity that the programme does not comprise more such moments. Even so the National Theatre deserves appreciation for presenting Ibbura – afterall first performances of feature ballet novelties are far from an everyday occurance.”(Jaroslav Someš, Hudební rozhledy/Music Review)
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HOME ABOUT RESOURCES COMPOSERS PERFORMANCES 20/21 ENSEMBLE CONTACT US
HOME ABOUT RESOURCES COMPOSERS PERFORMANCES 20/21 ENSEMBLE CONTACT US