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Born in 1959 in Prague, he studied
composition with J. Pauer and C. Kohoutek at the city's
Music Academy, but it was the private studies with Marek
Kopelent that proved of particular significance in his
compositional development. His work has won him recognition
both at home and abroad. He has written commissioned pieces
for prestigious festivals ('Warsaw Autumn' 1987 and 2000,
Donaueschingen Musik Tage 1992, Berliner Musik-Biennale 1993
and 1997, 'Musica Nova Antigua Köln' 1996,
'Bang-On-A-Can-Marathon', New York 1996, Wittener Tage f¼r
Neue Kammermusik 1999). His pieces have also been featured
at other important festivals (iscm World Music Days, Oslo
1990 and Copenhagen 1996; Witten 1990; 'Hörgange Wien'
1996; Tage Neuer Musik Stuttgart 1997; 'Klang-Aktionen' in
Munich 1998 and 2001). His music is performed by such
prestigious groups as 'Bang-On-a-Can-All-Stars', Scharoun
Ensemble, and ensemble 2e2m.
In 1983 Smolka co-founded the 'Agon' Ensemble, a group
specialising in contemporary unconventional music in which
he worked as artistic director and pianist till 1998. 'Agon'
has performed Smolka's music in numerous venues (Berliner
Festwochen 1992, 'Concerti sulla musica contemporanea',
Assisi 1992, the Budapest Spring Festival 1993, 'Warsaw
Autumn' 1993, South Bank Centre, London 1994, 'Musique
Actuelle' in Victoriaville, Canada 1996, Vilnius 1997,
Tallin 1997).
Within 'Agon' projects Smolka has also carried out research
(quarter-tone music by the pupils of Alois Hába, the 1960s
in Prague) and the realisation of graphic scores and
conceptual music (works by John Cage, Cornelius Cardew,
Daniel Goode, Milan Grygar). He coauthored the book Graphic
Scores and Concepts.
In addition to composition, which is the main strand in
Smolka's musical activity, he also works as music improviser
for the theatre, teaches and occasionally publishes.
Recently Martin Smolka collaborated with an ensemble of the
Chinese folk vocalist Feng-Jün Song.
Principal works: Tears, string trio (1983),
Music Sweet Music for ensemble with soprano voice (1985-88),
Music for Retuned Instruments (1988), Ringing for solo
percussion (1989), L'Orch pour l'orch for orchestra (1990),
The Flying Dog for ensemble (1990-92), Rain, a Window,
Roofs, Chimneys, Pigeons and like... and Railway-Bridges,
too for chamber orchestra (1992), Rent a Ricercar for
ensemble (1993), Three Pastoral Motifs for tape (+designed
upright piano as a visual object, 1993), Rubato for violin
and piano (1995), Three Pieces for Retuned Orchestra (1996),
Euforium for ensemble (196), Lullaby for trombone, guitar
and ensemble (1997), Lieder ohne Worte und Passacaglia for
oboe, bassoon, horn, viola and double-bass (1999), Ne¹t'
for three orchestras (1999), Blue Note for percussion duo
(2000), Walden, the Distiller of Celestial Dews (to words by
H. D. Thoreau) for mixed choir (2000), Remix, Reflex,
Reflight for orchestra (2000), Houby a nebe for one or two
string quartets and a Czech folk musician (2000), Oh, My
Admired C Minor for ensemble (2002).
The piece Ringing is based on three
premises:
1. One musician is too little! That is why the most
sought-after instruments are the highly resonant
instruments, that is those on which it is possible to play
simultaneously, producing complex sounds. These are
instruments which, once hit, interact with the force of
inertia. They produce sound like electrical toys or gongs
which sound for some time after being struck.
2. Two hands are not enough! That is why in some fragments
of the piece the performer not only uses his hands but also
blows through his mouth, and uses his feet, mouth and any
other part of the body that he wants to and can employ.
3. It is difficult to maintain the unity of narration in a
solo piece! In Ringing, the very slow 'ding dong' of the
pair of gongs creates the framework and the line of the flow
of time. After several bars simple monotony prompts
diversification of the duration of breaks between the
strikes.
The work brings to mind the end of 1989, a time when the
streets of Prague resounded with unusual sounds of uniquely
musical character.
Martin Smolka
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