Karel Husa


Karel Husa was a Czech-born classical composer and conductor, winner of the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Music and 1993 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. In 1954, he immigrated to the United States and became an American citizen in 1959.

Overview

Husa learned to play the violin and the piano in early childhood. After passing his final examination at high school, he enrolled in the Prague Conservatory in 1941, where he studied with Jaroslav Řídký, and attended courses in conducting led by Metod Doležil and Pavel Dědeček.
After the end of the Second World War, Husa was admitted to the graduate school of the Prague Academy, where he attended courses led by Řídký and graduated in 1947. He then continued composition and conducting studies in Paris. In 1947, he studied with Arthur Honegger and Nadia Boulanger. He studied conducting at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and at the Conservatoire de Paris. His conducting teachers included Jean Fournet, Eugène Bigot and André Cluytens. He subsequently divided his career between composing and conducting.
Husa's String Quartet No. 1 received its premiere in June 1950, and won him international attention, as well as the 1950 Lili Boulanger Award and the 1951 Bilthoven Festival Prize. Other performances in the aftermath of these prizes included the International Society for Contemporary Music in Brussels, festivals in Salzburg, Darmstadt, and the Netherlands as well as at various concerts in Germany, France, Sweden, England, Switzerland, Australia and the United States. Other compositions written by Karel Husa during his time in Paris include Divertimento for String Orchestra, Concertino for Piano and Orchestra, Évocations de Slovaquie, Musique d'amateurs, Portrait for String Orchestra, First Symphony, First Sonata for Piano, and Second String Quartet. Throughout this period, the composer's underlying preoccupation and interest was style, which was primarily influenced by Vítězslav Novák, Leoš Janáček, Béla Bartók and Igor Stravinsky.
From 1954 until 1992, Husa was a professor at Cornell University, eventually holding the Kappa Alpha chair in music. Composers who studied with Husa include Steven Stucky, Christopher Rouse, John S. Hilliard, Jerry Amaldev, Christopher Kaufman, David Conte, and Byron Adams. He was also a lecturer at Ithaca College from 1967 to 1986, and served as the first Director of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra from 1977 to 1984. Husa composed Music for Prague 1968, a work in memory of the 1968 Soviet bloc invasion of Czechoslovakia, which became one of his most celebrated compositions. His String Quartet No. 3 won the Pulitzer Prize in 1969. Husa was the 1993 recipient of the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for his Concerto for Cello and Orchestra. He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity. In 2012, Husa received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Louisville. In his final years, Husa resided in Apex, North Carolina.
Husa and his wife Simone were married for 64 years. The couple had four daughters, Annette, Catherine, Elizabeth and Caroline. His widow and daughters survive him.

Compositions

Ballet

DateCzech TitleEnglish TitleRemarks
1974 The Steadfast Tin Soldierfor narrator and orchestra after the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen
1976 Monodrama commissioned by the Butler University Ballet
1980Trojské ženyThe Trojan Womencommissioned by the University of Louisville

Orchestra

DateCzech TitleEnglish TitleRemarks
1944Předehra pro velký orchestrOverture for Large OrchestraOp.3
1944Sinfonietta pro komorní orchestrSinfoniettaOp.4; for chamber orchestra
1946–1947Tři fresky pro orchestrTrois fresques Op.7; for orchestra
1948Divertimento pro smyčcový orchestrDivertimento
1. Overture
2. Aria
3. Finale
for string orchestra
1952 Musique d'amateurs, Four Easy Piecesfor oboe, trumpet, and string orchestra with percussion
1953Portrait pro smyčcePortraitfor string orchestra
1953Symfonie č.1Symphony No.1
1955Čtyři malé kusy pro smyčceFour Little Pieces for string orchestra
1956–1957 Fantaisies
1. Aria
2. Capriccio
3. Nocturne
for orchestra
1960 Mosaïquesfor orchestra
1963 Fresquefor orchestra; revision of No.1 from Trois fresques
1968Hudba pro Prahu 1968Music for Prague 1968original for symphonic band
1971 Two Sonnets by Michelangelofor orchestra
1979 Pastoral for stringscommissioned by the American String Teachers Association
1980 Scenes from The Trojan Womensuite from the ballet
1983 Reflections
1984 Symphonic Suitefor orchestra
1986 Concerto for Orchestra
1990Předehra "Mládí"Overture "Youth"commissioned by Seattle Youth Symphony
1996 Celebration Fanfarefor orchestra
1997 Celebraciónfor orchestra

Band

DateCzech TitleEnglish TitleRemarks
1958Divertimento pro žesťové a bicí nástrojeDivertimentofor brass and percussion; expansion of movements from the Eight Czech Duets
1968Hudba pro Prahu 1968Music for Prague 1968
1. Introduction and Fanfare
2. Aria
3. Interlude
4. Toccata and Chorale
original version for concert band; also for orchestra
1970Apoteóza planety zeměApotheosis of This Earth
1. Apotheosis
2. Tragedy of Destruction
3. Postscript
original version for concert band; also for chorus and orchestra
1973Al Fresco pro koncertní dechový orchestrAl Frescofor concert band
1974
1995
Divertimento pro dechové a bicí nástrojeDivertimentofor symphonic winds and percussion
1980Fanfara pro žesťové a bicí nástrojeFanfarefor brass and percussion
1980Intrady an interludia pro sedm trubek a bicí nástrojeIntradas and Interludes for Seven Trumpets and Percussion
1982Koncert pro dechový ansemblConcerto for Wind Ensemblewinner of the first Sudler International Prize, 1983
1984Smetanovská fanfaraSmetana Fanfarefor large wind ensemble
1996 Les Couleurs fauves commissioned by Northwestern University
1996 Midwest Celebrationfanfare for 3 brass and percussion ensembles
2006GepardCheetahcommissioned by the University of Louisville Wind Symphony

Concertante

DateCzech TitleEnglish TitleRemarks
1949Concertino pro klavír a orchestrConcertino for Piano and OrchestraOp.10; also for piano and wind ensemble or 2 pianos
1959Poem pro violu a komorní orchestrPoemfor viola and chamber orchestra
1967Koncert pro altsaxofon a koncertní dechový orchestrConcerto for Alto Saxophone and Concert Bandalso for alto saxophone and piano
1961Elegie a rondo pro altosaxofon a orchestrElegy and Rondo for alto saxophone and orchestra
1965 Sérénadefor woodwind quintet with string orchestra, xylophone and harp
1971 Concerto for Brass Quintet and String Orchestra
1971Koncert pro bicí nástroje a dechový souborConcerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble
1973Koncert pro trubku a koncertní dechový orchestrConcerto for Trumpet and Wind Orchestraalso for trumpet and piano
1987Koncert pro varhany a orchestrConcerto for Organ and Orchestra
1987Koncert pro trubku a orchestrConcerto for Trumpet and Symphony Orchestraalso for trumpet and piano
1988Koncert pro violoncello a orchestrConcerto for Cello and Orchestrawinner of the 1993 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition
1992Koncert pro housle a orchestrConcerto for Violin and Orchestra

Chamber

DateCzech TitleEnglish TitleRemarks
1943Smyčcový kvartet "0"String Quartet "0"Op.2
1945Suita pro violu a klavírSuite for Viola and PianoOp.5
1945Sonatina pro housle a klavírSonatina for Violin and PianoOp.6; also for flute and piano
1948Smyčcový kvartet č.1String Quartet No. 1Op.8
1951Slovenské evokaceÉvocations de Slovaquie for clarinet, viola and cello
1953Smyčcový kvartet č.2String Quartet No. 2
1963Serenáda pro dechový kvintet a klavírSerenadefor wind quintet and piano
1966 Deux Préludes for flute, clarinet and bassoon
1968Smyčcový kvartet č.3String Quartet No. 3winner of the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Music
1968Divertimento pro žesťový kvintetDivertimentofor brass quintet and optional percussion;
expansion of movements from the Eight Czech Duets
1976 Drum Ceremonyfor 5 percussionists from American Te Deum
1977Krajinomalby pro žesťový kvintetLandscapes for brass quintetcommissioned by Western Brass Quintet
1978Sonáta pro housle a klavírSonata for Violin and Piano
1979Tři taneční skici pro bicí nástrojeThree Dance Sketches for Percussion4 or more performers
1981Sonata à treSonata à trefor violin, clarinet and piano
1982Vzpomínky pro dechové kvinteto a klavírRecollectionsfor woodwind quintet and piano
1984Variace pro housle, violu, violoncello a klavírVariationsfor piano quartet
1984Intrada pro žesťový kvintetIntradafor brass quintet
1990Smyčcový kvartet č.4String Quartet No.4 "Poems"
1991 Cayuga Lake for string, woodwind and brass quartets, piano and percussion
1992 Tubafest Celebrationfor tuba quartet
1994 Five Poemsfor woodwind quintet
1997 Postcard from Homefor alto saxophone and piano
2003 "Sonatina" for flute and pianotranscription of "Sonatina" for violin and piano, Op. 6
2008 Three Studies for solo clarinetcommissioned for 60th anniversary of "Prague Spring Festival" and dedicated to Jiří Hlaváč on his 60th birthday

Keyboard

DateCzech TitleEnglish TitleRemarks
1943SonatinaSonatinaOp.1; for piano
1952Sonáta pro klavír č.1Sonata No.1Op.11; for piano
1955Osm českých duetEight Czech Duetsfor piano 4-hands
1957Elegie pro klavírElegyfor piano
1975Sonáta pro klavír č.2Sonata No.2for piano
1986Fragmenty pro varhanyFrammenti for organ solo

Vocal

DateCzech TitleEnglish TitleRemarks
1956Spievanky, dvanáct písní moravskýchTwelve Moravian Songsfor voice and piano
1955
1964
Slavnostní óda pro sbor a orchestrFestive Ode for chorus and orchestra
1972Apoteóza planety země pro sbor a symfonický orchestrApotheosis of This Earthfor chorus and orchestra; original version for concert band
1976"Čas od času jsou jitra..." pro smíšený sbor a cappellaThere Are from Time to Time Mornings...for baritone and mixed chorus a cappella;
text from An American Te Deum by Henry David Thoreau
1976Americké Te Deum pro baryton, smíšený sbor a orchestrAn American Te Deumfor baritone, chorus and wind ensemble; for baritone, chorus and orchestra ;
text compiled by the composer from the writings of Henry David Thoreau,
Ole Edvart Rølvaag, Otokar Březina, folk, traditional and liturgical sources
1981Tři moravské písně pro smíšený sbor a cappellaThree Moravian Songsfor mixed chorus a cappella
1981Každý den pro smíšený sbor a cappellaEvery Dayfor mixed chorus a cappella; text by Henry David Thoreau
1982 Cantata for Male Chorus and Brass Quintettext by Edwin Arlington Robinson, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman
2000Dobrou nocGood Nightsong for mixed chorus a cappella