AMERICAN MUSIC SERIES                                                                                          154 a-e

Karel Husa

with Vincent Plush

Ithaca, New York

November 2, 1983

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Side a                                                                                                                             pp. 1-18

Family background in Prague--early interest in Janáček--violin study--Janáček Sinfonietta--piano study--German occupation--Prague Conservatory--restrictions on artistic life of Prague--Jaroslav Řídký--underground performances--Alois Hába--piano Sonatina--Overture--Hába--conducting study--Russian music. 

Side b                                                                                                                          pp. 19-36

Move to Paris to study with Honegger and Charles Munch--Honegger's teaching--performance of King David in Prague--Fresques for Orchestra--Divertimento for String Orchestra--meeting with Nadia Boulanger--her attitude toward America--study with Fournet and Cluytens--First String Quartet--Lili Boulanger Prize--loss of Czech passport--decision to remain in exile--Martinů--recording of Miraculous Mandarin--invitation to Cornell--Koussevitzky--Munch. 

Side c                                                                                                                           pp. 37-55

Second String Quartet--Musique-d'Amateurs--Portrait-Donaueschingen Festival--Symphony No. 1--opera--move to Cornell--Donald Grout--conducting--learning English--Twelve Moravian Songs--Divertimento for Brass Ensemble--Fantasies for Orchestra--idea of Gebrauchsmusik--Mosaïques--trip to Paris--return to Czechoslovakia, 1969--Music for Prague 1968--Pulitzer Prize for Third String Quartet--instrumental technique in quartet. 

Side d                                                                                                                          pp. 56-71

Apotheosis of This Earth--Vietnam experience--ballet, The Trojan Women--working schedule--American Te Deum--immigrant experience--Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Orchestra--Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble--Recollections for Woodwind Quintet and Piano--commissions--commission by New York Philharmonic--Reflections (Symphony No.  2)--possible opera librettos-- Monodrama--poetry--electronic music. 

Side e                                                                                                                           pp. 72-78

Electronic music--compositional method--advantages of being a conductor-­Lukas Foss--notational devices--drawbacks of living in Ithaca--traveling-­retirement--disposition of manuscripts and papers.