b. 6 June1929, Lviv (Lwów)- d. 1 July 2019, Salzburg

Biography

Boguslaw Schaeffer – composer, theoretician, music critic and teacher – was born on June 6, 1929 in Lwów (Lviv, Ukraine). He studied violin in Opole and later dedicated himself to composition studies at the State Higher School of Music (now Academy of Music) in Kraków. In 1953 he graduated from Jagellonian University after having completed his studies in musicology under Zdzisław Jachimecki. Schaeffer began writing music at the age of seventeen. As a composer he has won many awards and honours, e.g in 1959 – 2nd Prize at the Grzegorz Fitelberg Competition in Katowice for his Monosonata for 24 Solo Stringed Instruments, and a honorary mention at the same competition for Quattro movimenti for Piano and Orchestra; in 1960 – two mentions at the Fitelberg Competition for Topofonica for 40 Instruments and for Equivalenze sonore for Chamber Percusion Orchestra; in 1962 – Prize at the Arthur Malawski Competition in Kraków for Musica ipsa for the Orchestra of Low-pitched Instruments, and a honorary mention at the same competition for Four Pieces for String Trio; in 1964 – 2nd Prize at the Fitelberg Competition for Little Symphony: Scultura for Orchestra, and 3rd Prize at the same competition for Collage and Form for 8 Jazzmen and Orchestra; in 1966 – Mention at the Malawski Competition for Collage for Chamber Orchestra. His compositions have been played all over the world, among many places in Warsaw, Oslo, Zagreb, Amsterdam, Shiraz, Vienna, Rochester, Mexico, Salzburg, and Athens. Schaeffer has been a member of the “Cracow Group” – an artistic association assembling the representatives of vanguard movement in music and art; he represented this group as a composer at number of festivals (among them in Edinburg).

As a thoretican in new music he has writen several books, including New Music. Problems of Contemporary Composing Techniques; Small Guidebook of Twentieth Century Music; Twientieth Century Music. Creators and Problems; Classics of Dodecaphony; Introduction to Composition; History of Music. Styles and Creators. As a teacher he has been lecturing on composition at the Academy of Music in Cracow since 1963, many of his students being prize-winners of competitions for composers. Since mid-1980s Schaeffer is a professor of composition of the Hochschule fur Musik in Salzburg, Austria. Schaffer has frequently taken part in concerts of new music as coordinator and pianist, appearing with the well-known “MW2 Ensemble.” His interests in music theatre and performative aspects of music have resulted in the development of his talents as a playwright; his plays, often based on music themes, have received numerous awards and festival performances.

List of Works

Orchestral Works

Music for MI for vibraphone and orchestra – 1963
Three Short Pieces for orchestra – 1951
Music for String: Nocturne for small string orchestra – 1953
Quattro movimenti for piano and orchestra – 1957
Tertium Datur for harpischord and instruments – 1958
Combined Constructions for big string orchestra – 1960
Topofonica for 40 different instruments – 1960
Musica ipsa for orchestra – 1962
Collage and Form for 8 jazz musician and orchestra – 1963
Collage for orchestra – 1964
Symphonie: Music Orchestra for big orchestra – 1967
Text for orchestra – 1971
Symphonie in 9 Pieces for orchestra – 1973
Warsaw Overture for orchestra – 1975
Romuald Traugutt for orchestra – 1976
Jangwa double bass nad orchestra – 1979
Stabat Mater for soprano, alto, string orchestra and organ – 1983
Missa Sinfonica for orchestra – 1986
String Quartett No. 5 – 1986
Sinfonia for orchestra – 1988

Concerti

Concerto for 4 piano – 1946
Concerto for 2 pianos – 1951
Concerto Breve for cello and orchestra – 1959
Concerto per sei e tre for free instrument and orchestra – 1960
Musica for harpischord and instruments – 1961
Course “h” for Jazz- and Philharmonieensemble – 1962
S’alto for saxophone and chamber orchestra of soloists – 1963
Concerto for flute, flute trio and orchestra – 1963
Violin concerto – 1963
Quartett for piano and clarinet- 1965
Concerto for piano and orchestra – 1967
Concerto for harp, piano and tape recorder – 1969
Jazz Concerto for 12 musicians and orchestra – 1969
Concerto for 3 pianos – 1972
Confrontations for a solo instrument and orchestra – 1972
Te Deum vocal voice and orchestra – 1979
Conzerto for saxophone quartett- 1980
Conzerto for guitar and orchestra – 1984
Conzerto for orchestra – 1984
Conzerto for organ and violin solo – 1984
Conzerto for violin and orchestra – 1986
Conzerto for flute, harp and orchestra – 1986
Conzerto for violin – 1987
Double Concert for 2 violins and orchestra – 1988
Concerto for flute, viola, violin, piano, saxophone – 1988
Concert for piano and orchestra – 1988
Concert for 2 pianos and orchestra- 1988
Concert for soprano and orchestra – 1988
Violin Concert II – 1989
Piano Concert III for piano and orchestra – 1990

Chamber Music

Sonatine for 2 violins – 1946
Sonatine for alto saxophone – 1946
Concertino for 2 violins and viola – 1946
Trio for 2 violins and viola – 1947
Four Pieces for piano and bassoon – 1947
Duett for oboe and clarinet – 1947
Quartett for 2 violins, viola and piano – 1946
Andante for string sextet – 1947
Three Vocal Duets for soprano and mezzo-soprano – 1948
2 Short Compositions for 2 flutes and 2 pianos – 1948
Piece for 2 flutes – 1948
Piece for 2 clarinets – 1948
Small Quartett for trumpet, 2 horns and trombone – 1948
Fantasia for flute and harp – 1949
I String Quartett – 1957
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
Equivalenze sonore for percussion chamber orchestra – 1959
Three Compositions for MJQ for piano, vibraphone – 1961
Sound Forms for alto saxophone – 1961
Kodes for chamber orchestra – 1961
TIS MW2: Scene Composition – 1963
Two Pieces for piano and violin – 1963
Four Pieces for string trio – 1962
Two pieces for violon and piano – 1964
String Quartet No. 2 – 1964
Oboe Quartet for oboe and strings trio – 1966
Trio for flute, viols and harp – 1966
4H/1P for piano 4handling – 1966
Composition for harp and piano – 1966
Incident for recipient group – 1966
Decet for harp and 9 instruments – 1966
PRSC Different Performances – 1968
Trio for piano, violine, and harpsichord – 1969
Variations for blazer quintet – 1971
Estratto for string trio – 1971
String Quartet No. 3 – 1971
Sgraffito for flute, 2 pianos and harpsichord – 1971
Mare for piano and 9 instruments – 1971
Concept Music – 1972
Neues for three violins – 1972
Negative Music for chosen instrument – 1972
ba/vo – 1972
Bergsoniana for flute, soprano, piano, tape – 1972
BlueS I for 2 piano and tape – 1972
Polonaise for 12 voices choir – 1972
Free Form I for 5 instruments – 1972
Free Form II for double bass – 1972
Minimal Art for tuba, piano – 1977
Gravesono for wind instrument – 1977
Self-expression for violoncello – 1978
blueS III for 2 pianos – 1978
Matan I for 3 percussions – 1978
Matan II for 5 percussions – 1978
Kesukann for 13 string instruments – 1978
Hideggeriana for flute, oboe, vibraphone, 3 violin , piano, violoncello – 1979
Monolog – 1980
Kongruenzen for piano and vibraphone – 1980
Oktett for double bass, piano, flute, oboe and horn – 1980
Evasion for violin and guitar – 1980
Delusive Cadences for tuba and percussion – 1981
Essentials for 3 violins – 1981
Five introductions and An Epilogue for small chamber orchestra – 1981
Euphony for sing voices and double bass – 1981
Entertainment Music for percussion and wind player – 1981
Sonata breve for organ and percussion – 1981
Naarah for oboe and string trio – 1983
Teatrino fantastico for actor, violin, and piano – 1983
Gasab for gasab-violin and piano – 1983
Esatto e libero for violin and piano – 1983
Mouhadatsa for viola and violoncello – 1985
Sihr for saxophone and piano – 1985
Mikrotone for 4 pianisten – 1985
Tumbo la kuhara for 3 oboe – 1985
Shuvvi mischkal for oboe and violin – 1985
Trio for flute, guitar and percussion – 1985
A due for dancer and piano – 1986
Nonett for 3 oboe – 1986
Kwaiwa for violin and computer – 1986
Conzerto for saxopohone – 1986
Four Pieces for bassoon and piano – 1987
Small Concerto for violin and 3 oboe – 1987
Summer Music for akordeon, piano – 1987
Free Form III for double bass and piano – 1987
Gracianiana for piano and electronic instrument – 1987
Mazungumzo for guitar and accordion – 1987
Milm for 3 percussions and film projector – 1988
Missa brevis for choir – 1988
Spring Music for violin and piano – 1988
Winter Music for horn and piano – 1988
Miniopera – 1988
Chamber Symphonie for chamber orchestra – 1988
Love Moments – 1990

Vocal-Instrumental Music

Three Songs for piano and voice – 1949
Poems of Guillaume Apollinaire for soprano and orchestra – 1949
Expressive Aspekte for soprano and flute – 1963
Out of Tune for soprano and cello – 1972
Out of Tune II for soprano and piano – 1972
PR-I III for choire and orchestra – 1963
Media for voices and instruments – 1967
Ishirini I for voice and piano – 1986
Ishirini II for voice and orchestra – 1986

Piano and Keyboard Works

Three Short Pieces for piano – 1946
Diaruim 14 short pieces for piano- 1947
Mazurek for piano – 1949
Polytonale Study for 3 clarinette – 1949
Three Romantic Pieces for piano – 1949
Two Pieces for piano – 1950
Sonatine for piano – 1952
Composition for piano – 1954
Study in Diagramm I for piano – 1955
Model I for piano – 1956
Model II for piano – 1957
Variations for piano – 1958
Eight Pieces for piano – 1958
Free Composition for piano – 1958
Three Pieces for piano – 1959
Artikulationen for piano – 1959
Configurations for piano – 1960
Staring Point for piano – 1960
Non-stop for piano – 1960
Dispositions for piano – 1960
Model III for piano – 1961
Konturen for piano – 1963
Modell IV for piano – 1963
TIS GK: Scene Composition for piano – 1963
Sfumato for harpsichord – 1964
Dispositions for piano – 1965
Model V for piano – 1965
Music for harpsichord – 1966
Described Emotions for piano – 1966
Asemblages for harpsichord – 1966
Dispositions c for piano – 1970
Modell VI for piano – 1970
Modell VII for piano – 1971
Modell VIII for piano – 1972
String Quartet No. 4 for piano – 1973
Dispositions d  for piano – 1975
Modell IX for piano – 1976
Modell X for piano – 1977
Berlin 80′ for piano – 1980
Modell XI for piano – 1981
Modell XII for piano – 1984
Sonate II for organ – 1985
Colloquiu for organ – 1985
8H/2P for 2 pianos – 1985
Kinanda for piano – 1986
Sonate III  for organ – 1986
Sonate IV for organ – 1986
Modell XIII for piano – 1986
Yookai for piano – 1988
Modell XIV for piano – 1988
Modell XV for piano – 1988
Disagreements for 2 pianos – 1988

Music for Solo Instruments

23 short Pieces for violin solo – 1948
Canzona for violoncello solo – 1949
Two Study for flute solo – 1953
Two Study for alto saxophone solo – 1954
Sonate for violin solo – 1955
Negative for flute solo – 1960
Five short Pieces for harp solo – 1964
Azione a due for piano and instruments – 1961
Imago Musicae for violin with an interpolating instrumental accompaniment – 1961
Construction for vibraphone solo – 1962
Five Pieces for guitar solo – 1970
Variations for oboe solo – 1971
Interview for violin solo – 1972
aSa for piano solo – 1973
aDieu for double bass solo – 1973
Euterpe for oboe solo – 1984
AO for violin solo – 1987
13 Studies for flute solo – 1988
Saitenblick for guitar solo – 1988

Visual Music

Projekt automatic music composition – 1962
Transmission for cello and two pianos – 1965
Visual Music for three actors pianist and cellist – 1966
Comunicazione audiovisiva: Audiovisual Music for five performers – 1970
Subject: electronic music for computer- 1970
15 Elements I for 2 pianos – 1971
15 Elements II for 2 pianos and computer – 1971
Contract for soprano, cello and percussion – 1971
Experimenta for a pianist and orchestra – 1971
Micropieces for cello and 6 concurrent performers – 1972
Maah for computer, violine solo and orchestra – 1979
Miserere for soprano choir, tape and computer – 1978
Kontate: Electronic Music – 1979
Pilch Music for piano, percussion, electronic instrument – 1988
Addolarato for violin and electronic instrument – 1981
Computerstory for computer – 1988

Action music

Symphonie: Electric Music for tape – 1964
Cantata for 60 voices and orchestra – 1966
Hommage a Strzeminski for tape recorder- 1966
Monodram for tape recorder – 1968
Concerto for tape recorder – 1968
Open Scene for three performers – 1969
Heraclitiana for twelve alternative sololistic performers and tape – 1970

Electroacoustic Music

PR-I VII/em> for tape recorder – 1971
Open Music II for piano and tape – 1973
Open Music III for piano and tape – 1973
Synthistory: Electronic Music – 1973
Antiphona for choir and tape – 1975
Missa electronica for kinder choir and tape – 1975
Missa electronica for choir and tape – 1975
Iranian Set for flute, piano, 3 actors and ensemble of performers – 1976
Spinoziana for ensemble – 1977
Poetries for tape – 1978
Berlin 80′ for piano and tape- 1980
Acontecimiento for 3 pianos and tape – 1988
blueS IV for 2 pianos and tape – 1988

Music with Actors

Scenario for a not existing but possible instrumental actor – 1963
Audience I-V  for actors – 1964
PR-V for actor – 1964
Audiences No 1-5  for actors – 1966
Howl for 3 actors and chamber orchestra – 1966
Quartet for four actors – 1966
Fragment for two actors and cellist – 1968
Fragment for two actors and double- bass – 1968
Szenar for 3 actors – 1970
Scenario actors – 1970
Hommage a Czyzewski for actor and ensemble of performers – 1972
Vaniniana for 2 actors and ensemble – 1978
Autogenic Composition for soprano, flute, violoncello, piano, and actor – 1980
Duodrama for percussion, alt saxophone and, and actor – 1981
Closed Relations for oboe, actor and piano – 1985
Autumn Music for violin, piano, actor – 1988

Overparametric Music

PR-1 I for choir – 1958
PR-1 II for new non-existing instrument – 1958
PR-I IV for equivalent instruments – 1964
PR-I VI for solist choir – 1965
Quartet SG for any performers – 1968
Reading for 6 performers – 1968
The Easiest Solutions for musicians company – 1969
Algorithmen for company of 7 performers – 1970
Synectics for any three performers – 1970
Spectra for 5 instruments – 1970
Dream with Schaffer for ensemble of performers – 1972
blueS II for ensemble of instruments – 1972
Hommage a Irzykowski for ensemble – 1973
PR-I VIII for chosen instrument – 1972
0/p Music for an ensemble of performers – 1972
Open Music I for chosen instrument – 1973
Scribal Error Music for ensemble – 1981
Voice, Noise, Beuys, Choice for ensemble – 1984
Asiakiria for ensemble – 1985

Manuscripts at USC

3 items:

  1. Symphony in one movement for orchestra
  2. Miscellaneous music sketches
  3. Miscellaneous graphic sketches

(see the Manuscript Collection page for details)


Page updated on 3 November 2020