Václav Nelhýbel

Life and career

He was born the youngest of five children in Polanka, Czechoslovakia. He received his early musical training in Prague, going to both Charles University in Prague and Prague Conservatory. In 1942 he went to Switzerland, where he studied at University of Fribourg; after 1947 he taught there. In 1957 he came to the United States, where he taught at several schools, including Lowell State College. He served as Composer-in-Residence at University of Scranton for several years until his death. The University Department of Performance Music continues to house his full collection of works.

Some of his music is for wind instruments or concert band, and most of his published music is designed for student performers. He used non-functional modal writing, pandiatonicism, and motor rhythms extensively.

Nelhybel received numerous prizes and awards for his compositions, which include a prize at the International Music and Dance Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark, for his ballet "In the Shadow of the Limetree". In 1954, he was also awarded the first prize of the Ravitch Foundation in New York for his opera "A Legend", and in 1978 he won an award from the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts. Four American universities honored him with honorary doctoral degrees in music.

In addition to his works for winds, he wrote three ballets, three operas, and a symphony.

He was also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Kappa Kappa Psi.

Orchestra

1964 Etude symphonique

1966 Passacaglia for Orchestra and Solo Piano

1967 Dies ultima for Orchestra, SATB Chorus, SATB Soli, Narrator, Speaking Chorus and Jazz Band

1967 Music for Orchestra

1968 Movement for Orchestra

1972 A mighty fortress

1973 Polyphonies

1974 Aegean Modes

1976 Finale

1977 Concerto spirituoso No. 4 for Orchestra, String Quartet and Solo Voice

1976 Slavonic Tryptich

1979 Lincoln Scene

1980 Six Fables for all time for Orchestra, SATB Chorus and Narrator

1981 Overture for Orchestra

1985 New Orleans Concerto

Cantique des cantiques for Orchestra, Soprano Solo, Harp and Piano

Cantus Concertante for Orchestra, Violin, Viola, Cello Soli and Soprano Solo

Canzona e Toccata feroce

Christmas in Bohemia for Mixed Choir and Orchestra

Concerto spirituoso No. 5 for Orchestra, Saxophone Quartet and String Quartet

Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra

Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra

Concerto for Guitar and Chamber Orchestra

Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra

Concerto for Viola and Orchestra

Concertino for Chamber Orchestra and Piano

Divertimento for Brass Qunitet and Orchestra

Fantasia Concertante

Fantasy on America for Festival Orchestra, Solo Violin and Youth Solo Section

Four Australian Songs for Orchestra and (SA) Chorus

Four readings from Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus" for Orchestra (or Piano) and Male Solo Voice

Graffiti Pompeiani for Orchestra, SSATTBB Soli and Piano

Houston Concerto

Jesu meine Freude

Kindermarch

Let there be Music for Orchestra, SATB Chorus, Baritone Voice Solo, Piano, Bass Guitar and Electric Guitar

Music for Woodwind Quintet and Orchestra

Praise the Lord for Orchestra, SATB Chorus, SATB Soli and Piano

Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra

Rhapsody in D for Orchestra, String Quartet and Piano

Sine Nomine for SATB Chorus, SATB Soloists, Orchestra and Band

Sinfonie contra Plagam for Orchestra and SATB Chorus

Sinfonietta Concertante

Three Modes for Orchestra for Orchestra and Piano

Two Movements for Chamber Orchestra

Concert band

1965 Chorale

1965 Symphonic Requiem for Band and Bass Baritone Solo

1965 Trittico

1. Allegro maestoso
2. Adagio
3. Allegro marcato

1966 Adagio and Allegro

1966 Andante and Toccata

1966 Appassionato

1966 Estampie for Band and antiphonal Brass Choir (2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones)

1966 Prelude and Fugue

1966 Symphonic Movement

1967 Caucasian Passacaglia

1967 Ceremonial Music for Field Band and antiphonal Trumpet

1967 Suite Concertante

1967 Three Revolutionary Marches

1968 Festivo

1969 Marcia Dorica

1969 Suite from Bohemia

1970 Two Symphonic Movements

1970 Cantata Pacis SATB Chorus, SATB Soloists, Wind Ensemble, Piano-Celesta, Organ and Percussion

1971 Yamaha Concerto

1971 Hymn of Hope for Band and SATB Chorus

1972 Alaska Scherzo

1972 Antiphonale for Band, Brass Sextet (3 Trumpets, 3 Trombones)

1972 High Plains

1972 Introit for Band and Chimes Solo

1973 Concert Piece for Band, Solo Wind Instrument (Alto or Tenor or Baritone Saxophone, or Trumpet, or Trombone, or Baritone, or Tuba)

1973 Organum for Band and antiphonal Brass Choir (2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones)

1974 Czech Suite

1974 Dixie Parade

1974 Halleluiah for Band and SATB Chorus

1974 Russian Chant and Dance

1975 Fugue to the Mountains

1975 Praise to the Lord for Band and antiphonal Trumpets

1976 Ballad

1976 Ca Ira (Song of the French Revolution)

1976 Corsican Litany

1976 Crusaders

1976 Dialogues for Band and Piano Solo

1976 Evening Song

1976 Fanfares (Smetana-Nelhybel)

1976 Finale Based on When Johnny Comes Marching Home; Glory, Glory Hallelujah; and America

1976 March in Counterpoint

1976 March to nowhere

1976 Parade

1976 Processional

1976 Religioso

1976 Valse Nostalgique

1977 Aegean Modes

1977 Lyrical March

1977 Yugoslav Dance

1979 Amen

1979 Ritual

1980 Battle Hymn of the Republic for Band and SATB Chorus

1981 Concerto Grosso for Band and Tubas Solo (2 or more Tubas)

1981 He's got the whole World in his Hands for Band and SATB Chorus

1981 Swing low, sweet Chariot for Band and SATB Chorus

1982 Concertante

1982 Fantasia Three interpretations of Prelude I from Johann Sebastian Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier

1982 French Suite

1982 Holiday in Germany

1983 Born to die

1983 Christmas in Poland

1983 Great is thy Faithfulness (Runyan-Nelhybel) for Band and SATB Chorus

1984 Agon

1985 Overture for Band

1988 Christmas March

1988 Festove Adorations Based on A Mighty Fortress, Jesu Priceless Treasure, and Praise the Almighty

1989 Cantus

1992 Procession to the End of Time

1995 Concertato forTenor Trombone, Bass Trombone and Wind Ensemble

1996 Concerto for Euphonium and Band

1996 Prelude and Chorale for Band and Solo Instrument - Based on the 12th century chorale Svaty Vaclave

1996 Prayer and Thanksgiving

1996 Songs of Praise Based on God of our Fathers; Holy, Holy, Holy; Onward Christian Soldiers

1996 Star Spangled Banner

Agape for Soloists, SATB Chorus and Wind Ensemble

Agitato e Marcia

Amen for Everyman for SATB Chorus, SB Soloists, Band, Jazz Ensemble and Organ

America sings for SATB Chorus and Band

Benny Havens

Canticum for Band and SATB Chorus

Ceremony for Band

Chorale Variations

Chronos for Band, Guitar and Piano

1. Grave - Adagio
2. Toccata feroce

Concerto for Bass Trombone and Band

Concerto for Clarinet (or Saxophone), 25 Winds, Percussion

Concerto for Horn (or Tuba), Piccolo, 2 Flutes, Oboe, English Horn, 2 Bassoons, 2 Clarinets, Harp, Double Bass, 2 Trumpets, Trombone, Vibraphone, Xylophone, Bells, Chimes

Cornerstone for a new Moon for SATB, Band, Piano and Organ

Dance of the dead Souls

De Profundis Concerto for Trumpet and Band

Divertimento for Band

Drake Suite

Epitaph

Espressivo

Five and a half Songs for SATB Chorus, TB Soloists, 12 Woodwinds, 5 Brass, 2 Percussion and Keyboard

Golden Concerto for Trumpet, 16 Winds and Percussion

Hymn of hope for (SATB) Chorus and Band

Jesu, Priceless Treasure (Bach-Nelhybel) for Band and SATB Chorus

La danse des fauves for Clarinet, Oboe/English Horn, Bassoon and Band

Lento for Band

Liturgy for Band and Solo Voice

Monolith

Musical Offering (Bach-Nelhybel) Based on three chorales by Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu Priceless Treasure, Morning Star, Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded

Ostinato

Pentecost Concerto for Clarinet and Band

Rhapsody in C for Band and Piano Solo

Sand-Silence-Solitude

Sine Nomine for SATB Chorus, SATB Soloists, Orchestra and Band

Sinfonia Resurrectionis

The Silence for Band and Soprano Solo

Te Deum SATB Chorus, SATB Soloists, Organ or 3 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Tuba and Timpani

Toccata (Cernohorsky-Nelhybel) for Band and Organ - An arrangement of a toccata by Bohuslav Matej Cernohorsky (1684–1742)

Toccata feroce for Band and Piano Solo

Toccata in D

Toccata in D (Flat)

Toccata in E

Variations on "Es ist genug"

Organ

Concerto No. 1 for Organ and Orchestra without Woodwinds

Concerto No. 2 for Organ and Orchestra without Woodwinds

Concerto No. 3 for Organ, Piccolo Trumpet and Timpani

Choral

1966 Caroli Antiqui Varii SSATTBB Chorus - 7 traditional Christmas songs

1. Quem vidistis
2. Lully lulla
3. Qui creavit caelum
4. Celebrons
5. O Jesu Christ
6. Es kommt ein Schiff geladen
7. Puer natus in Bethlehem

1966 Epitaph for a Soldier SATB Chorus and SA Soloists - Text by Walt Whitman from Leaves of Grass

1966 The Wife of Usher's well SATB Chorus

1967 Four Ballads - (The Gallows -Tree) SSATBB Chorus and SBB Soloists

1967 Four Ballads - (Come, O My Love) TBB Chorus

1967 Four Ballads - (Peter Gray) SSA Chorus

1967 Four Ballads - (The Devil and the Farmer's Wife) SSATBB Chorus

1971 Let my People go SATB Chorus and SATB Soloists

1972 The Lord shall raise me up SATB Chorus

1973 Gift of Love SA Chorus

1975 Estampie Natalis for eight-part mixed chorus, SAT soli, piccolo, violin (viola), cello, and percussion

1977 Psalm 150 (Praise Him with the Timbrel) Four-Part Chorus of Mixed Voices

1979 Adoratio 6 Sopranos, 5 Altos, 5 Tenors, 5 Basses (or larger Chorus) - Text from the Second Book of Solomon's Song of Songs

1980 Orange and blue SATB Chorus

1981 All through the Night SSA Chorus

1981 Katy Cruel SSA Chorus

Banana Three and other Songs SATB Chorus

Opera

1954 A Legend

1979 Everyman - based on a medieval ballad

King Lear - Text: William Shakespeare's King Lear

The Station

Selected discography

The Symphony Orchestra and Its Instruments (1959)

Twelve-Tone Composition Prepared by Vaclav Nelhybel (1961)

Forms in Instrumental Music: Prepared by Vaclav Nelhybel (1962)

Modal Counterpoint in the Style of the 16th Century Prepared by Vaclav Nelhybel (1962)

Music Arrangement: Prepared by Vaclav Nelhybel - Musical Examples Played by Chamber Orchestra (1962)

Traditional Harmony Prepared by Vaclav Nelhybel (1962)

The Fugue in the Style of the 18th Century (1964)

Tonal Counterpoint in the Style of the 18th Century Prepared by Vaclav Nelhybel (1964)

Outer Space: Music by Vaclav Nelybel (1974)