Bartolomej Urbanec

"Urbanec’s compositions follow on from the work of J. L. Bella, M. Moyzes, M. Schneider-Trnavský and V. Figuš-Bystrý. They are distinguished by simplicity of texture, a remarkable fertility in melody, and an often pregnant rhythmicisation. In form, Urbanec’s works were articulated transparently; their instrumentation was colourful, and overall they exuded a spontaneity of musical (sometimes even improvisatory) feeling.

Urbanec wrote his best works for musical theatre. His musical Mays (1953), inspired by Slovak folk culture, is distinguished by a fresh inventiveness. For the last twelve years of his life Urbanec primarily devoted himself to operatic work. He wrote four operas: Lady of the Dawn (1971–73), Dance Over Tears (1976–77), Master Paul (1978–79) and Velvet Jacket (1979–80). The second and third of these are particularly successful, and Lady of the Dawn also has many notable passages.
J. Gyermek wrote the libretto for Dance Over Tears according to P. Zvon’s play of that name. It comprises a series of self-contained numbers – they fluently follow on from one another according to the demands of the story and create a basis for several effectively employed musical forms:  minuet, pavane, gavotte, sarabande, and even fugato. The plot is situated in the years before World War II, which required the many-formed use of chromaticism and transformation of the minuet (in the masked ball scene) to the dance music of the given time, marked by elements of jazz (quasi beguine). Overall, Dance Over Tears is a representative of the “retro wave” in 20th century music: the author took inspiration from works of the past, and thus his music for the most part oscillates between imitation of baroque and classical models.
Urbanec’s best work is Master Paul, his opera in two movements. Its libretto, by J. Krčméryová and A. Braxatorisová, is among the most successful in Slovak musical drama. The imagined story is extremely effective and dramatically very well modulated. The music of Master Paul is concisely described by T. Ursínyová: '... Urbanec does his colouring delicately, not mixing thick oils but rather sketching in watercolours. He is convinced that his music will work with particular effectiveness when it can use familiar bridges to the listener’s already-lived experience.'"

(VAJDA, Igor: Bartolomej Urbanec. In: A Hundred Slovak Composers. Eds. Marián Jurík, Peter Zagar. Bratislava : National Music Centre Slovakia, 1998, pp. 280 – 281.)