Miro Bázlik

“Bázlik from an early age showed talent and interest in two major areas of the human spirit: mathematics and music; therefore not only these two areas were studied, but both of them as well as professional lifetime were engaged. Pianistic talent led him to composition, which from the beginning was affected by the European piano school (Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms). Experiences of mathematical analysis allowed him to rationally manage the technology of New Music, which he entered as a supporter of harmoniously-conceived twelve-tone music (Hudba pre husle a orchester / Music for Violin and Orchestra, Tri kusy pre 14 nástrojov / Three Pieces for 14 Instruments). Understanding music as a dramatic art led him to the composition of the opera Peter and Lucia (by Romain Rolland), in which he combined the principles of large-scale music symphonism with the synthesis of twelve-tone music and tonal counterpoint. Work in algebraic topology inspired him to its application in musical material, and direct inspiration by Xenakis' work led him to composing with moving sound masses (oratory  Dvanásť / Twelve). From there it was only a step to work with electroacoustic media, which has become the dominant subject of his interest since the early Seventies (Triptych; six parts cycle Spektrá / Spectra with the subtitle Methamorphoses and comments to the First Book of the Well-Tempered Clavier by J. S. Bach.) In these compositions he reaches for the electroacoustic transformation of historic music (Bach), and he forms a contradictory synthesis of historical compositional ideals and modern comment. Synthesis of all means is represented in the vocal-symphonic piece Canticum 43, in which he combined the world of historical counterpoint (Renaissance, Baroque) with a principle of seria and an idea of controlled movement of sound masses. The electroacoustic cyclical composition Simple Electronic Symphony applied the compositional idea of the golden mean in the electroacoustically conceived sonata cycle. These ideas remained faithful in his further work (Ergodická kompozícia / Ergodic Composition; Balada o dreve / Ballad of Wood), in which, however, resounds a stronger inspiration by the dominant European musical and cultural tradition (Epoché; Ballad – concert for viola and orchestra; oratory Canticum Jeremiae; De Profundis). The monumental cycle of 24 piano Preludes (in all keys) brings a retrospective view. In the years 1978 – 1989 Bázlik actively participated in the preparation of the release of the new Lutheran hymnal and its final form created together with Karol Wurm (Evangelical score), and prepared a monument by setting to music all Protestant hymns used in the Slovak Evangelical Church. For his work Bázlik received several local and international awards. The cycle Spectra was awarded honorable mention in Boswil (1974), for Canticum 43 he won 1st prize in the Geneva Music Competition (the Queen Marie José Prize, Geneva, 1974), for Oratory Twelve he was awarded the Ján Levoslav Bella Prize (1977) and for Pastierka balada / Pastoral ballad and Bačovská elégia / Shepherd's Elegy he was awarded by prize at Prix de musique folklorique de Radio Bratislava (1977, 1983). Bázlik is also an active pianist, in several concert cycles he performed (from memory) the complete solo piano (keyboard) works of J. S. Bach, and the sonatas of W. A. Mozart and L. v. Beethoven. For radio he recorded both volumes of theWell Tempered Clavier of J. S. Bach.”

(GODÁR, Vladimír: Miro Bázlik. In: 100 slovenských skladateľov. Ed. Marián Jurík, Peter Zagar. Bratislava: Národné hudobné centrum, 1998, p. 31 – 32.)