Karol Elbert

"Elbert's composing profile consists of two distinct creative areas: his first period was dominated by concert pieces (until about 1950) and his second period was devoted mostly creating to popular instrumental and entertaining songs, to which he got for existential reasons. His compositional development was formed under the direct influence of his teacher A. Moyzes which he used as a model of compositional work in classical concert forms (Malá suita op.1 / Little Suite, Op. 1, and especially Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor, op. 4), as well as in the application of the stylistic elements of jazz and pop music within classical forms (Jazzová sonáta / Jazz Sonata, Tri jazzové skice pre klavír I. a II. / Three Jazz Sketches for Piano I. and II., Štyri jazzové skladby pre štvorručný klavír / Four Jazz Pieces for Four-Handed Piano, etc.). His Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 4, represented Slovak music at 1st European Festival of Chamber Music in Trenčianske Teplice in 1937. Elbert's first creative period also includes an emergence of various instrumental and orchestral works, which – like Gejza Dusík – were modeled after Austrian and German composers and filled in the gaps of original compositions called “higher popular.” These composition were frequently used mainly in radio and promenade concerts (Indická suita pre orchester / Indian Suite for Orchestra, Mazurka for Violin and Orchestra, Dve slovenské rapsódie / Two Slovak Rhapsodies, etc.). Karol Elbert's work developed professional compositional parameters that are evident in all kinds and genres of his music. He is an author of rich lyrical melodic inventiveness, and his pieces cover multiple and interesting genres with a tendency toward humor. He composed more than 200 dance songs that have gained wide popularity.”

(JURÍK, Marián: Karol Elbert. In: 100 slovenských skladateľov. Ed. Marián Jurík, Peter Zagar. Bratislava : Národné hudobné centrum, 1998, p. 89.)