The composer Bozidar Kantuser was born in Slovenia in 1921 and died in Paris 1999. His early studies in composition in Ljubljana were interrupted by World War II. When the war was over, he resumed his studies in Paris, with Olivier Messiaen at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique, and at Darmstadt in Germany.
When he arrived in Paris in 1950, he soon moved centre stage in the musical scene in that city. By 1953, he had joined in founding Group 84, an association dedicated to contemporary music through concerts and lectures.
From left to right: Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Migaux, Luc Ferrari, Bozidar Kantuser
Bozidar Kantuser is essentially a composer of our time. When you listen to his music, you feel at once in touch with the world around you. For he always invites direct communication with his listeners. This makes his music marvellously accessible, even though it leaves behind rules and conventions.
Godfrey Howard MA (Oxon)
In 1968, Bozidar Kantuser founded the
Bibliothèque Internationale de Musique Contemporaine (BIMC)
in Fontainebleau. This unique music library which contains at present over 23.000 scores by more than 3.000 composers from over 70 countries, is now housed in Paris at the
Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris
(MEDIATHEQUE HECTOR BERLIOZ)
Si sa technique est parfaitement accordée aux besoins de son langage, elle reste fluide, non contraignante, nullement entachée d’intellectualisme. De son expression musicale faite de mesure, de sobriété s’élève par instant une sorte de subtil appel émanant de la part la plus secrète la plus intime, la plus vivante de l’être.
Pas de séduction, pas d’enfermement, mais une écrirure sobre, précise.
C’est par des mouvements contenus des inflexions à peine marquées que sa musique nous conduit jusqu’en cet instant où nous est livrée l’extrême saveur d’un silence qui laisse présager de la richesse à venir.
Daniel des Brosses
