Ida Gotkovsky


Ida Rose Esther Gotkovsky was a French composer and pianist. She was a professor of music theory at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique in France.
WWW gotkovsky.com/index.html

Early life

Gotkovsky was born in Calais on 26 August 1933. Her father was the violinist Jacques Gotkovsky of the Loewenguth Quartet and her mother also played the violin. Both her brother Ivar and her sister Nell became accomplished musicians. Gotkovsky began composing at the age of eight. She studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where her teachers included Olivier Messiaen and Nadia Boulanger.
She won six prestigious first prize music awards for her compositions, including the Prix Blumenthal, Prix Pasdeloup, Prix de Composition Concours International de Divonne les Bains, Médaille de la Ville de Paris, Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris and the Prix Lili Boulanger.

Compositions

Gotkovsky's output includes chamber music, symphonies, instrumental music, vocal music, ballets, and operas. Notably, she has contributed many solo and chamber pieces for the saxophone. Her Concerto for Trombone has been compared to Messiaen, and her Suite for Tuba and piano reveals the influence of Hindemith. She is also recognized for having written important works for band.
Gotkovsky's music credo is: "To create a universal musical art and to realize the oneness of musical expression through the ages by means of a contemporary musical language with powerful structures."

Death

Gotkovsky died on 15 October 2025, at the age of 92.

Selected works

;StageLe Rêve de Makar, opera in eight scenes Rien ne va plus, Ballet Le Cirque, Ballet Le Songe d'une nuit d'hiver, opera
;OrchestraScherzo Symphonie pour cordes et percussion Jeu Escapades Jongleries Funambules Symphonie pour vingt-quatre instruments à vent Concerto pour orchestre symphonique Musique en couleur Poème symphonique Symphonie de printemps for orchestra or wind orchestra Poème du feu for wind orchestra Danses rituelles for wind orchestra Brillante symphonie for wind orchestra Choral for orchestra or wind orchestra Couleurs en musique for orchestra or wind orchestra Fanfare for wind orchestra Or et lumière for orchestra or wind orchestra Symphonie à la jeunesse for orchestra or wind orchestra Joyeuse symphonie for wind orchestra
;Concertante
  • Concerto for trumpet
  • Concerto No. 1 for trumpet and orchestra
  • Concerto for saxophone and orchestra
  • Concerto for clarinet and orchestra or clarinet and wind orchestra
  • Concerto for 2 violins and orchestra Variations concertantes for bassoon and orchestra
  • Concerto No. 2 for trumpet and orchestra
  • Concerto for piano and orchestra
  • Concerto for cello and orchestra
  • Concerto for trombone and wind orchestra
  • Concerto for saxophone and large orchestra Concerto lyrique for clarinet and orchestra or clarinet and wind orchestra Symphonie for organ and wind orchestra Variations pathétiques for saxophone and orchestra
  • Concerto for horn and orchestra
;Chamber musicTrio d'anches
  • String Quartet Danse russe for violin and piano Suite pour dix instruments Caractères for violin and piano Éolienne for flute and harp Mélodie for flute and piano Barcarolle for oboe and piano Chanson for clarinet and piano Allegro giocoso for bassoon and piano Ritournelle for trumpet and piano Romance for trombone and piano Baladins for tuba and piano Lied for bass trombone and piano Brillance for alto saxophone and piano
  • Sonata for violin and piano Images de Norvège for clarinet and piano Capriccio for violin and piano Invocation lyrique for viola and piano Variations pathétiques for alto saxophone and piano Quatuor de saxophones for four saxophones
  • Sonata for clarinet solo
  • Trio for violin, clarinet and piano Trio lyrique for violin, alto saxophone and piano Inventions for baritone saxophone and piano
  • Brass Quintet Quatuor de clarinettes for four clarinets
;KeyboardVariation for piano Dasvidania for accordion Prélude for piano
;VocalMélodies
;ChoralChœur pour voix mixtes Hommage à Baudelaire Le Chant de la forêt for chorus and wind orchestra Le Songe d'une nuit d'hiver for chorus and wind orchestra Oratorio olympique for chorus and wind orchestra Hommage à Jean de la Fontaine for children's chorus, mixed chorus and orchestra