Composer Peter Klatzow’s career has taken many interesting turns. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London, where he won several of the College composition prizes as well as the Royal Philharmonic prize for composition. He spent the following years studying Italy and Paris with Nadia Boulanger. Returning to South Africa in 1966, he worked at the SABC in Johannesburg as a music producer, and in 1973 was appointed to the University of Cape Town as Professor in Composition. He is one of the few South African composers to achieve international recognition,

What inspired you to choose composition to be the driving musical force in your life?

PK: I started studying the piano, at my own insistence, at the age of 4. I was in day-care at a convent in Brakpan, and one of my slightly older friends, Wendy Capofaro, was already quite advanced. I knew immediately that was what I wanted to do. Once I had taken that step, it seemed completely natural for me to want to write my OWN music. And so I started - aged 6.

While furthering your studies in Europe, you studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, who you hold in particular high regard.  Tell us more about this era in your life and her influence on you as a composer.

PK: Nadia’s power for me lay in her immense knowledge about music and the fact that so many eminent people had deferred to her intellect. She had a very critical ear.  I had to write a complete fugue before she offered to see my compositions.  That was not a problem, but quite a few students did not overcome this hurdle and were instructed to study the textbook by Theodore Dubois.

You met some extraordinary people while in Europe. Please tell us a bit more about one or two of them.

PK: Sir Adrian Boult was immensely kind once I had won the Royal Philharmonic prize, and invited me to conduct my Variations for orchestra with the Royal College of Music’s first orchestra. Since it was the first piece on the programme, preceded only by the rendition of God Save the Queen, I offered to conduct the anthem. “No my dear boy, I will conduct the Queen” was the crisp reply.
In Florence I met Jelly d’Aranyi, a great niece of Joseph Joachim. We played the Brahms violin sonatas together – she using the Joachim strad, that had been used for the first performances with Brahms! Bartok fell madly in love with her and wrote both his Sonatas for her. Ravel fell in love with her playing and wrote his Tzigane for her. What she really wanted from me was to discuss the novels of Jane Austen. She was a total Anglophile.

You had the opportunity of meeting and spending time with Stockhausen. Please share some memories of this experience.

PK: Stockhausen was at the height of his career and in his early 40s when he visited South Africa. I had written an article on his music and he approved of it and asked to meet me. I asked him if he would spend some time with composers, which he very graciously did (5 hours!). As I was the music producer in charge of all his SABC sessions, I learnt a lot about him – his total and ruthless dedication to his music which excluded all other composers. He was generous in sharing himself with you, but was not interested in anything anyone else had done.  Nevertheless I admired him greatly and we remained in contact after that.

Tel us more about your years as music producer at the SABC, and what led to your decision to take up a position at the University in Cape Town?

PK: I learned a lot about recording techniques at the SABC, and had the privilege of working with many distinguished visiting artists. I also greatly enjoyed recording the orchestra. The whole experience sharpened my ears to understanding recording balances and techniques. But it was in every other way very restrictive working at the SABC, and I had no future there.  When the position at UCT became vacant, Gunter Pulvermacher insisted that I apply. The rest is history.

Which musical styles and composers are of special significance in your composition technique and development as a musician?

PK: For many years I was a committed avant gardist. However, even from the earliest years I was aware that this attitude was depriving me of many things which I loved in music – pure, long melodies, functional harmony, modulation. Gradually I worked my way back to a more accepting position.

You were fortunate to experience many special moments during you illustrious career. Which ones were of special significance?

PK: All first performances are the MOST special moments and I have had several excellent ones from artists who have engaged with my work.  Nothing compares to an excellent première.  And there have been several.

Please share the special story surrounding the visit of the daughter of the Shah of Iran’s in the 70’s.

PK: South Africa was at that stage (mid 70s) heavily dependent on Iran for oil. Since the Shah’s father had died in South Africa after being in exile here, the family maintained good connections. On this occasion the Shah’s daughter, Princess Shams Pahlavi, came out, and was entertained by the State President (Nico Diederichs). He decided that nothing but the cultural best must be offered. He requested that Angelo Gobbato, Aviva Pelham and I present a short recital after the State dinner. We were instructed to arrive at Tuynhuis the day before to “rehearse” for Mrs Diederichs, who had allegedly been a piano teacher in a previous, more modest, lifetime.

One of the items on our programme was a letter scene from Rossini, which, naturally, Angelo and Aviva acted out somewhat. This greatly intrigued Mrs D, who had a sudden inspiration. The little Papageno/ Papagena duet from Magic Flute by Mozart must also be suitably costumed and presented. Angelo pointed out that Papageno costumes were fragile, being an assemblage of feathers, and would probably not be available in Cape Town. No problem to Mrs D, who offered to fly one down from Pretoria “by military plane” - no petrol shortages there! Warming to her role as “Directrice”, she suggested that Angelo should make a sudden costumed entrance through a Tuynhuis window.

I was alarmed! An important State visit is in progress, and suddenly chicken-man comes in through a window! I could hear the rapid pistol fire and see the crumpled heap of feathers on the Tuynhuis floor. Somehow we managed to persuade the President’s wife to abandon this improbable bit of staging.

Of your extensive Discography you must have one or two favourites?

PK: Definitely “Towards the Light”. The Commotio recording of my choral works, with further pieces by Martin Watt and Robert Fokkens.

Most recently you had a composition as part of the repertoire list for the UNISA International Piano Competition. Besides having numerous commissions to compose for various occasions, which would you single out and why?

PK: The UNISA commission was important. 15 of the 25 candidates chose my piece, which was in itself a compliment. I heard all these different versions – some very ordinary and factual, some more imaginative, a few absolutely magical.  It was an insight for me as to what can be done with my music – particularly a piece which requires some interpretive input from the performer. 

In between commissions I have a few works which I continue to work on in my spare time, which is quite plentiful now. I have no idea if and when they will be performed, but I want to write them anyway. Their gestational period is extended as sooner or later a commission comes along and the creative process on that work is interrupted.

Your compositional style has changed over the years. Please give us some more info on this and your particular choices of composing for non-conventional instruments and vocal ensembles?

PK: This is really two questions.  Yes, my compositional style has changed to reflect my re-assimilation of tonality and metrical regularity. I still have a use for atonal harmony and structures, but not when the music is exclusively atonal.

Many years ago I discovered the marimba as an instrument. I had written significant music for it when the great marimbist Bob van Sice arrived in South Africa (1984) and encouraged me to write more. I feel that it is important for composers to make a contribution to the repertoire of emerging instruments. Bob’s advice was invaluable. Since then many young marimbists have discovered my music and taken it up. Most composers do NOT write well for the marimba, treating it is a resonant Xylophone. In fact, the character of the instrument is very different.

Often modern compositions struggle to find a place in “mainstream repertoire”. You have been quoted as saying “...let the GOOD new music come out of the ghetto and take its place in the common repertoire on the concert platform”. What did you mean by this?

PK: I am not interest in my music being featured in Avant garde ghettos. I want my music to shape up next to Messiaen, Ravel, Prokofiev, Bartok and Stravinsky. That is, I want it to sound 20th century, but to build on the achievements of the past.  Great music is not substitutive, but cumulative.

Your advice to budding young composers of today?

PK: Don’t let anyone dictate style to you. Find the music you most admire, and try to emulate that. You won’t do it perfectly, but the difference will be your personal contribution. Make good informed choices. Refine your likes and dislikes. Above all, write the music YOU like.

Interview by Stefan Lombard
Published 12.03.2012