Milan Ristić ( sr-cyr, Милан Ристић; 31 August 1908,

Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

– 20 December 1982,

) was a

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

, and a member of the

Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (; , SANU) is a national academy and the most prominent academic institution in Serbia, founded in 1841 as Society of Serbian Letters (, DSS). The Academy's membership has included Nobel Prize, Nobel la ...

((SANU) SASA).

Biography

Along with

Mihovil Logar Mihovil Logar ( sr-cyr, Миховил Логар; Rijeka, Croatia, 6 October 1902 – Belgrade, Serbia, 13 January 1998) was a Serbian composer and music writer. Born in Rijeka, he spent most of his life in Belgrade. He left behind over two hun ...

, Dragutin Čolić,

Ljubica Marić Ljubica Marić (Љубица Марић , 18 March 1909 – 17 September 2003) was a composer from Yugoslavia. She was a pupil of Josip Štolcer-Slavenski. She was known for being inspired by Byzantine Empire, Byzantine Eastern Orthodox Church, ...

, Vojislav Vučković, and

Stanojlo Rajičić Stanojlo Rajičić (Belgrade, 16 December 1910 – 21 July 2000) was a Serbian composer and musicologist. A member of the interwar period, interwar ''Prague group'' generation of Serbian composers along with other colleagues such as Mihovil Logar, ...

, Ristić belonged to the so-called "

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

group" of composers that entered musical life of the Serbian capital at the onset of the 1930s. Following

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the members of this circle played leading roles in

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

n and Yugoslav music. Given his affiliation with the pursuits of

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

contemporary music Contemporary music is whatever music is produced at the current time. Specifically, it could refer to: Genres or audiences * Adult contemporary music * British contemporary R&B * Christian adult contemporary * Christian contemporary hit radio * Con ...

he acquired during his education in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

and prior to relocating to

, Milan Ristić occupies a special place among the Prague group. He received his first

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

instruction in Belgrade from Ivan Brezovšek. In 1927 he moved to Paris with his school friend, the author Oskar Davičo, where he began study of

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography * Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include ...

(1927–29) with G. Pierson. Upon his return to Belgrade, Ristić continued his education with

Miloje Milojević Miloje Milojević (Serbian Cyrillic: Милоје Милојевић; 27 October 1884, Belgrade – 16 June 1946, Belgrade) was a Serbian composer, musicologist, music critic, folklorist, music pedagogue, and music promoter. Biography T ...

and

Josip Slavenski Josip () is a male given name largely found among Croats and Slovenes, a cognate of Joseph. In Croatia, the name Josip was the second most common masculine given name in the decades up to 1959, and has stayed among the top ten most common ones thro ...

at the Music School in Belgrade. Following his father's death, he supported his family by playing in the Belgrade

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

band ''The Jolly Boys''. In 1929, Ristić destroyed the score of his first composition, ''Four impressionistic pieces'', but the second piano miniature of this work, "Invocation", survived. During his studies with

Alois Hába Alois Hába (21 June 1893 – 18 November 1973) was a Czech composer, music theorist and teacher. He belongs to the important discoverers in modern classical music, and to the major composers of microtonal music, especially using the quarter-to ...

at the

Prague Conservatory The Prague Conservatory () is a public music school in Prague, Czech Republic, founded in 1808. Currently, the school offers four- or six-year courses, which can be compared to the level of a high school diploma in other countries. Graduates c ...

, Ristić became familiar and began to adopt ideas about ' athematicism', the continuous development of the thematic material, and accepted linear thinking that would become a significant characteristic of his future works. His early works (''Sinfonietta'', the single-movement

Violin concerto A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble (customarily orchestra). Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up thro ...

, and piano ''Preludes'') display the spirit of the Interwar modernism, leaning in certain cases on Hába's quarter-tone music teachings (''Suite for four

trombones The trombone (, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's lips vibrate inside a mouthpiece, causing the air column inside the instrument to ...

'' and the ''Septet''). Ristić returned to Belgrade from Prague in 1939 due to the

German occupation of Czechoslovakia German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

. Back home, he began working at

Radio Belgrade Radio Belgrade (, ) is a state-owned and operated radio station in Belgrade, Serbia. It has four different programs (Radio Belgrade 1, Radio Belgrade 2, Radio Belgrade 3, and Radio Belgrade 202), a precious archive of several hundreds of thousa ...

, where he remained professionally connected going forward, but withdrew his public radio performances during the war period of the German invasion and

occupation of Yugoslavia World War II in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia began on 6 April 1941, when the country was invaded and swiftly conquered by Axis forces and partitioned among Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria and their client regimes. Shortly after Germany attack ...

. He returned to

after WWII, in the position of assistant editor-in-chief for music programs until 1963, when he became a consultant for music programs at the Radio-Television Belgrade (today

Radio Television of Serbia The Serbian Broadcasting Corporation, more commonly referred to as Radio Television of Serbia (), or RTS (), is the state-owned public radio and television broadcaster of Serbia. RTS has four organizational units – radio, television, music pro ...

). He was inducted into the

as a corresponding member in 1961, and also served as President of the Composers' Association of Serbia from 1960 to 1962. Milan Ristić received a Yugoslav Order of Labour with the Red Flag.

Works

Ristić wrote his most boldest compositions, including those in quarter- and sixth-tone systems, during his studies. He is though, best known for his nine

symphonies A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning c ...

and other orchestral works, such as ''Sinfonietta'', ''Man and war'' (

symphonic poem A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music, usually in a single continuous movement, which illustrates or evokes the content of a poem, short story, novel, painting, landscape, or other (non-musical) source. The German term ( ...

), ''Symphonic movement'', ''Suita giocosa'', ''Symphonic variations'', ''Burlesque'', ''Seven bagatelles'', ''The Suite'', ''Three little pieces'', ''Three

polyphonic Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice ( monophony) or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ...

studies'', and ''The Gallop''. Along with his symphonic compositions, he wrote a number of

concertante Sinfonia concertante (; also called ''symphonie concertante'') is an orchestral work, normally in several movements, in which one or more solo instruments contrast with the full orchestra.Collins: ''Encyclopedia of Music'', William Collins Sons & ...

works, including ''Concerto for violin'', two concertos for piano, ''Concerto for clarinet'', ''Concerto for trumpet'', ''Concerto for orchestra'', and ''Concerto for

chamber orchestra Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

''. His chamber oeuvre in the

semitone A semitone, also called a minor second, half step, or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically. It is defined as the interval between ...

system consists of notable works such as the five-string quartets, Wind quintet, ''Sonata for two violins and piano'', two sonatas for violin and piano, ''Sonata for viola and piano'', ''Duet for violin and piano'', ''Duet for violin and viola'', and twenty-four

fugues In classical music, a fugue (, from Latin ''fuga'', meaning "flight" or "escape""Fugue, ''n''." ''The Concise Oxford English Dictionary'', eleventh edition, revised, ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson (Oxford and New York: Oxford Universit ...

for various

instrumental ensemble A musical ensemble, also known as a music group, musical group, or a band is a group of people who perform Instrumental music, instrumental and/or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist ...

s. Among Ristić's quarter-tone works are: ''Suite for four trombones'', the ''Septet'', ''Suite for ten string instruments'', ''Sonata for solo violin'', and his ''Duet'' for violin and cello, which is based upon the sixth-tone

microtonal Microtonality is the use in music of microtones — intervals smaller than a semitone, also called "microintervals". It may also be extended to include any music using intervals not found in the customary Western tuning of twelve equal interv ...

system. Ristić also composed stage music for the ballets ''Cinderella'' and ''The Tyrant'' (unfinished). His works ''Through the blizzard'', ''The Poplar'', ''

The Death of Smail-aga Čengić ''The Death of Smail-aga Čengić'' () is an epic poem by Croatian poet Ivan Mažuranić during 1845 and first published in the almanac ''Iskra'' for 1846. It is based on the real events of the murder of Bosnian Ottoman army general ('' aga'') ...

'', and ''A Song about the hawk'', for narrator and chamber or large orchestra, aligned him with a few Serbian composers who fostered the melodrama genre. Ristić left behind a certain number of

folk-song Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has be ...

and dance arrangements and orchestrations of compositions by

Josif Marinković Josif Marinković (Serbian language, Serbian Cyrillic: Јосиф Маринковић; Vranjevo, near Novi Bečej, 15 September 1851 – Belgrade, 13 May 1931) was a Serbian composer and choral director. Like his younger contemporary Stevan Mokr ...

and Isidor Bajić. The ''Second symphony'' from 1951 represents a paradigmatic example of Ristić's compositional and technical skillfulness. Realized with limited means of expression, the symphony is oriented toward a balanced and perspicuous form achieved through transparent melodic content and functional harmonic relationships. The first, upbeat movement embraces a lyrical theme, defining in its further unfolding the contours of a sonata form. The second movement represents simulation of a serenade with a grotesque gesture embodied in the theme's orchestration, delivered by

clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...

accompanied by tuba and bassoon. Featuring odd meters, the ''Scherzo'' and ''Trio'' imply folk origins, though lacking any unambiguous melodic relationships with a certain folk tune. The symphony's finale develops as a modernist fugue, in which Ristić showcased his conduct of

contrapuntal In music theory, counterpoint is the relationship of two or more simultaneous Part (music), musical lines (also called voices) that are harmonically dependent on each other, yet independent in rhythm and Pitch contour, melodic contour. The term ...

skills ( inversions, augmentations, and stretti). Ethereal but effective orchestration and receptiveness of performers and audience, led to international performances of this work (Geneva, orchestra ''Suisse romande''). In 1951, when the symphony was premiered (September 5, 1951, Symphonic Orchestra of the People's Republic of Serbia, conductor Živojin Zdravković), a transition from the dominant socialist realism toward (moderately socialist) modernist—socialist aestheticism took place and "the Second symphony marked the beginning of the 'new epoch' in Serbian music and culture at large" (Mikić 2009, 119). In its structural aspects, Ristić's Second symphony corresponded with the unfolding cultural changes. The symphony's neoclassic expression represents a fostering of tradition of 'healthy' classicism, contrary to the daily vulgarization of art for political purposes. Lacking the programmatic underpinnings, but skillfully developed in terms of canonic craft and simulation of certain models with folkloristic connotation (''Scherzo'' in 5/8 and ''Trio'' in 7/8 meter), by its completeness and wholeness, this symphony does not oppose the then governing doctrine, while at the same time it represents a work of modern expression. By its optimistic spirits the ''Second symphony'' embodies the momentum of transition of the entire Yugoslav society from a

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...

country to one of self-governed socialism. ''Suita giocosa'', but particularly ''The Seven bagatelles'' for orchestra, both underscore Ristić's "optimism"; "with clear forms and free but still present tonality and clarity of polyphonic procedures (…) these works carry extraordinary communicativeness" (Bergamo 1977, 80). Peričić states that Ristić's ''Bagatelles'' are "humorous, of clear formal structure, and transparent sound," and labels the composer "a master of neoclassic expression," to whose works are attributed "gaiety, lyricism, and amiable humor," but always "rationally controlled" (Peričić 1969, 471-72). Evoking his Second symphony's ''Scherzo'', Ristić in ''Bagatelles'' utilizes 5/8 meter, thus "implying folklore," but also includes a very important modernist epithet which by its "unusual harmonies" speaks about the composer's "individuality" and "contemporaneousness" (Peričić 1969, 472). The published reviews of Ristić's works at the time of their performances reinforce "the closeness with the man of our reality," "the results yielded by the synthesis of talent, healthy life outlook, and studious, hard work," and a "sound orchestral style in our music" (Bergamo 1977, 80). In the ''Third symphony'', from the position acquired in his previous works, Ristić selects and re-adopts certain procedures from his student compositions. The Symphony is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Revolution, and was performed on the eve of the celebration of the Uprising Day, 6 July 1961, and then at the concert of the Belgrade Philharmonic with conductor Živojin Zdravković. The same year it was conferred the Belgrade October Award. The example of the ''Third symphony'' offers numerous compromises characteristic for socialist aestheticism. Expressively far from soc-realism, this work is indeed dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Revolution. But it does not feature quotations of the songs from the National Liberation War (Narodnooslobodilacka borba, NOB) or procedures known from the 1940s. The only connection with the Revolution is found in the movements' subtitles (Youth—Unrests—Occupation—New world (Mladost—Nemiri—Okupacija—Novi svet)), but in synthesis with Ristić's biography. The "classic" four-movement symphonic cycle with the "appropriate" order of movements (second movement ''Scherzo'', third movement slow) is realized with "contemporary" language. The language "contemporaneousness" however, is not unambiguous since it does not pertain to dodecaphony or tonal means, while at the same time both the procedures with twelve tones and clear "tonal" centers exist in the work. Here, Ristić also demonstrated his contrapuntal and orchestration skills, though without indication of communicating an extra musical narrative. This composition does not contain a "strict, determined program," but, as Peričić states "it operates by its sole musical content." The "non-discursive" trait of this symphony is emphasized by its traditional four-movement formal plan: ''Allegro moderato—Vivace'', ''Come una Marcia funebre, Tempo I—Andante mosso— Allegro assai'', in which individual movements follow the sonata form (first and fourth movements), and binary—ternary architectural patterns (second and third movements). ''Concerto for piano and orchestra'' from 1954 is conceived simply, without the usual virtuosity. The micro plan of the work, with order of movements—fast-slow-fast—does not deviate from traditional concept. Ristić here also utilizes C. Franck's cyclical principle. Following the first subject in C-major, the appearance of the second subject in

A-flat major A-flat major is a major scale based on A♭ (musical note), A, with the pitches A, B♭ (musical note), B, C (musical note), C, D♭ (musical note), D, E♭ (musical note), E, F (musical note), F, and G (musical note), G. Its key signature has fou ...

, as well as

meter The metre (or meter in US spelling; symbol: m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Since 2019, the metre has been defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of of ...

changes in the second movement (4/4, 5/4, 4/4, and 5/4) depart from "classical" solutions. The second, lyrical movement begins with a polyphonic excerpt with meter changes, thus implying folk connotations. The third movement, featuring chords brisker then used previously, flows in an upbeat motion. The oeuvre of Milan Ristić additionally includes Concerto for violin (1944), Concerto for clarinet (1964), the Fourth (1966), Fifth (1967), Sixth (1968), Seventh (1972), Eighth (1974), and Ninth (1976) symphonies, Concerto for piano from 1973, and Concerto for trumpet from 1978.

Selected works

Orchestral: *''Sinfonietta'' (1939) *''First symphony'' (1941) *''Man and war'' (''Čovek i rat'') (1942), symphonic poem *''Second symphony'' (1951) *''Suita giocosa'' (1956) *''Symphonic variations'' (1957) *''Burlesque'' (1957) *''The Seven bagatelles'' (1959) *''Third symphony'' (1961) *''Music for chamber orchestra'' (1962) *''Fourth symphony'' (1966) *''Fifth symphony'' (1967) *''Sixth symphony'' (1968) *''Seventh symphony'' (1972) *''Eighth symphony'' (1974) *''Ninth symphony'' (1976) Concertante works: *''Concerto for violin'' (1944) *''First concerto for piano'' (1954) *''Concerto for chamber orchestra'' (1958) *''Concerto for orchestra'' (1963) *''Concerto for clarinet'' (1964) *''Second concerto for piano'' (1973) *''Concerto for trumpet'' (1978) Chamber works: *''Duet'' for violin and viola (1931) *''First string quartet'' (1935) *''Wind quintet'' (1936) *''Suite for violin and viola'' (1937) *Second string quartet (1942) *Sonata for viola and piano (1945) *''Music for quartet of horns'' (1970) *''Five sketches'' for flute, clarinet, viola, and harp (1971) *''Five characters'' for wind quintet (1972) *''Third string quartet'' (1977) *''Fourth string quartet'' (1977) *''Fifth string quartet'' (1977) Solo pieces: *''Little suite'' for solo double bass (1975) Sheet Music *Concerto for chamber orchestra (Composers' Association of Serbia, CAS (Udruženje kompozitora Srbije, UKS), 1971) *First concerto for piano and orchestra (Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, SASA (SANU), 1979) *Second concerto for piano and orchestra (SASA, 1977), orchestral score and reduction for two pianos *Third symphony (SASA, 1965) *Fourth symphony (CAS, 1968) *Seventh symphony (SASA, 1981) *''Symphonic variations'' (Yugoslav Composers Editions, 1961) Recordings *''Five characters'' for five instruments, Rudolf Bruči and Milan Ristić; Yugoslav Music Forum, Jugoton, LPS-61062, 1973. *The Eighth symphony and ''Five pieces'' for chamber orchestra, PGP RTB, LP 2517; Contemporary Yugoslav Composers, 1977.

Literature

*Bergamo, Marija. 1977. ''A Composer's Work: The Creative path of Milan Ristić'' (Delo kompozitora: Stvaralački put Milana Ristića). Belgrade: Univerzitet umetnosti. *Marinković, Sonja, ed. 2010. ''Milan Ristić''. Belgrade: FMU. *Mikić, Vesna. 2007. "The Neoclassical tendencies" (Neoklasične tendencije). In ''A History of Serbian music''. Belgrade: Zavod za udžbenike. *Mikić, Vesna. 2009. ''The Faces of Serbian music – Neoclassicism'' (Lica srpske muzike – neoklasicizam). Belgrade: FMU. *Milin, Melita. 1998. ''The Traditional and the novel in post World War II Serbian music'' (1945-1965) (Tradicionalno i novo u srpskoj muzici posle Drugog svetskog rata (1945-1965)). Belgrade: Institute of Musicology, SASA. *Peričić, Vlastimir. 1969. ''Composers in Serbia'' (Muzički stvaraoci u Srbiji). Belgrade: Prosveta. *Stojanović-Novičić, Dragana and Marija Masnikosa.2007. "Orchestral music," in ''A History of Serbian music'', Belgrade: Zavod za udžbenike. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ristic, Milan 1908 births 1982 deaths Musicians from Belgrade 20th-century Serbian composers Prague Conservatory alumni