Biography Marián Varga

Marián Varga (Skalica, Czechoslovakia, January 29, 1947 - August 9, 2017) was a Slovak musician, composer and organ player.

He has played piano since the age of six. He studied piano and composition at the conservatory in Bratislava. He left the conservatory after three years to become a member of the group Prúdy, and contributed to the legendary album Zvoňte zvonky. He left Prúdy as suddenly as he had left conservatory only to establish the first Czechoslovak art rock band Collegium Musicum.

The repertoire of Collegium Musicum, comprising mostly instrumental pieces, included reinterpretations of the themes of classics such as Joseph Haydn, Béla Bartók and Igor Stravinsky, complemented by original compositions. Already at this stage his work bore signs of postmodernism (Eufónia of the album Konvergencie), which later became the basic principle of his work.

When Collegium Musicum disbanded in 1979, Varga started a solo career. Among other achievements, he became a pioneer of absolute improvisation (real-time composition) in Slovakia. In the meantime he continued to contribute to popular music. His collaboration with Pavol Hammel led to five successful albums and to the first rock musical in Slovakia.

Discography

with Prúdy

1968: Zvoňte zvonky

Collegium Musicum

1970: "Hommage à J.S.Bach / Ulica plná plášťov do dažďa" (SP)

1971: Collegium Musicum

1971: Konvergencie

1973: Collegium Musicum Live

1975: Marián Varga & Collegium Musicum

1978: Continuo

1979: On a Ona

1981: Divergencie

1997: Collegium Musicum '97 (Live)

with Pavol Hammel[edit]

1972: Zelená pošta

1976: Na II. programe sna (along with Radim Hladik)

1978: Cyrano z predmestia

1989: Všetko je inak

1993: Labutie piesne

with Vladimír Merta

1992: Cestou k ... Stabil - Instabil

Solo albums

1984: Stále tie dni

2003: Solo in Concert (Live)

2006: Marián Varga & Moyzesovo kvarteto

Anthology

2006: Hommage à Marián Varga

Awards

Hall of Fame ZAI Award – Grand Prix

Aurel Award – Lifetime Achievement

Pribina Cross – 2nd Class

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