JANACEK, LEOS (1854-1928), Czech composer, was born in Hukvaldy, Moravia, on June 3, 1854, and educated in the mon astery of the Austrian Friars in Brno under the composer, Paul Kflikovsky. After studies in Prague, Leipzig and Vienna he returned to Brno, where, in 1881, he became director of the organ school, and later professor of composition in the master school of the State conservatoire, into which the organ school de veloped. Janacek followed in Kiiikovsky's footsteps, as a col lector of folk songs, especially of Moravia, but went deeper than his master into their psychology. Among his operas, which con tain some of his most original work, are Jonufa: Jeji pastorkylia, a psychological drama of Moravian village life, first produced in Prague (1916) and later heard in Berlin, Vienna and New York; and Katya Kabanova (1922), based on The Storm, a Russian drama by Ostrovsky. In lighter mood are The Excursions of Mr.
Broueek (1920), an operatic satire, and Liika bystrodika (1925), an animal opera. Jana'6ek's remaining works include a dramatic song cycle, The Notebook of One who Vanished; a symphonic poem, The Fiddler's Child; an orchestral rhapsody, Taras Bulba; a string quartet ; a concertino for small orchestra ; a sextet for wind instruments, Youth; and some fine choral works. Janacek died on Aug. 13, 1928.
See F. Bartot and L. Janacek, Kytice z rarodnich pisni kteroui uvili F. Barto.§ a L. Jancieek (1800).