Ilja Hurník (25 November 1922 – 7 September 2013) was a Czech composer and essayist. Biography Hurnik was born in Poruba, now part of Ostrava. He entered the Prague Conservatory, then went on to the Prague Academy of Arts, where he studied with Ilona Štěpánová-Kurzová, daughter of Vilém Kurz. His 1952 Sonata da camera, for flute, oboe, cello and harpsichord, has been recorded on Cedille Records. A 2008 Supraphon CD (SU 3944–2) contains two of Hurník's instrumental compositions: the colorful ballet music Ondráš, written in 1951, and his Four Seasons Chamber Suite, written in 1952. Both are performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra led by Karel Ančerl. He is father of Lukáš Hurník, brother-in-law of Petr Eben and uncle of Marek Eben. Ilja Hurník died in Prague on 7 September 2013 at the age of 90. Selected works Stage Ondráš, Ballet, Silesian Folk Ballad (1949) Dáma a lupiči (The Lady and the Robbers; Die Dame und die Räuber), Comic Opera in 4 acts (1966); libretto by the composer loosely based on the film The Ladykillers Mudrci a bloudi (Wisemen and Fools), Opera in 3 Scenes on Themes of Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modern Times (1986); libretto by the composer Diogenes, Apocrypha (1973); libretto by the composer Faux pas de quatre, Ballet-grotesque (1978) Rybáři v síti (Fishermen in Their Own Nets), Comic Opera (1981); libretto by the composer based on original short stories Oldřich a Boženka (Oldřich and Boženka), Opera (1984); libretto by the composer Orchestral Tance z baletu Ondráš (Dances from the Ballet "Ondráš"), Suite (1949, 1951) Komorní hudba (Chamber Music) for string orchestra (1962) Kyklopes (1965) Serenade for string orchestra (1970) Věci, Divertimento for small orchestra (1977) Klicperovská předehra (Overture à la Klicpera) (1978) Suita z baletu Faux pas de quatre (Suite from the Ballet "Faux pas de quatre") (1978) Symfonieta (1996) Con brio (published 2000) Symphony in C (2000) Leporelo for small orchestra (2007) Faun a Apollo (The Faun and Apollo) (2006, 2008); orchestration of the Sextet for brass and organ Concertante Partita for flute, string orchestra and piano (1950) Concerto for flute and chamber orchestra (1952) Concerto for oboe, string orchestra and harpsichord (or piano) (1954) Concerto for wind instruments, piano and timpani (1956) Sinfonia facile for piano and string orchestra (1963) Concerto for piano and chamber orchestra (1972) Nový clavecin (New Harpsichord) for piano and string orchestra (1975); original for piano solo Concertino for piano