Peter James Leonard Klatzow (14 July 1945 – 29 December 2021) was a South African composer and pianist known for his contributions to classical music in South Africa, particularly through his innovative use of tonality, integration of diverse cultural influences, and significant advancements in marimba music. He held academic positions at the University of Cape Town, where he became an emeritus professor of composition and director of the South African College of Music.

Klatzow was born in Springs, South Africa, into a family with Jewish heritage, although he was baptized at St. Peter's Anglican Church, Brakpan, due to his maternal grandmother's influence. His early musical education began at the Roman Catholic convent of Saint Imelda in Brakpan when he was about five years old.^[2]

After completing his schooling, Klatzow briefly taught music and Afrikaans at Waterford Kamhlaba School in Swaziland before moving to London in 1964 to study at the Royal College of Music (RCM). At the RCM, he studied under notable figures such as Bernard Stevens (composition), Gordon Jacob (orchestration), and Kathleen Long (piano). During his time there, Klatzow won several prizes for composition.^[3] He also studied in Italy before taking lessons with the famous pedagogue Nadia Boulanger in Paris, who had a lasting influence on his compositional philosophy.^[2]

Klatzow passed away from COVID-19 on 29 December 2021, at the age of 76, in Cape Town.^[4][5]

Hannes Taljaard, in his analysis of Klatzow’s approach to tonality, highlights the composer’s ability to move fluidly between atonal and tonal sections within a single piece. In his orchestral work Still Life with Moonbeams (1975), for example, Taljaard notes the stark contrast between the atonal first section and the tonal second section. The juxtaposition of these contrasting tonal approaches is enhanced through Klatzow’s use of different instrumental textures and pitch classes. This exploration of tonality reflects a broader tension in Klatzow’s work between modernist abstraction and more traditional harmonic structures, a characteristic that marks his unique contribution to South African classical music.^[6]

James May discusses Klatzow’s body of work for solo piano, tracing the composer’s development through key pieces such as Piano Piece I (1970) and Murmurs of Tiger and Flame (1982). May emphasizes Klatzow’s deep understanding of the piano’s potential, particularly his use of resonance and textural contrasts to create atmospheric soundscapes. Works like Moments of Night (1968, revised 1982) show how Klatzow continuously regenerated thematic material to achieve unity across his compositions. Through these solo piano works, Klatzow consolidated many of the stylistic advances that defined his later career.^[7]

Klatzow also drew inspiration from interdisciplinary connections, particularly with visual arts and poetry. His song cycle Tyd van Verhuising (1977) was inspired by the poetry of Ernst van Heerden and Paul Klee’s painting Death and Fire. This interdisciplinary engagement became a hallmark of Klatzow’s work throughout his career, particularly in his engagement with abstraction in visual arts.^[8]

Klatzow’s compositions span various genres, from orchestral to solo instrumental, with notable contributions to choral music and marimba repertoire:

• String Quartet No. 1 (1977)
• String Quartet No. 2 (1988)
• String Quartet No. 3 (1997)
• Piano Piece I (1970)
• Murmurs of Tiger and Flame (1982)
• Mass (1988)
• A Mass for Africa (1994)
• Spiritual Canticle of St. John of the Cross (2005)
• Dances of Earth and Fire (1988)
• Six Concert Etudes for Marimba (1987)
• Inyanga (2007)
• Still-life with Moonbeams (1974)
• Hamlet: The Ballet (1991)

Klatzow was deeply influenced by the work of Swiss-German artist Paul Klee. His composition Tyd van Verhuising (1977) is based on Klee’s painting Death and Fire, with instrumental interludes that provide a musical interpretation of the painting’s abstract symbolism. For Klatzow, the abstraction in Klee’s art provided a rich source of inspiration, allowing him to explore the layers of meaning through musical textures and colors. This blending of art forms is a hallmark of Klatzow’s work, creating a synaesthetic experience for audiences.^[8]

In an interview with Albi Odendaal, Klatzow reflected on how his audience changed over time. Initially focused on the avant-garde, he eventually moved toward a broader, more inclusive musical language that engaged with the classical repertoire while maintaining his distinct voice, particularly in the realm of marimba music.^[2] Martina Viljoen has also highlighted Klatzow’s sensitivity to the interplay between different art forms, noting that his compositions often evoke synaesthetic experiences where visual, literary, and musical metaphors converge.^[8]

Klatzow’s academic career was largely spent at the University of Cape Town, where he taught from 1973 until his retirement. As a professor and mentor, Klatzow influenced generations of South African composers, helping shape the country’s music landscape. He also co-founded the Society of Contemporary Music in Cape Town, which fostered the creation and performance of new music in South Africa.^[2] Klatzow was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music by the University of Cape Town in 1999 in recognition of his contributions.^[9]

Hendrik Hofmeyr, in his SAMUS foreword, lauded Klatzow for his meticulous craftsmanship and sensitivity to instrumental color. Robert Fokkens critically examined Klatzow’s position within post-colonial South African music, describing him as a composer who navigated the tensions between Western art music traditions and South Africa’s complex cultural landscape. Fokkens noted that Klatzow’s decision to avoid direct engagement with African musical traditions was reflective of his desire to avoid cultural appropriation and simplistic nationalisms.^[10]

• Still-life with Moonbeams (1974)
• Dances of Earth and Fire (1988)
• Chamber Concerto for 7 (1979)
• Inyanga (2007)
• Hamlet: The Ballet (1991)
• Ach, Bach (1987)
• Six Concert Etudes for Marimba
• Music for 3 Paintings by Irma Stern
• Mass
• Two Songs from the /Xam
• Sonata for Cello and Piano
• Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

• Joint winner of the 1977 International Composers' Competition^[11]
• Twice awarded the Helgard Steyn Prize (1994 for From the Poets, 2014 for Lightscapes)^[12]
• Doctor of Music awarded by UCT in 1999
• Huberte Rupert Music Prize by the Academy of Science of South Africa (2011)^[5]

• Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints, Op. 211 (1990) (Alan Hovhaness, Peter Klatzow, Frank Nuyts)
• A Programme of Piano Music from South Africa (Arnold Van Wyk, Peter Klatzow, Roelof Temmingh, David Kosviner, Jill Richards)
• Towards the light – a selection of choral works recorded in Oxford by the Commotio choir, under the direction of Matthew Berry.

• Composers in South Africa Today. Oxford University Press. 1987. ISBN 978-0-19-570431-0.

• Official website
• Peter Klatzow discography at Discogs
• "Makoemazaan" for piano solo, performed by Gintaras Januševičius