Alfred Uhl

Alfred Uhl was born on 5 June 1909 in Vienna (Austria). He grew up in a musical family and received his first lessons in violin, cello and piano from his parents and his uncle. Later he studied cello with Joachim Stutschewsky and piano with Max Kuhn. He began composing at the age of thirteen and in 1925 gave his first public concert with his own compositions.
From 1927 to 1932 Uhl studied composition with Franz Schmidt at the Vienna Academy of Music, graduating with distinction. During his studies he already attracted attention with several chamber music works, including a Trio for violin, viola and guitar. In 1931 he presented a successful concert of his compositions at the Vienna Konzerthaus.
After completing his studies, Uhl worked as a freelance composer, initially in Switzerland and later also in other European cities, including Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam. During this period he was particularly successful as a composer of film music, writing scores for documentary, cultural and commercial films. He returned to Vienna in 1938.
In 1940 Uhl was drafted into the German Wehrmacht and served on the Eastern Front. In 1941 he suffered a severe injury from a landmine, losing part of his right foot. Following his military service he resumed his musical activities. In 1943 Uhl received the Schubert Prize of the City of Vienna and began teaching at the Vienna Academy of Music.
After the Second World War Uhl continued his teaching career at the Vienna Academy, where he taught composition, music theory and instrumentation. He became a professor in 1966 and remained active as a teacher for several decades. Among his numerous students were Friedrich Cerha, Paul Angerer, Anestis Logothetis, Heinz Karl Gruber and Karlheinz Essl. From 1949 to 1954 he was co-founder and president of the Austrian Society for Contemporary Music.
During the 1950s Uhl continued composing film music as well as orchestral and chamber music. One of his most important works was the oratorio Gilgamesch, composed between 1954 and 1956 and premiered at the Vienna Musikverein in 1957. The work established his reputation as one of Austria's leading contemporary composers. 
Uhl received numerous awards and honours, including the Grand Austrian State Prize in 1960, the Music Prize of the City of Vienna in 1961 and the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art. From 1970 to 1975 he served as president of the Austrian Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers (AKM).
Alfred Uhl died on 8 June 1992 in Vienna (Austria).

In my possession is the autograph manuscript of the "Perpetuum mobile, for flute and guitar". According to work catalogue Alfred Uhl only composed one work for flute and guitar, the "3 Stücke" from the year 1982. The "3 Stücke" consists of the parts "Scherzo capriccioso", "Notturno" and "Humoreske", so the Perpetuum mobile in the manuscript seems to be an independent work. The duration is around 2 minutes.