Ilja Hurník (25 November 1922 – 7 September 2013) was a Czech composer and essayist.
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.
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
Tance z baletu Ondráš (Dances from the Ballet "Ondráš"), Suite (1949, 1951)
Komorní hudba (Chamber Music) for string orchestra (1962)
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)