Károlyi Pál
Composer
Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1934
Szombathely, 9th June, 1934 - Budapest, 2nd July, 2015
Pal Karolyi was born in Budapest on June 9th, 1934. He learned to compose music from István Szelényi in the Bartók Béla Vocational School of Music. Then, between 1956 and 1962, he conducted his studies at the Department of Composition of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest as a student of János Viski and Ferenc Farkas. His diploma work was stigmatised as the music of decaying capitalism, and it was difficult for him to get a job as a teacher in a music school. When he did find a job, he taught playing the piano, followed by music theory and composition until 1990.
In the mid-1960s, radio recordings were made of his chorus and chamber music pieces, and his oratory based on the Old French fable Aucassin and Nicolette. He won different prizes at several Hungarian composer contests. In 1965, his orchestra piece entitled Introduzione e Allegro won third prize at the music competition organised on the occasion of the Harmonien Orchestra of Bergen celebrating the 200th anniversary of its foundation. After that, he visited Stockholm, where his master was composer Bengt Hambraeus.
He scored great successes in Western Europe primarily with his organ works, while in Hungary, his chamber music pieces and compositions were recorded on disc, and authors concerts were held all over the country.
In the 1980s, he went through a creative crisis from which he was elevated by his moving to the village of Narda, near Szombathely, close to the Austrian border, and an order coming from the Szombathely Symphony Orchestra he wrote a symphonic poem he called Piano Competition. This was followed by requests from abroad, and he won the second prize at a competition in West Berlin. A radio recording was made of his Dulcimer Competition, and he composed orchestra, organ, chamber and chorus pieces. His fruitful relationship with the Szombathely orchestra was disrupted after a change in the post of orchestra director.
In 2002, he wrote an oratory for the city of Nürnberg, Germany. He taught at the Berzsenyi Dániel College and worked on some books.
His works include oratories, cantatas, church music pieces, symphony orchestra compositions, chamber music for organ, piano, dulcimer, vibraphone and choir.
Pal Karolyi was born in Budapest on June 9th, 1934. He learned to compose music from István Szelényi in the Bartók Béla Vocational School of Music. Then, between 1956 and 1962, he conducted his studies at the Department of Composition of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest as a student of János Viski and Ferenc Farkas. His diploma work was stigmatised as the music of decaying capitalism, and it was difficult for him to get a job as a teacher in a music school. When he did find a job, he taught playing the piano, followed by music theory and composition until 1990.
In the mid-1960s, radio recordings were made of his chorus and chamber music pieces, and his oratory based on the Old French fable Aucassin and Nicolette. He won different prizes at several Hungarian composer contests. In 1965, his orchestra piece entitled Introduzione e Allegro won third prize at the music competition organised on the occasion of the Harmonien Orchestra of Bergen celebrating the 200th anniversary of its foundation. After that, he visited Stockholm, where his master was composer Bengt Hambraeus.
He scored great successes in Western Europe primarily with his organ works, while in Hungary, his chamber music pieces and compositions were recorded on disc, and authors concerts were held all over the country.
In the 1980s, he went through a creative crisis from which he was elevated by his moving to the village of Narda, near Szombathely, close to the Austrian border, and an order coming from the Szombathely Symphony Orchestra he wrote a symphonic poem he called Piano Competition. This was followed by requests from abroad, and he won the second prize at a competition in West Berlin. A radio recording was made of his Dulcimer Competition, and he composed orchestra, organ, chamber and chorus pieces. His fruitful relationship with the Szombathely orchestra was disrupted after a change in the post of orchestra director.
In 2002, he wrote an oratory for the city of Nürnberg, Germany. He taught at the Berzsenyi Dániel College and worked on some books.
His works include oratories, cantatas, church music pieces, symphony orchestra compositions, chamber music for organ, piano, dulcimer, vibraphone and choir.
| Year | Title | Publisher | Code | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Hommage | Magyar Rádió | MR 011 | 4 CDs |
| Title | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| ... like the Fireflies in the Night | Chamber Music | 1998 |
| Psalm 42 | Mixed choir | 1997 |
| Ad Lydiam | Mixed choir | 0 |
| An Alice / To Alice | Instrumental solo | 1990 |
| An Kig / For Kig | Chamber Music | 1996 |
| Andare | Instrumental solo | 1997 |
| Angelus Domini | Chamber Music | 2001 |
| Anikord | Chamber Music | 1998 |
| Aucassin et Nicolette | Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra | 1964 |
| Ave Maria | Choir and solo instrument(s) | 1999 |
| Ave maris stella | Chamber Music | 2001 |
| Besser singen als fluchen | Chamber Music | 1995 |
| Beyond | String orchestra | 1999 |
| C-A-B-E-D Variation | Chamber Music | 1974 |
| Canzonetta | Instrumental solo | 1994 |
| Chamber Music | Solo voice(s) a cappella | 1963 |
| Cimbalom Concerto | Concerto | 1998 |
| Concerto | Concerto | 0 |
| Consolatio | Symphony orchestra | 1974 |
| Contorni | Chamber Music | 1970 |
| Dies illa | Choir and solo instrument(s) | 1999 |
| Echo | Chamber Music | 1999 |
| Epilogue | Choir and orchestra | 0 |
| Equazioni | Instrumental solo | 1973 |
| Abendstille über den Wasser / Evening Silence Over the Water | Chamber Music | 1999 |
| Formations | Instrumental solo | 1976 |
| String Quaertet No. 2 | Chamber Music | 1970 |
| Incanto | Mixed choir | 0 |
| Jugendalbum | Instrumental solo | 1992 |
| Chamber Music | Chamber Music | 0 |
| Kaszás e földön a halál | Solo voice(s) with ensemble | 1996 |
| Letter to the Loved One | Instrumental solo | 1959 |
| Lontano | Chamber Music | 1996 |
| The Marionettes 1. - Gitti | Chamber Music | 1994 |
| Marmor | Instrumental solo | 1985 |
| Missa in memoriam diei 23. Octobris | Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra | 1963 |
| Modelle | Instrumental solo | 1991 |
| Monodia | Chamber Music | 1980 |
| Motivo 2 | Instrumental solo | 0 |
| Motivo I | Instrumental solo | 0 |
| Nisi Dominus et Agnus Dei | Mixed choir | 1993 |
| Notturno | Female choir | 1974 |
| Nähe des Geliebten | Solo voice(s) with chamber orchestra | 1994 |
| Four Pieces for Cimbalom | Instrumental solo | 1966 |
| Pantomime | Symphony orchestra | 1965 |
| Passacaglia | Instrumental solo | 1993 |
| Preludium | Instrumental solo | 1994 |
| Psalmus in MMII | Choir and solo instrument(s) | 2002 |
| Quintetto in memoriam Professor János Viski | Chamber Music | 1961 |
| Versteckte Worte / Hidden Words | Instrumental solo | 1993 |
| Reminiszenzes / Reminiscences | Instrumental solo | 1991 |
| Alte ungarische Tänze: Suite Nr. 1 from the Linus-Collection | Chamber Music | 1996 |
| Serenata notturna | Chamber Music | 0 |
| Silhouetten / Silhouettes | Instrumental solo | 1991 |
| Sitis | Instrumental solo | 1996 |
| Stabat Mater | Choir and orchestra | 1980 |
| Love Dialogue | Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra | 1971 |
| Sonata | Chamber orchestra | 2000 |
| Te Deum | Mixed choir | 1997 |
| Toccata | Instrumental solo | 1966 |
| Triphtongus 1 | Instrumental solo | 1968 |
| Triphtongus 2 | Instrumental solo | 1970 |
| Triphtongus 3a: Conclusio | Chamber Music | 1975 |
| Triphtongus 3b: Constellatio | Chamber Music | 1975 |
| Piano Concerto | Concerto | 1991 |
| Zueignung | Instrumental solo | 1992 |
| Seasons | Choir a cappella | 0 |