Artist database

This is the Artist Database of BMC, which includes information about composers, musicians, orchestras, choirs and groups that are either Hungarian or Hungarian by origin or live in Hungary, as well as information about releases recorded with them.

Eötvös Péter


Composer

Place of Birth
Székelyudvarhely [Odorheiu Secuiesc, Románia]
Date of Birth
1944
Web

 
2 January 1944 Székelyudvarhely [today: Odorheiu Secuiesc, Romania] - 2024. március 24.

Peter Eötvös is one of the best known interpreters of 20th century music. He was born in 1944 in Transsylvania, received diplomas from Budapest Academy of Music (composition) and Hochschule für Musik in Cologne (conducting). Between 1968 and 1976 he played regularly with the Stockhausen Ensemble. From 1971 to 1979 he collaborated with the electronic music studio of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk in Cologne.

In 1978, at the invitation of Pierre Boulez, he conducted the inaugural concert of IRCAM in Paris, and was subsequently named musical director of the Ensemble InterContemporain, a post he held until 1991. Since his Proms debut in 1980 he made regular appearances in London. During 1985-1988 he was Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He was appointed First Guest Conductor at the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 1992-1995, First Guest Conductor at National Philharmonic Orchestra (Budapest) in 1998-2001, Chief Conductor of the Radio Chamber Orchestra of Hilversum in 1994-2005, First Guest conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2003-2005 and Principal Guest Conductor, Modern and Contemporary Repertoire at Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra from 2003 to 2007. From 2009 he was First Guest Conductor at Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna.

Other orchestras he worked with include the most important Radio Orchestras in Europe, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonia, Wiener Philharmoniker, Orchestre de Paris, Cleveland Orchestra, NHK Orchestra Tokyo, Los Angeles Philharmonic and New Japan Symphony Orchestra. He also worked in opera houses including La Scala Milan, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and La Monnaie, Brussels, Festival Opera Glyndebourne, Theatre du Chatelet Paris, with directors including Luca Ronconi, Robert Altman, Klaus-Michael Grüber, Robert Wilson, Nikolaus Lehnhof, Ushio Amagatsu.

In 1991 he founded the International Eötvös Institute and Foundation, in 2004 the Eötvös Contemporary Music Foundation in Budapest for young conductors and composers. During 1992-98 he was professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe, and from 1998 to 2001 at Cologne's Hochschule für Musik. He returned to his post at the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe between 2002-2007. He regularly conducted master courses and seminars all over the world, e.g. Edekoben, Luzern, Basel, Luxemburg, Szombathely, Madrid etc.

His many compositions (e.g. Atlantis, zeroPoints, Shadows, Levitation, CAP-KO, SEVEN) and operas (Three sisters, Le Balcon, Angels in America, Love and Other Demons, Die Tragödie des Teufels) are regularly performed throughout the world.

Three Sisters was awarded France´s Prix Claude-Rostand, Grand Prix de la Critique (1997/98) and Victoires de la Musique Classique et du Jazz (1999) and its CD won Grand Prix of Academie Charles Cros (1999), Diapason d´or de l´année 2000" in France, ECHO Preis 2000" in Germany and "Prix Caecilia" in Belgium (2000). In 2003 the film of his opera" Le Balcon" won the Grand Prix Golden Prague. His CD Bartók Bluebeard´s Castle was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004. His violin concerto Seven was awarded "Prix de Composition Musicale" at Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco in 2008. His work Valuska, based on the novel by László Krasznahorkai, was awarded the Artisjus Prize (posthumous) in May 2024.

His works have been recorded by BIS AG, BMC, DGG, ECM, Kairos, col legno, Erato, Hungaroton and his music is published by Editio Musica (Budapest), Ricordi (Munich), Salabert (Paris), Schott Music (Mainz).

Peter Eötvös was a member of the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, Széchenyi Academy of Art in Budapest and Sächsische Akademie der Künste in Dresden, Royal Swedish Academy of Music.


Prizes:

1988 Officier de l´Ordre des l´Arts et des Lettres (by the French Cultural Minister)
1997 Bartók Prize
2000 Christoph und Stephan Kaske Prize
2001 Gundel-Prize (for theatre work As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams)
2001 Hungarian Classical Award of the Hungarian magazine Gramofon
2002 Kossuth Prize
2002 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award
2002 Prize SACD Palmarčs (in cathegory "Prix Musique")
2003 Commandeur l´Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (by the French Cultural Minister)
2003 Freeman of Budapest
2004 Cannes Classical Award for "Living Composer"
2004 Pro Europa Prize
2006 Im memoriam Béla Bartók Prize
2006 Hungarian Arts Prize
2006 Grand Prix de la PMI - Prix Antoine Livio (Association Presse Musicale Internationale)
2007 Frankfurter Musikpreis
2011 Golden Lion Award for Lifetime achievement (55th International Contemporary Music Festival Biennale la Venezia 2011)
2015 Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary
2016 Le Grand Prix de la Fondation Simone et Cino del Duca - Composition musicale (Académie des Beaux-Arts, Paris)
2017 Artisjus Prize
2018 Goethe Medal
2024 Kossuth Grand Prize
2024 Artisjus Prize (posthumus)

see also: Eötvös Péter - conductor
 
Year Title Publisher Code Remark
1979 Magyar elektronikus zene
(Hungarian Electronic Music)
Hungaroton SLPX 11851 LP
1985 Eötvös Péter: Tücsökzene / A szél szekvenciái
(Eötvös, Péter: Cricketmusic / Windsequenzen)
Hungaroton SLPX 12602 Own
LP
1989 Eötvös Péter: Chinese Opera; Intervalles Intérieurs Erato ECD 75554 Own
1990 Musikprotokoll '90 ORF MP 90 ORF 08
1997 Zeitreisen - Andere Welten - 50 Jahre Neue Musik in NRW (CD 5) Koch-Schwann 3-5037-2 2 CDs
1998 Eötvös Péter: Atlantis BMC Records BMC CD 007 Own
1999 Eötvös Péter: Psalm 151, Psy, Triangel BIS Records BIS-CD-948 Own
1999 Eötvös Péter: Három nővér
(Eötvös, Péter: Three Sisters)
Deutsche Grammophon 459 694-2 Own
2 CDs
Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros (Paris, 1999)
Prix Caecilia (Union de la presse musicale Belge, 2000)
ECHO Klassik-Preis 2000
DIAPASON D'OR DE L'ANNEE - France 2000
2000 Donaueschinger Musiktage 1999 Col Legno WWE 2CD 20075 2 CDs
2000 Eötvös Péter: Chinese Opera, Shadows, Steine Kairos 0012082KAI Own
2000 Kim Kashkashian - Bartók / Eötvös / Kurtág ECM Records ECM 1711
2001 Eötvös Péter: zeroPoints / Beethoven: V. szimfónia
(Eötvös, Péter: zeroPoints / Beethoven: Symphony No.5)
BMC Records BMC CD 063 Own
2001 Psy: A cimbalom varázsa
(Psy: Charm of the Cimbalom)
Hungaroton HCD 32015
2001 Eötvös Péter: Vocal Works BMC Records BMC CD 038 Own
2002 Eötvös Péter: Elektrokrónika
(Eötvös, Péter: Electrochronicle)
BMC Records BMC CD 072 Own
2002 Dervistánc
(Dervish Dance)
BMC Records BMC CD 059
2003 Eötvös Péter: Intervalles Interieurs / Szélszekvenciák
(Intervalles Interieurs / Windsequenzen)
BMC Records BMC CD 092 Own
2003 Peter Eötvös - CD Portrait - Work Catalogue Schott KAT 71-99 Own
2003 Eötvös Péter: IMA, Kosmos, Korrespondenz BMC Records BMC CD 085 Own
2004 Eötvös Péter: Snatches
(Péter Eötvös: Snatches)
BMC Records BMC CD 097 Own
2004 Music Colors - Hungarian Contemporary Music (1989-2004) BMC HMIC BMC PCD 015 Not for sale - only for promotion
2005 A 70-es évek kortárs magyar szerzőinek közös művei
(Joint works of contemporary Hungarian composers from the 1970's)
BMC Records BMC CD 116
2005 La langue maternelle - Mother Tongue - Bartók, Ligeti, Kurtág, Eötvös L'empreinte Digitale ED 13211
2005 a la Carte - szólódarabok gordonkára
(a la Carte - Solo Works for Cello)
Hungaroton HCD 32288
2006 Eötvös Péter: Jet Stream; Gruber, Karl Heinz: Aerial; Turnage, Mark-Anthony: From The Wreckage Deutsche Grammophon DGG 00289 477 6150 20/21
2007 Eötvös Péter: Cap-ko; Zimmermann, Bernd Alois: Konzert für Violine und großes Orchester; Smolka, Martin: Walden, the Destiller of Celestial Dews NEOS NEOS 10705
2008 Studio für elektronische Musik des WDR Köln Deutscher Musikrat 74321 73560 2 Musik in Deutschland 1950-2000
2009 Eötvös Péter: As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams (Az álmok hídján mentem át)
(Eötvös, Péter: As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams)
BMC Records BMC CD 138 Own
2009 Kosmos / Crumb - Kurtág - Stockhausen - Bartók - Eötvös NEOS NEOS 20802
2010 Ensemble Linea Plays Eötvös BMC Records BMC CD 175 Own
2011 Reto Bieri: Contrechant ECM Records ECM 2209
2012 Bartók / Eötvös / Ligeti naive V 5285 2 CDs
2012 Eötvös Péter: Három nővér
(Péter Eötvös: Three Sisters)
BMC Records BMC CD 190 Own
Previously released on Deutsche Grammophon in 1999 (459 694-2)
2012 Levitation - Eötvös, Nielsen, Sallinen Alba 314
2013 TESELA - Lavista - Finnissy - Fedele - Pesson - Dillon - Eötvös - Mundry - Sotelo Verso Verso 2143
2013 Eötvös Péter: Love and Other Demons Glyndebourne Productions GFOCD 020-08 Own
2 CDs
2014 Eötvös Péter: Concertos BMC Records BMC CD 170 Own
2014 Christina Meißner: When! Querstand VKJK 1415
2016 Eötvös Péter: Paradise Reloaded (Lilith) BMC Records BMC CD 226 Own
2017 Eötvös Péter: Vonósnégyesek - The Sirens Cycle / Korrespondenz
(Péter Eötvös: String Quartets - The Sirens Cycle / Korrespondenz)
BMC Records BMC CD 249 Own
2019 Eötvös Péter: Gliding - Négy zenekari darab
(Péter Eötvös: Gliding - Four Works for symphony orchestra)
BMC Records BMC CD 284 Own
2020 Eötvös Péter: Senza sangue
(Péter Eötvös: Senza sangue)
BMC Records BMC CD 278 Own
2020 Ildikó Szabó: Heritage Hungaroton HCD 32813 Includes World Première Recordings
2021 Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps / Eötvös: Alhambra Concerto Harmonia Mundi HMM 902655 Own
2022 Kebyart: Lectures différentes - Stravinsky, Eötvös, Haydn & Pérez-Villegas Linn Records CKD 691 Own
2024 Eötvös Péter: Fermata, Respond, Cziffra Psodia BMC Records BMC CD 332 Own
 
Title Type Year
"Now, Miss!" Chamber Music 2016
"Now, Miss!" (Klangspiel) Live and tape music 1972
600 Impulse Ensemble 2000
A magyar romokon Solo voice(s) a cappella 1959
Arrival Film music 1962
The Summer Cloud Children's choir 2017
The Woman Film music 1965
Adagio Instrumental solo 1959
Adventures of the Dominant Seventh Chord Instrumental solo 2019
Alhambra Concerto 2018
Alle Vittime Senza Nome Symphony orchestra 2016
Amerigo Tot Film music 1969
Mourning Becomes Elektra Music for the theater 1963
Angels in America Opera 2004
Golden Age Film music 1963
Arena Film music 1970
Timon of AThens Music for the theater 1969
Atlantis Solo voice(s) with solo instr. and orch. 1995
Aurora Concerto 2019
The Professor of Inferno Film music 1969
Tragedy of Man Music for the theater 1964
The Silver Tassie Music for the theater 1961
As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams Stage work 1999
Becket Music for the theater 1965
Brass - The Metal Space Ensemble 1990
Bánk bán Music for the theater 1968
CAP-KO (dedicated to Béla Bartók) Concerto 2005
Cadenza Instrumental solo 2008
Cadenza Instrumental solo 2022
Cello Concerto Grosso Concerto 2011
Chinese Opera Symphony orchestra 1986
Cziffra Psodia Concerto 2020
Dances of the Brush-footed Butterfly Instrumental solo 2012
Der Blick Multimedia 1997
Der Goldene Drache / The Golden Dragon Stage work 2014
Derwischtanz Instrumental solo 1993
Dialog mit Mozart Symphony orchestra 2016
Die Tragödie des Teufels Opera 2009
Die lange Reise / The Long Journey Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 2014
DoReMi Concerto 2012
Dodici Chamber Music 2013
Dodici per sei Chamber orchestra 2015
Drei Aphorismen von Heinrich Heine Chamber Music 2019
Drei Madrigalkomödien Vocal ensemble 1990
Sound of the Danube Choir and orchestra 2017
Echo Chamber Music 2022
A Crazy Night Film music 1969
Solitude Children's choir 1956
Electrochronicle Tape music 1974
Stolen Entrance Music for the theater 1965
Encore Chamber Music 2005
Endless Eight I. Choir and solo instrument(s) 1981
Endless Eight II. - Apeiron musikon Choir and solo instrument(s) 1989
Erdenklavier-Himmelklavier Nr. 1. Instrumental solo 2003
Erdenklavier-Himmelklavier Nr. 2 Instrumental solo 2006
Fermata Ensemble 2021
Focus Concerto 2021
Spotty and Bigears Music for the theater 1966
Fünf frühe Klavierstücke Instrumental solo 1961
Goretsch! Goretsch! Solo voice(s) a cappella 2017
Halleluja - Oratorio Balbulum Choir and orchestra 2015
Harakiri Stage work 1973
Harp Concerto Concerto 2023
Six Characters in Search of an Author Music for the theater 1964
Herbsttag Female choir 2011
Hommage à Domenico Scarlatti Concerto 2013
Hommage à Haydn Instrumental solo 1959
Hommage à Kurtág Live and tape music 1975
Trois Sœurs / Drei Schwestern / Three Sisters Opera 1997
Seven Raisins Music for the theater 1965
The Storm Music for the theater 1964
IMA Choir and orchestra 2002
Fascination Film music 1963
Il Maestro Instrumental solo 1974
Improvisation Instrumental solo 1961
Intervalles-Interieurs Live and tape music 1981
Jet Stream Concerto 2002
Joyce Instrumental solo 2018
Joyce for clarinet and string quartet Chamber Music 2017
Konzert für zwei Klaviere Concerto 2007
Korrespondenz Chamber Music 1992
Kosmos Instrumental solo 1961
Kosmos Chamber Music 1999
Chalk-Drawings Film music 1968
Relentless Times Film music 1991
A Strange Melody Film music 1968
LIGETIDYLL Ensemble 2022
Lady Sarashina Opera 2007
Le Balcon Opera 2002
Lectures différentes Chamber Music 2014
Leonce and Lena Music for the theater 1961
Levitation Concerto 2007
Lisztomania Chamber Music 2018
Love and Other Demons Opera 2007
MAO-ZOO, prelude on theme by FKK Ensemble 2020
Cats´ Play Film music 1974
Märchen / Conte / Tale Tape music 1968
Molto tranquillo Chamber Music 2015
Mosaics of Coal Film music 1964
Multiversum Concerto 2017
Music for New York Tape music 1971
May Song Solo voice(s), choir & chamber ensemble 1955
Natasha Trio Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 2006
New Psalm 2013
O Rose! (From "Ulysses" by James Joyce) Chamber Music 2015
Octet Ensemble 2008
Octet Plus Solo voice(s) with ensemble 2008
Paradise reloaded (Lilith) Opera 2013
Paris-Dakar Concerto 2000
Pierre Idyll Ensemble 1984
Prometheus Film music 1962
Psalm 151 Instrumental solo 1993
Psy Chamber Music 1996
Psychokosmos Concerto 1993
Radames Opera 1975
Reading Malevich Symphony orchestra 2018
Replica Concerto 1998
Respond Concerto 2021
Rondo Instrumental solo 1961
Rottenbiller Street 16-22 Live electronic music 1990
Scherzo Instrumental solo 1960
Schiller: energische Schönheit Choir and chamber ensemble 2010
Secret Kiss Stage work 2018
Sentimental Instrumental solo 2017
Senza sangue Opera 2015
Seven (Memorial for the Columbia Astronauts) Concerto 2006
Shadows for Ensemble Concerto 1996
Shadows for Orchestra Concerto 1996
Sirens´ Song Symphony orchestra 2020
Sleepless Opera 2020
Snatches of a Conversation Concerto 2001
Sonata per sei Concerto 2006
Speaking Drums Concerto 2013
Steine Ensemble 1985
Thirst Film music 1965
Darkness at Noon Film music 1963
The Gliding of the Eagle in the Skies Symphony orchestra 2011
The Sirens Cycle Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 2016
Thunder Instrumental solo 1993
Triangel Concerto 1993
Trio à cordes Chamber Music 2020
Memories of a River Film music 1989
Oliver Twist Music for the theater 1963
Two Monologues Solo voice(s) with orchestra 1998
Two Poems to Polly Instrumental solo 1998
The Winter´s Tale Music for the theater 1969
Space Film music 1962
Fragment from János Arany´s Ballad Instrumental solo 2018
Cricketmusic Tape music 1970
Thorn under the Nail Film music 1987
UNICEF Instrumental solo 2005
Un taxi l´attend, mais Tchékhov préfère aller à pied / There´s a taxi waiting for Chekhov, but he´d rather go on foot Instrumental solo 2004
Valuska Opera 2023
Windsequenzen Ensemble 1975
Zwei Promenaden (from "Triangel") Chamber Music 1993
a Call Instrumental solo 2015
da capo Ensemble 2014
désaccord - pour deux altos Chamber Music 2001
désaccord 2 Chamber Music 2018
para Paloma Instrumental solo 2015
per Luciano Berio Symphony orchestra 2018
zeroPoints Symphony orchestra 1999
The Age of Daydreaming Film music 1964
In Fifth Position Film music 1962
The Glass Menagerie Music for the theater 1963