Artist database

6 April 1912 Budapest – 14 April 1989 Budapest

Composer, conductor, academy teacher. Between 1932 and 1935 he was pupil of Albert Siklós, Zoltán Kodály and Antal Molnár at the composing department of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. In 1937 he graduated in composing.

Until 1945 he conducted the choir of the Leather Union, and meanwhile he was substitute of Sándor Vándor in the Vándor Choir. In 1945 he organized the Free Union of Hungarian Composers and the Cultural Union of Workers. He was also secretary general of the Bartók Association, which united all the Hungarian choirs. From 1950 to 1952 he was leader of the Hungarian Radio Choir. Between 1952 and 1956 he organized a choir in Sztálinváros (today: Dunaújváros). From 1959 to 1972 he was teacher of the Upper Teacher Training Institute in Budapest.

In the ‘60s he renewed his music resources and caught up with modern composing. Around 1967 he developed his own music language. The years 1986-1988 mean the peak of his career: with his compositions he was successful not only in Hungary, but abroad as well (Darmstadt). He composed vocal, concerto and theater music, but chamber and solo works as well.

His major works are: Red Rebecca (ballade, 1946 – revised: 1957), Golden Star (operetta, 1950), Petőfi (cantata, 1952), Attila József (cantata, 1954), Water rose (opera, 1958), György Dózsa (oratorio, 1958), three wind quintets (1953, 1961, 1966), five string quartets (1954, 1958, 1961, 1972, 1981), Musica notturna (1968), Trio (percussion, piano, 1969), Violin solo sonata (1980), Violin solo sonata No. 2. (1988).

Prizes, awards:
Erkel Prize in 1954 and 1980