Vántus István
Composer
Place of Birth
Vaja
Date of Birth
1935
27 October 1935, Vaja - 9 July 1992, Debrecen
István Vántus was born in Vaja, Szabolcs-Szatmár county, and spent his childhood years in Nyírbogát. He began his musical studies at the Debrecen Conservatory. In 1955 he entered the Budapest Music Academy, where he studied composition.
He was appointed professor and head of department at the unified Szeged Music Conservatory, established in 1991. He elaborated the first version of his theory of music and composition around 1964.
In 1965 he completed his first opera. A három vándor (The three Wanderers), which offers a summary of his philosophy of life and a theoretical grounding of his sound system. After a long preparatory period, in 1973 he finished his chef-d’oeuvre, a three-act opera entitled Aranykoporsó (The Golden coffin), based on a novel by Ferenc Móra; he also wrote the libretto. Premiered at the Szeged National Theatre on 11 April 1975, it reaped huge success; the Szeged Opera kept it on repertory for the next eight seasons.
István Vántus was born in Vaja, Szabolcs-Szatmár county, and spent his childhood years in Nyírbogát. He began his musical studies at the Debrecen Conservatory. In 1955 he entered the Budapest Music Academy, where he studied composition.
He was appointed professor and head of department at the unified Szeged Music Conservatory, established in 1991. He elaborated the first version of his theory of music and composition around 1964.
In 1965 he completed his first opera. A három vándor (The three Wanderers), which offers a summary of his philosophy of life and a theoretical grounding of his sound system. After a long preparatory period, in 1973 he finished his chef-d’oeuvre, a three-act opera entitled Aranykoporsó (The Golden coffin), based on a novel by Ferenc Móra; he also wrote the libretto. Premiered at the Szeged National Theatre on 11 April 1975, it reaped huge success; the Szeged Opera kept it on repertory for the next eight seasons.
| Title | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Sorrow | Female choir | 1964 |
| The Three Wayfarers | Opera | 1967 |
| Golden Coffin | Opera | 1975 |
| Burlesca | Chamber Music | 1970 |
| Concerto grosso (Nella notte) | String orchestra | 1981 |
| Dithyrambos - For Piano | Instrumental solo | 1977 |
| Transdanubian Pentatonics | String orchestra | 1986 |
| Ecloga | Chamber orchestra | 1979 |
| Subsidences into Silence (Late Message to My Native Village) | String orchestra | 1982 |
| Elegy | Symphony orchestra | 1962 |
| Dont Stir the Water of the Fount | Choir a cappella | 1992 |
| Fragmenta Bathoriana | Solo voice(s), choir & chamber orchestra | 1980 |
| Gemma - For String Orchestra | String orchestra | 1988 |
| Music for Children | Chamber Music | 1958 |
| Soundgroups | Choir a cappella | 1991 |
| Toll - In memoriam Rudolf Maros | Solo voice(s), choir & chamber orchestra | 1985 |
| Anthem to Man | Choir and orchestra | 1970 |
| Hommage á J.S. Bach | Chamber Music | 1986 |
| Hommage á Mozart | Instrumental solo | 1991 |
| Three Strom-Choirs | Mixed choir | 1963 |
| For Eastern | Mixed choir | 1979 |
| Inventio Poetica - About His Eternal and Abiding Love | Choir a cappella | 1975 |
| Come, Storm! | Mixed choir | 1961 |
| Train Arrives | Mixed choir | 1962 |
| Coolie | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1969 |
| The Love of King Kva | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1964 |
| Two Small Children-Choirs | Children's choir | 1990 |
| Two Little Pieces for Piano | Instrumental solo | 1991 |
| Two Autumn Songs | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1961 |
| Madrigal | Female choir | 1960 |
| Meditatio | Chamber Music | 1989 |
| Musica terrena | Symphony orchestra | 1960 |
| Naenia | String orchestra | 1977 |
| Notturno | Chamber orchestra | 1981 |
| Parabola | Chamber Music | 1960 |
| Parable | Mixed choir | 1983 |
| Quintetto d´ottoni / Brass Quintet | Chamber Music | 1987 |
| Rondeau | Instrumental solo | 0 |
| Brass-Embossment in Remembrance of Endre Ady | Chamber Music | 1969 |
| Chess-music | Chamber Music | 1992 |
| Scherzo | Instrumental solo | 0 |
| Sonata for Organ | Instrumental solo | 1960 |
| Suite - For Violin Solo | Instrumental solo | 1961 |
| Testament | Mixed choir | 1962 |
| Trio | Chamber Music | 1976 |
| Mirror Canon | Chamber Music | 0 |
| Fire | Male choir | 1977 |
| Wild Roses - Cantata | Choir and chamber orchestra | 1958 |
| Someone Calls You | Mixed choir | 1986 |
| Reflections | Chamber orchestra | 1976 |
| Red Chariot on the Sea | Mixed choir | 1963 |