Deák Csaba
Composer
Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1932
Born on 16th April 1932 in Budapest, Hungary. Died on 23rd February 2018 in Stockholm. He first studied at the Bartók Conservatory 1949-1955 (clarinet and composition), then composition with Ferenc Farkas at the Liszt Academy in 1955-1956 and later with Hilding Rosenberg in Stockholm. (Deák came to Sweden in 1957.) He graduated as a teacher of the theory of music from the State Academy of Music in Stockholm, 1969 and taught at Gothenburg University, 1971-1974, as well as at the National College of Dance in Stockholm. He was a founding member of WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles) and from 1987 he was a member of the board of the Swedish section of WASBE.
Soon after his arrival in Sweden, Csaba Deák came into contact with Hilding Rosenberg, which resulted in a knowledge of contemporary methods of composition being added to the thorough training which the young composer had already received before. His first string quartet is based on a twelve-tone melody, and so too are several other works from the 1960s. After this Deák evolved personal systems, by no means entirely free but flexibly varied from one composition to another. One common practice of his involved mingling free and regular metre, as he already did in I 21 for wind instruments and percussion (1969). One important piece is Piri for mixed choir and percussion instruments, written in 1974 to a kind of nonsense text using puns, onomatopoeia etc.
This short commentary is enough to show that Deák has composed a great deal more besides the works for wind instruments which perhaps have earned him most attention. One of his central compositions is Vivax for large symphony orchestra, a tribute to the vital force of musical temperament. His feeling for wind instruments can be studied, for example, in Verbunk (1976) and Herykon (1981). He has further enlarged on his interest in this group of instruments in a saxophone quartet.
Soon after his arrival in Sweden, Csaba Deák came into contact with Hilding Rosenberg, which resulted in a knowledge of contemporary methods of composition being added to the thorough training which the young composer had already received before. His first string quartet is based on a twelve-tone melody, and so too are several other works from the 1960s. After this Deák evolved personal systems, by no means entirely free but flexibly varied from one composition to another. One common practice of his involved mingling free and regular metre, as he already did in I 21 for wind instruments and percussion (1969). One important piece is Piri for mixed choir and percussion instruments, written in 1974 to a kind of nonsense text using puns, onomatopoeia etc.
This short commentary is enough to show that Deák has composed a great deal more besides the works for wind instruments which perhaps have earned him most attention. One of his central compositions is Vivax for large symphony orchestra, a tribute to the vital force of musical temperament. His feeling for wind instruments can be studied, for example, in Verbunk (1976) and Herykon (1981). He has further enlarged on his interest in this group of instruments in a saxophone quartet.
| Title | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Ad Nordiam Hungarica | Chamber orchestra | 1991 |
| Air | Chamber Music | 1961 |
| Andante and Rondo for flute and piano | Chamber Music | 2008 |
| Andante and Rondo: Music for woodwind ensemble | Chamber Music | 1973 |
| Anémones de Felix | Wind orchestra | 1993 |
| Ballad | Instrumental solo | 1962 |
| Brassonance | Wind orchestra | 2000 |
| Bröllopsmarsch och koral / Wedding March and Choral | Instrumental solo | 1980 |
| Concerto Maeutro | Wind orchestra | 1989 |
| Danaiderna / The Danaids | Choir with solo voice(s) | 1964 |
| Det sanna ljuset / The true light | Choir and chamber ensemble | 2005 |
| Divertimento | Ensemble | 2007 |
| Duo-Svit / Duo-Suite | Chamber Music | 1960 |
| Etyd No. 1: Sempre staccato | Wind orchestra | 1991 |
| Etyd No. 2: Senza misura | Wind orchestra | 0 |
| Etyd No. 3: Scherzo | Wind orchestra | 1991 |
| Fabula | Chamber Music | 2009 |
| Fanfar / Fanfare | Wind orchestra | 1997 |
| Farina Pagus (2. version) | Wind orchestra | 1984 |
| Fuvola | Instrumental solo | 2000 |
| Fyra ungerska folkvisor / Four Hungarian Folk Songs | Mixed choir | 1965 |
| Gesällvisa | Female choir | 0 |
| Gloria | Mixed choir | 1996 |
| Gratulatio | Chamber orchestra | 1995 |
| Gustadolphony | Wind orchestra | 1989 |
| Hej då jord! - Ett spel om döden / Hello earth! - A game about death | Opera | 1976 |
| Herykon | Chamber Music | 1981 |
| I 21 | Wind orchestra | 1969 |
| Julmotett | Female choir | 1975 |
| Klarinettofoni | Chamber Music | 1967 |
| Two Songs | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1953 |
| Lucia himmelsfärd | Choral music | 1973 |
| Magie noire | Chamber Music | 1993 |
| Mayinka | Symphony orchestra | 1999 |
| Memento mare | Choir and orchestra | 1995 |
| Mässallians | Wind orchestra | 1985 |
| Novem | Chamber Music | 1994 |
| Oktett / Octet | Chamber Music | 1977 |
| Pair Play | Chamber Music | 2007 |
| Piri | Choir and solo instrument(s) | 1973 |
| Quartet for Saxophones | Chamber Music | 1986 |
| Recollection | Ensemble | 2003 |
| Rondo | Instrumental solo | 1957 |
| Sax Appeal | Chamber Music | 1999 |
| Saxofonkvintett / Saxophone Quintet | Chamber Music | 1988 |
| Sonatina per clarinetto solo | Instrumental solo | 1958 |
| Stråkkvartett [nr 1] / String Quartet [Nr. 1] | Chamber Music | 1959 |
| Stråkkvartett nr 2 / String Quartet No. 2 | Chamber Music | 1967 |
| Symfoni nr. 2 / Symphony No. 2 | Wind orchestra | 2001 |
| Sonatina | Instrumental solo | 1956 |
| The Piper´s Wedding | Wind orchestra | 1979 |
| Tideli | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1970 |
| Tre etyder över Petter Bergmans dikt Etyd | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1974 |
| Tre sånger / Three Songs | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1963 |
| Trio Jubilee | Chamber Music | 2006 |
| Trio | Chamber Music | 1971 |
| Quartet for Tubas | Chamber Music | 1990 |
| Ungerska danser / Hungarian Dances | Chamber Music | 1977 |
| Verbunk | Chamber Music | 1976 |
| Vindpuszt: all´ ungherese | Chamber Music | 2008 |
| Vivax | Symphony orchestra | 1982 |
| [Konsert] Flute Concerto | Concerto | 2004 |
| [Konsert] Clarinet Concerto | Concerto | 1992 |
| [Symfoni] Symphony | Wind orchestra | 1995 |
| Eden | Wind orchestra | 1978 |
| Five Short Pieces | Wind orchestra | 1983 |