Polgár Tibor
Composer
Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1907
Tibor Polgára (11 March 1907, Budapest - 27 August 1993, Toronto) composer, conductor, pianist
Tibor Polgár was born on 11 March 1907 in Budapest.From 1917 to 1925 he studied at the Hungarian Royal State Madách Imre High School, then at Pázmány Péter University, where he studied aesthetics and art history. At the same time, he was a student of László Lajtha at the National Music Academy in clarinet, piano and composition, and later, at the Academy of Music, his professors in composition and piano were Zoltán Kodály, Albert Siklósi and Imre Keéri-Szántó.
From 1925 he worked for the Hungarian Radio and in the 1930s he was conductor of the Hungarian National Theatre. In 1944 he was forced to go into hiding because of the Jewish laws, and in the following years he took part in the reorganisation of Hungarian Radio. He accompanied Dr. Imre Palló on the piano on the first day of broadcasting on 1 May 1945. From that day on, he was principal conductor alongside music director László Lajtha, and from January 1946 he was head of the light music department. From 1947, he was a member of the Radio Broadcasting Board. From June 1949, he was the artistic director of the institution for one year. His comedy opera The Suitors debuted on the radio in 1954 and a year later at the Opera House. Between 1958 and 1961 he was musical director of the Petőfi Theatre and the Jókai Theatre.
In 1961 he emigrated to the German Federal Republic with his wife, singer Ilona Nagykovácsi. Between 1962 and 1964 he was co-conductor of the Philharmonia Hungarica. In 1964 they moved to Canada, where he and his wife were granted citizenship in 1969. From 1965 he conducted the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra for one year. From 1966 to 1975, he was a teacher and tutor in the opera department of the University of Toronto and the Canadian Opera Company. He is a contributor to the Canadian Hungarian newspaper. From 1976 to 1977 he taught orchestration at York University. Since the 1980s, however, he has concentrated exclusively on composition. In addition to his numerous works for stage, orchestra, chamber music and choir, he has composed music for some 200 films and 500 radio plays. He often worked with Lajos Zilahy. He also appeared in the 1958 film The Last Adventure of Don Juan, playing the opera conductor's role.
He was awarded the Ferenc Erkel Prize in 1952 and 1953, and the Hungarian Cross of the Order of Merit in 1993.
He died in Toronto on 27 August 1993, aged 86.
Tibor Polgár was born on 11 March 1907 in Budapest.From 1917 to 1925 he studied at the Hungarian Royal State Madách Imre High School, then at Pázmány Péter University, where he studied aesthetics and art history. At the same time, he was a student of László Lajtha at the National Music Academy in clarinet, piano and composition, and later, at the Academy of Music, his professors in composition and piano were Zoltán Kodály, Albert Siklósi and Imre Keéri-Szántó.
From 1925 he worked for the Hungarian Radio and in the 1930s he was conductor of the Hungarian National Theatre. In 1944 he was forced to go into hiding because of the Jewish laws, and in the following years he took part in the reorganisation of Hungarian Radio. He accompanied Dr. Imre Palló on the piano on the first day of broadcasting on 1 May 1945. From that day on, he was principal conductor alongside music director László Lajtha, and from January 1946 he was head of the light music department. From 1947, he was a member of the Radio Broadcasting Board. From June 1949, he was the artistic director of the institution for one year. His comedy opera The Suitors debuted on the radio in 1954 and a year later at the Opera House. Between 1958 and 1961 he was musical director of the Petőfi Theatre and the Jókai Theatre.
In 1961 he emigrated to the German Federal Republic with his wife, singer Ilona Nagykovácsi. Between 1962 and 1964 he was co-conductor of the Philharmonia Hungarica. In 1964 they moved to Canada, where he and his wife were granted citizenship in 1969. From 1965 he conducted the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra for one year. From 1966 to 1975, he was a teacher and tutor in the opera department of the University of Toronto and the Canadian Opera Company. He is a contributor to the Canadian Hungarian newspaper. From 1976 to 1977 he taught orchestration at York University. Since the 1980s, however, he has concentrated exclusively on composition. In addition to his numerous works for stage, orchestra, chamber music and choir, he has composed music for some 200 films and 500 radio plays. He often worked with Lajos Zilahy. He also appeared in the 1958 film The Last Adventure of Don Juan, playing the opera conductor's role.
He was awarded the Ferenc Erkel Prize in 1952 and 1953, and the Hungarian Cross of the Order of Merit in 1993.
He died in Toronto on 27 August 1993, aged 86.
| Title | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| A European Lover | Solo voice(s) a cappella | 1975 |
| The Magic Chair | 0 | |
| The Four Seasons | Symphony orchestra | 1920 |
| A szűz és a gödölye | Film music | 1941 |
| The Schoolmistress | Film music | 1945 |
| The Perfect Family | Film music | 1942 |
| The Dwarf and the Giant | Chamber Music | 1939 |
| All our Edens are lost and never regained | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 0 |
| The Man of Gold | Film music | 1936 |
| The Belated Groom | Film music | 1956 |
| The New Squire | Film music | 1935 |
| In Soldier´s Uniform | Film music | 1957 |
| The Siege of Beszterce | Film music | 1948 |
| Confidence | Film music | 1980 |
| Broadway! | Wind orchestra | 1989 |
| Budapest | Film music | 1953 |
| Change | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 0 |
| Concertino for Trumpet and Orchestra | Concerto | 1955 |
| Concertino for Trumpet and Orchestra | Concerto | 1955 |
| Concerto romantico | Concerto | 1985 |
| Das Bienchen | Choir and chamber ensemble | 1962 |
| The last adventure of Don Juan | Film music | 1958 |
| Mrs. Déry | Film music | 1951 |
| Gala Suit | Film music | 1949 |
| One Bowl of Lentil | Film music | 1936 |
| Ein Vogel wollte Hochzeit machen | Choir and chamber ensemble | 1962 |
| Forrest sports tournament | Film music | 1952 |
| Fanfare of Pride and Joy | Orchestral work | 1982 |
| Keep Your Chin Up | Film music | 1954 |
| Up the Slope | Film music | 1959 |
| Fisherman | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 0 |
| Four Stanzas on Autumn | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1965 |
| Gyurkovics Boys | Film music | 1941 |
| The case of Judit Bendich | Film music | 1955 |
| The Passionate Spring | Film music | 1939 |
| The soul that returns | Film music | 1940 |
| Ilona’s Four Faces | Chamber Music | 1970 |
| Improvisazioni | Chamber Music | 1960 |
| In private | Chamber Music | 1964 |
| A star has gone extinct | Film music | 1961 |
| Communists for Budapest | Film music | 1945 |
| Dog Duty | Film music | 1953 |
| Boulvard Dance | Film music | 1954 |
| A Strange Night | Opera | 1978 |
| Lest we forget the last chapter of Genesis | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1970 |
| Lord, how long shall the ungodly triumph? | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 1974 |
| Lánc, lánc, eszterlánc | Choir and chamber ensemble | 1962 |
| Magdolna | Film music | 1942 |
| Miniatures | Instrumental solo | 1927 |
| Naval March | Wind orchestra | 1984 |
| Notes on Hungary | Wind orchestra | 1971 |
| The loophole is open | Film music | 1958 |
| Pentatonia | Wind orchestra | 1975 |
| Pergőtűzben! | Film music | 1937 |
| Pixi and Maxi at the Circus | Film music | 1954 |
| Preludio e passacaglia | Instrumental solo | 1983 |
| Beauty of the Pusta | Film music | 1937 |
| Rhapsody of Kálló | Chamber Music | 1970 |
| Relatives | Film music | 1954 |
| Romantic minutes | Instrumental solo | 1975 |
| Rosewood Stick | Film music | 1940 |
| Song for Naomi | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 0 |
| Stopping by woods on a snowy evening | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 0 |
| Sensation | Film music | 1937 |
| Sonatina | Chamber Music | 1971 |
| Beautiful Star | Film music | 1942 |
| Sirius | Film music | 1942 |
| Please Sir! | Film music | 1956 |
| Keep on smiling Ladányi | Film music | 1938 |
| The Glove | Opera | 1973 |
| The Last Words of Louis Riel | Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra | 1967 |
| The Troublemaker | Opera | 1968 |
| The Voice of the Soul | Wind orchestra | 1989 |
| Three Poems in Music | Instrumental solo | 1977 |
| Three Poems in Music | Symphony orchestra | 1977 |
| The Torocko Bride | Film music | 0 |
| Twelve o’clock chant | Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) | 0 |
| Two Symphonic Dances | Concerto | 1979 |
| Something is in the water | Film music | 1944 |
| Variations on a Hungarian Folk Song | String orchestra | 1969 |
| Red ink | Film music | 1960 |
| Thunderstorm in Kemenespuszta | Film music | 1936 |
| Green, Amber, Red | Film music | 1949 |
| Song of the Corn Field | Film music | 1947 |
| Devil Rider | Film music | 1944 |