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.

Horusitzky Zoltán


Composer

Place of Birth
Pápa
Date of Birth
1903

 
1903 July 18, Pápa - 1985 April 25, Budapest

Zoltán Horusitzky was a prominent Hungarian composer of the 20th century, a highly educated, outstanding talent of Kodály's composer school. One of the hard-life generation whose career was affected by the World War II and the subsequent external-internal isolation of the Central Eastern European historical situation. Horusitzky's versatility, musical an dintellectual abilities had enabled him, even from the 30's, to enter into the program aimed at the renovation of Hungarian music life. He played a dominant role in music education (he was director of High School of Music Budapest between 1944 and 1949), in the teaching and training of singing teachers for secondry schools and of music specialists all over the country.

On the other hand he was predestinated by his talent and education in literature, to the performance of an extremely high level musical publicist task as editor of periodical A Zene (The Music) between 1938 and 1944.

As a pianist and piano teacher he undertook a life-long obligation of being an artist and a pedagogue. Abroad, even in his last years, he interpreted his own works and led piano courses. In Hungary he had benn a teacher of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music for two decades.

Horusitzky resembled his master, not only in being one of the significant representatives of Kodály's musical-educational program but in his creative habit, and in several similar features: however, these internal relationships did not threaten the emergency of his sovereign creative personality. In his attitude as a composer he showed evidence mainly for two, especially important resonances: on the one hand for the primary role of the poetic inspiration, while on the other hand direct effect of his experiences in nature.

Horusitzky artistic approach was highly influenced also by Liszt. This concerned precisely Liszt's lst style-marks, foreshadowing the 20th century. Horusitzky ouvre was built not only on Kodály's and Liszt's routs, but on the comprehensive traditions of musical history (eg. Palestrina) and Hungarian and Finish folk music, as well. During the last period of his life from some points of view he approached the 12-tone composition principles, mainly in the complementary application of the tonal system.

Horusitzky's career can be divided into three periods. The first one last up to end of the World War II, and it was marked with compositions of relatively small in number but of remarkable in significance: in the field of vocal works mostly the song-cycles and his cantat entitled Fekete Hold Éjszakája (Night of the Black Moon) but Te Deum and Op.1 and Op.12 from his piano pieces and the 2nd quartet from his string quartets were also very important.

His second period, 1945-1962, bore some marks of narrowing of the Hungarian intellectual and artistic life, due to political reasons. Horusitzky, however, kept on going his own way in the field of the previously started genres, while his efforts were focused on writing his national-historical opera, entitled Báthory Zsigmond, in three acts.

His third period - when he was over sixty - at last brought him a peaceful freedom for the implementation of his artistic intentions. He could get opportunities to show his works abroad, first in Paris, then in Finland. The main milestones of his successes in France were: hi author's nights at the Hungarian Institute Paris in 1966; the contemporary concert held at Salle Rossini in 1973; the membership of jury of the international piano competition organized by Guilde Francais des Artistes Solites in the same year; and the international Cziffra Competition of pianists held in Versailles in 1976, where Horusitzky's Sonata was among the compulsory pieces. The success in France made connections with French performers, like Marion Janson, singer, who played a dominant role as an inspirator and performer of Horusitzky's works. The relations with Finland - which was established with the help of Horusitzky's former pupil Lenek Erdélyi-Rauhala - lasted from 1974 to the 80s. This cooperation incited the composer to write the last vocal compositions of his ouvre.

Awards
1954 Erkel Award

see also: Horusitzky Zoltán - pianist
 
Year Title Publisher Code Remark
2000 Arany felhők - Kortárs magyar szerzők dalai
(Golden Clouds - Hungarian Contemporary Songs)
Hungaroton HCD 32017
2001 Kamarazene
(Chamber Music)
Hungaroton HCD 31991
 
Title Type Year
13 Two-Part Children´s Choruses Children's choir 1932
The French Stagecoach, Op. 26 Music for radio drama 1956
The Power of Music, Op. 73 Mixed choir 1983
Affano e Allegria, Op. 69 Chamber Music 1980
Boris Godunov, Op. 20 Music for radio drama 1956
Zsigmond Báthory, Op. 27 Opera 1950
Báthory Suite, Op. 22 Symphony orchestra 1953
Cassazione, Op. 25 Chamber Music 1954
Sleeping Beauty, Op. 52 Incidental music 1971
In Dömös, Op. 61 Female choir 1970
A Lone Walker Instrumental solo 1978
On a Solitary Night, Op. 56 Incidental music 1974
Exercises poétiques pour piano Instrumental solo 0
Fantazia spirituale, Op. 75 Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra 1984
Fantasy on Cheremiss (Mari) Folk Songs, Op. 17 Symphony orchestra 1943
Black Moon at Night, Op. 6 Solo voice(s), choir, solo instr. & orch. 1931
Black Town - Opera, Op. 45b Opera 1982
Black Town, Op. 44a Music for radio drama 1967
The Sun Has Risen, Op. 29 Solo voice(s), choir & chamber orchestra 1930
Children´s World, Op. 35 Instrumental solo 1959
Moods, Op. 48 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1967
Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 2 Chamber Music 1925
Violin Concerto, Op. 24 (A Minor) Concerto 1954
Three Sonnets by Shakespeare, Op. 19 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1953
Three Tóth Árpád Choirs, Op. 54 Mixed choir 1972
Drei Lieder, Op. 7 / Three Songs, Op. 7 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1932
Three Chamber Duets, Op. 18 Solo voice(s) a cappella 1946
Three Early Songs, Op. 5 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1929
Calling (For a Ferry in Lapland), Op. 57 Solo voice(s), choir & solo instrument(s) 1976
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 4 (F Minor) Chamber Music 1925
Concerto No. 1, Op. 14 Concerto 1941
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 15 (D-flat Major) Chamber Music 1943
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 33 Concerto 1959
String Quartet No. 3, Op. 21 (A Minor) Chamber Music 1955
Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 65 Concerto 1978
String Quartet No. 4, Op. 30 Chamber Music 1957
Goatskin (Little Peter), Op. 36 Ballet / Choreographic work 1962
44 Little Piano Pieces by Nine Composers Instrumental solo 0
Salute to Kodály (Variations on a theme by Kodály) Symphony orchestra 1962
Kosztolányi Choruses Choir a cappella 1962
Two Fugues for Organ, Op. 55 Instrumental solo 1974
Two Chamber Music Songs, Op. 39 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1964
Two Poems, Op. 3 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1927
Two Hungarian Folk Songs, Op. 23 Chamber Music 1954
Two Orchestral Pieces Symphony orchestra 1970
Two-part inventions Instrumental solo 1954
Chinese Songs, Op. 13 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1941
Les reveries du promeneur solitaire, Op. 63 / Dreams of a Solitary Walker, Op. 63 Instrumental solo 1977
Luonnon Kuvia (Finnish Lanscapes), Op. 62 Female choir 1976
On the Land of Mari Symphony orchestra 1955
Missa Pannonica, Op. 16 Choir a cappella 1942
Four Kosztolányi-Choruses, Op. 37 Mixed choir 1962
Four Ballet Scenes, Op. 47 Ballet / Choreographic work 1967
Four Songs, Op. 8 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1938
Four Madrigals on the Poems by Sándor Petőfi, Op. 40 Mixed choir 1963
PAX - May You Live in Peace, Op. 72 Choir and orchestra 1983
Dreams of Palota, Op. 64 Incidental music 1979
Pastel Scenes, Op. 74 Choir and chamber ensemble 1984
Petőfi madrigals Choir a cappella 1963
Piéces poétiques Instrumental solo 1965
Exercices Poétiques, Op. 42 Instrumental solo 1965
Romanza for Piano Instrumental solo 1920
Brass Quartet, Op. 32 Chamber Music 1958
Symphony, Op. 9 Orchestral work 1933
Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 53 Chamber Music 1971
Sonata for Two Pianos, Op. 51 Chamber Music 1970
Sonata for Organ, Op. 41 Instrumental solo 1965
Sonata and Divertimento, Op. 46 Chamber Music 1967
Sonata, Op. 34 Chamber Music 0
Sonata, Op. 45 "The Mountain" Instrumental solo 1968
Sonata, Op. 71 Chamber Music 1982
Te Deum, Op. 11 Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra 1937
Theme and Variations for Piano, Op. 68 Instrumental solo 1980
Ungaresca, Op. 28 String orchestra 1956
String Quartet No. 5, Op. 43 Chamber Music 1965
String Quartet No. 6, Op. 60 Chamber Music 1976
String Quartet No. 7, Op. 67 Chamber Music 1980
Valse caractéristique Instrumental solo 1920
Stormy Night Female choir 1974
String Quartet Movement in Honor of Kodály Chamber Music 1964
Gallop, Op. 38 String orchestra 1963
Pieces for Piano, Op. 10 Instrumental solo 1935
Piano Pieces, Op. 12 Instrumental solo 1942
Piano Quintet, Op. 31 Chamber Music 1957
Transcription - Rameau: Dance Suite String orchestra 0
Night, Op. 50 Mixed choir 1968
North, Op. 70 Solo voice(s), choir & chamber orchestra 1981
Five French Songs, Op. 58 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1974
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 1 Instrumental solo 1923
New Songs, Op. 59 Solo voice(s) with solo instrument(s) 1975
New Piano Pieces, Op. 66 Instrumental solo 1979
Festive Cantata, Op. 49 Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra 1970