Szervánszky Péter
violin
Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1913
Péter Szervánszky was born in 1913 into an artistic family of seven children. Three became performing musicians, while two of his elder brothers were the artist Jenő Szervánszky and the composer, Endre Szervánszky. In 1931 he applied for the soloist class at the Liszt Academy and was immediately accepted as a pupil of the famous Hungarian violinist, Jenő Hubay. At the age of 22, in 1935 he became the leader of the Budapest Concert Orchestra, and at the same time he was the second violinist in the Waldbauer-Kerpely String Quartet, performing all of Bartók’s string quartets. Later he became the second violinist in the renowned Hungarian String Quartet, together with Sándor Végh, Dénes Koromzay and Vilmos Palotai. Thanks to Margit Mészáros, one of Bartók’s piano pupils, Péter Szervánszky was able to visit the composer at his home in Csalán út, Buda, to play him the Bach concerto for two violins and Bartók’s own Forty-four Duos for Two Violins with Magda Szécsi.
Bartók left Hungary for the USA in 1940, but Szervánszky continued to champion his works. He frequently played the solo violin part in Bartók’s Two Portraits, with János Ferencsik conducting, and performed the Rhapsody for violin and piano with Endre Petri, and in 1943, both of the Sonatas for violin and piano with pianist, Péter Solymos.
On the 5th January 1944 he performed with János Ferencsik and Metropolitan Orchestra Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in Budapest. Unfortunately this recording is the only remaining evidence of Péter Szervánszky’s playing. The recording was published in 2019 by BMC Records (BMC CD 253).
He left Hungary in 1945. He gave concerts in Italy until 1949, then in the same year he moved in Lima, Peru, where he started to teach music.
In 1977 he suffered a stroke and he was then brought back to live out the remainder of his life with his brothers and sisters in Hungary. He died in 1985 in Budapest.
Bartók left Hungary for the USA in 1940, but Szervánszky continued to champion his works. He frequently played the solo violin part in Bartók’s Two Portraits, with János Ferencsik conducting, and performed the Rhapsody for violin and piano with Endre Petri, and in 1943, both of the Sonatas for violin and piano with pianist, Péter Solymos.
On the 5th January 1944 he performed with János Ferencsik and Metropolitan Orchestra Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in Budapest. Unfortunately this recording is the only remaining evidence of Péter Szervánszky’s playing. The recording was published in 2019 by BMC Records (BMC CD 253).
He left Hungary in 1945. He gave concerts in Italy until 1949, then in the same year he moved in Lima, Peru, where he started to teach music.
In 1977 he suffered a stroke and he was then brought back to live out the remainder of his life with his brothers and sisters in Hungary. He died in 1985 in Budapest.
| Year | Title | Publisher | Code | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |
Bartók Béla: II. hegedűverseny
(Béla Bartók: Violin Concerto No. 2) |
BMC Records | BMC CD 253 |
Own Includes World Première Recording. |