Kósa, György

KÓsa, GyÖrgy, Hungarian pianist, teacher, and composer; b. Budapest, April 24, 1897; d. there, Aug. 16, 1984. He exhibited a precocious talent for music, and when he was 10 years old studied piano privately with Bartók and then later with him at the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest (1908–15). He also studied composition with Herzfeld and Kodály (1908–12) and piano with Dohnányi (1915–16) there. He was co-répétiteur at the Royal Opera House in Budapest (1916–17), then toured Europe and North Africa as a pianist (1917–20). He subsequently was a theater conductor in Tripoli (1920–21). He then returned to Budapest as an accompanist (1921), and from 1927 to 1960 was prof, of piano at the Budapest Academy of Music, with the exception of a period during World War II when he was compelled to work as a manual laborer in a war camp. He was actively engaged in the promotion of modern Hungarian music; played both traditional and contemporary scores. He was awarded the Erkel Prize (1955); was made a Merited Artist (1963) and an Honored Artist (1972) of his homeland. As a composer, he was initially influenced by Bartok, but he later developed an individualistic style of expressionism.

Works

dramatic:Opera: kiräly palastja (The King’s Robe; 1926); Az két lovagok (2 Knights), comic opera (1934; Budapest, 1937); Cenodoxus, mystery opera (1942); Ansel-mus diak (Student Anselmus; 1945); A méhek (The Bees; 1946); Tartuffe, comic opera (1951); Pázmán lovag (Knight Pázmán), comic opera (1962–63); Kocsonya Mihály haáassága (The Marriage of Mihály Kocsonya), comic opera (1971); Kiálts város (City, Shout!; 1980-81). Ballet: Fehér Pierrot (White Pierrot; 1916; Budapest, 1920); Phaedra (1918); Dávid kimly (King David; 1936); Ének az örök banatról (Song about the Everlasting Sorrow; 1955). pantomimes:Mese a királykisasszonyról (A Tale of a Princess; 1919); Laterna Magica (1922; Budapest, Feb. 23, 1927); Ârva Józsi harom csodaja (The 3 Miracles of Józsi Arva; 1932; Budapest, Feb. 26, 1933). ORCH.: Suite (1915); 6 Pieces (1919); 9 syms. (1920, 1927, 1933, 1936, 1937, 1946, 1957, 1959, 1969); Suite, Ironic Portraits (1924); Fantasy on 3 Folksongs (1948); Dance Suite (1951); Concerto for Piano, Violin, Cymbals, Percussion, and Orch. (1973). CHAMBER: 8 string quartets (1920, 1929, 1933, 1936, 1956, 1959, 1963, 1965); Chamber Music for 17 Instruments (1928); 6 Portraits for 6 Horns and Harp (1938); Divertimento for String Quartet and Cymbals (1938); Quintet for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Harp (1938); Trio for Flute, Viola, and Cello (1946); Trio for Soprano, Clarinet, and Violin (1947); Wind Quintet (1960); Piano Trio (1962); Duo for Violin and Cello (1964); Cello Sonata (1965); 6 Intermezzos for String Trio (1969); Dialogus for Bass Tuba and Marimba (1975). Piano: 3 sonatas (1941, 1947, 1956); other works. vocal: oratorios:Jonah (1931); Easter Oratorio (1932); Saulus (1935); Joseph, chamber oratorio (1939); Elijah, chamber oratorio (1940); Christus, chamber oratorio (1943); Hajnóczy (1954); Villon (1960). cantatas:Laodomeia (1924); Job (1933); Kuldetés (Mission; 1948); Szól az ùr (The Lord Is Saying; 1957); Amor sanctus (1958); 2 cantatas (1964); Bamnyka (Lambkin; 1965); Balazsolas (St. Blaise Play; 1967); Cantata humana (1967); Orpheus, Eurydike, Hermes (1967); Ňszikék (Autumn Songs; 1970); Johannes (1972); Szalkak (Splints; 1972); Perlekedő prófécia (A Quarrelling Prophecy; 1972); 2 cantatas (1973–74); Cantata (1974); Bikasirato (Dirge for a Bull; 1975); Kakasszó (Crowing of the Cock; 1975). other:Dies trae (1937); 2 masses (1946, 1949); 2 requiems (1949, 1966); Te Deum (1949); Biblical Mass (1951); De profundis (1970); some 500 songs.

Bibliography

M. Pandi, K. G. (Budapest, 1966).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire