Lendvay, KamillÓ

Lendvay, KamillÓ, Hungarian composer, conductor, and teacher; b. Budapest, Dec. 28, 1928. He was a student in composition of Viski at the Budapest Academy of Music (1949–57), and also received lessons in conducting from Somogyi (1953–55). After conducting at the Szeged Opera (1956–57), he returned to Budapest and was music director of the State Puppet Theater (1960–66) and the Hungarian Army Art Ensemble (1966–68); he then was a conductor (1970–72) and subsequently music director (1972–74) of the Municipal Operetta Theater. From 1962 he was active with the Hungarian Radio. In 1973 he joined the faculty of the Academy of Music, where he was head of its theory dept. from 1978. He also served as president of Artisjus, the Hungarian Copyright Office. In 1962, 1964, and 1978 he was awarded the Erkel Prize. He was made a Merited Artist by the Hungarian government in 1981. In 1989 he received the Bartók-Pásztory Award. In his compositions, serial procedures serve as the foundation of his avant-garde explorations.

Works

dramatic:A büvös szék (The Magic Chair), comic opera (1972); A tisztességtudó utcalány (The Respectful Prostitute), opera (1976–78); incidental music for plays; film scores. orch.:Tragic Overture (1958); Mauthausen, symphonic poem (1958); Concertino for Piano, Winds, Percussion, and Harp (1959; also for Chamber Orch., 1982); The Indomitable Tin Soldier, suite (1961); 2 violin concertos (1961-62; 1986); Quattro invocazioni (1966); Expressions for Strings (1974); Pezzo concertato for Cello and Orch. (1975); The Harmony of Silence (1980); Concertino semplice for Cimbalon and Strings (1986); Chaconne (1987–88); Symphony-Retrograde (1990); Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Orch. (1990); Double Concerto for Violin, Cimbalom, and Strings (1991); Rondo for 2 Trumpets and Orch. (1994); A Last Message from Maestro Tchaikovsky for Wind Orch. (1994); Concerto for Soprano Saxophone, 12 Women’s Voices, and Orch. (1996); Rhapsody (1997). band:Story-telling Dance (1952); 2 suites (1956, 1996); 3 Carnival Masks (1960); Scherzo (1972; arranged by L. Hollós); Festspiel Overture (1984). chamber:Trio Serenade for String Trio (1954); Rhapsody for Violin and Piano (1955); String Quartet (1962); Quattro duetti for Flute and Piano (1965); Concerto da camera for Chamber Ensemble (1969); Disposizioni for Cimbalom (1975); Fiflhmusic for Cello (1978–79); Metamorphosis of a Cimbalom Piece for Chamber Ensemble (1979); 5 Arrogant Ideas for 3 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, and Tuba (1979); 5 Movements in Quotation Marks for Horn, Trombone, and Tuba (1980); Senza sordina for Trumpet and Piano (1983; also for Trumpet and Band, 1985); As You Like It for 2 Pianos (1984); 24 Duos for 2 Violins (1985); 8 More Arrogant Ideas for 2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone, and Tuba (1986); Variazioni con tema for Trumpet and Organ (1986); Respectfully yours, Mr. Goodman for Clarinet (1988); The Cricket, the Ant, and the Others for 7 Instruments (1993). vocal:Orogenesis for Chorus and Orch. (1969–70); A Ride at Night! for Contralto and 7 Players (1970); Pro liberiate for Tenor, Baritone, Men’s Chorus, and Orch. (1975); Scenes for Soprano, Bass-baritone, and Orch. (1978–81); Via crucis for Chorus and 10 Instruments (1988–89); Stabat Mater for Soloists, Chorus, Organ, and Chamber Orch. (1991).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire