Szokolay, Sándor

Szokolay, Sándor, Hungarian composer and teacher; b. Kunágota, March 30, 1931. He studied with Szabó (1950-52) and Farkas (1952-56) at the Budapest Academy of Music (graduated, 1957), concurrently teaching at the Municipal Music School (1952-55); then was music reader and producer for the Hungarian Radio (1955-59) and a teacher (1959-66) and prof, (from 1966) at the Budapest Academy of Music. He received the Erkel Prize (1960, 1965) and the Kossuth Prize (1966); in 1976 he was made a Merited Artist and in 1986 an Outstanding Artist by the Hungarian government. In 1987 he received the Bartók-Pásztory Award.

Works

dramatic: Opera: Vérnász (Blood Wedding; Budapest, Oct. 30, 1964); Hamlet (1965-68; Budapest, Oct. 19, 1968); Sámson (Budapest, Oct. 23, 1973); Ecce homo, passion opera (1984); Szávitri (1987-89); also 2 children’s operas. Ballet: Orbán és as ördög (Urban and the Devil; 1958); Az iszonyat balladája (The Ballad of Terror; 1960); Tetemrehivás (Ordeal of the Bier; 1961-71); Az áldozat (The Victim; 1971). ORCH.: Concert Rondo for Piano and Strings (1955); Violin Concerto (1956-57); Piano Concerto (1958); Ballata sinfonica (1967-68); Trumpet Concerto (1968); Archaikus nyitány (Archaic Overture; 1977); Rapszódia for Chamber Orch. (1978); Concertino for Alto Flute, Flute, Piccolo, Strings, and Harpsichord (1981); Concerto for Orchestra (1982). CHAMBER: Gyermek-kvartett (Quartet for Children) for 2 Violins, Cello, and Piano (1954); Sonata for Solo Violin (1956); 2 string quartets (1972, 1982); Sirató és kultikus tánc (Lament and Ritual Dance) for Cimbalom, Celesta, Piano, and Harp (1974); Miniature per ottoni for Brass Sextet (1976); Al-literációk (Alliterations) for Brass Quintet (1977); Játek a hangközökkel (Playing with Intervals) for 5 Cimbalom Duos (1978); Sonata for Solo Cello (1979); Polimorfía (Polymorphy) for Violin, Cello, and Harpsichord or Piano (1980); Hommage à Bartók, divertimento for Brass Quintet (1981); Gregorian változa-tok (Gregorian Variations), 5 miniatures for Brass Quintet (1983); Variado egy sirató-dallamra (Variations on a Lament Melody) for 6 Percussionists (1986). VOCAL: Vizimesék (Water Tales), children’s cantata for Soprano, Children’s Chorus, and Chamber Orch. (1957); Világok vetélkedése (Rivalry of Worlds), cantata for Soprano, Alto, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1959); Istár pokoljárása (Isthar’s Descent to Hell), oratorio for Soprano, Alto, Baritone, Bass, Chorus, and Orch. (1960-61); Néger Untata (Negro Cantata) for Alto, Chorus, and Orch. (1962); Deploration: Concerto da requiem for Piano, Chorus, and Orch. in memory of Francis Poulenc (1964); Vitézi ének (Song of Heroes), cantata for Alto, Bass, Men’s Chorus, and Orch. (1970); Ódon ének (Ancient Song), cantata for Chorus, Woodwind, Horns, Kettledrum, Harp, and Strings (1972); Kantáta a gályarabok emlékére (Cantata in Memory of Galley Slaves) for Narrator, Baritone, Chorus, Organ, and Orch. (1975); Libellas ungaricus, cantata for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Chorus, Organ, and Orch. (1979); Confessio Augustana, cantata for Baritone, Chorus, Organ, and Orch. (1980); Luther-Kantate for Baritone, Chorus, Chamber Orch., and Organ (1983); Aeternitas temporis, cantata for Soprano and String Quartet (1988).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire