| Ernö (Ernst von)
Dohnanyi was born in Hungary in 1877, and died in New York in 1960.
He was a musician of extraordinary versatility, who excelled as pianist,
composer, conductor, teacher and administrator.
He was one of the greatest
pianists of all time, with an astonishing technique, deep musical insight
and a vast and varied repertoire. As a conductor he introduced Hungary
to many neglected works, at the same time championing the music of a new
generation of composers, notably Bartok and Kodaly. He taught piano first
at the Hochschule in Berlin and then at the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest
(later renamed the Liszt Academy of Music), creating generations of pianists
(which include Annie Fischer, Georg Solti and Geza Anda). As an administrator,
he was Director of the Academy and of the music section of the Hungarian
Radio.
He wrote music throughout
his life, composing many works of vocal, orchestral and chamber music,
as well as several operas and a great number of pieces for the piano. His
music can be dramatic, lyrical, full of energy and good humour, and although
he followed Brahms in adopting the classical forms of the 18th century,
his style, supported by a rich and secure sense of harmony, is unmistakably
his own.
His chamber music is of exceptional
quality and deserves to be universally known, especially the two Piano
Quintets, the String Quartets Nos. 2 and 3, the Serenade for string trio,
and the Sextet for piano, clarinet, horn and string trio. (This last work
was performed at the London Festival of Chamber Music in 1996, and was
enthusiastically received. The performers were Martin Jones, piano, Michael
Whight, clarinet, Frank Lloyd, horn, Diana Cummings, violin, Luciano Iorio,
viola and Gerard Le Feuvre, cello.)
Although the Piano
Quintet in C minor, Op.1 was written when Dohnanyi was 18 and still
a student at the Academy, he had already composed and discarded over 60
works. The Quintet, which was premiered in Budapest with the composer at
the piano, came to the attention of Brahms, who was so impressed by it
that he arranged a performance in Vienna, which launched Dohnanyi's international
career as a composer. The work is in 4 movements: Allegro; Scherzo (Allegro
vivace); Adagio, quasi andante; Finale (Allegro animato).
RECOMMENDED
CD: Wolfgang Manz, piano and Gabrieli String Quartet, on Chandos
(CHAN 8718). The Quintet is coupled with the String Quartet No.2.
Luciano Iorio
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