Endre Szervánszky

Endre Szervánszky (27 December 191125 June 1977) was a Hungarian composer.

Biography Szervánszky was born in Kistétény and studied the clarinet at the Budapest Academy of Music (1922–27). He played in various orchestras before returning to the academy to study composition with Albert Siklós (1931–36). He then worked as an orchestrator for the Hungarian Radio and taught musical theory. He was appointed professor of composition at the Budapest Academy in 1948.

Szervánszky first came to public attention with his First String Quartet (1936–38) and his works of this period were influenced by his compatriots, Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók. Works for this time include the Clarinet Serenade (1950) and the Flute Concerto (1952–53).

From the early 1950s Szervánszky embarked on a series of larger compositions, one of the longest being the Concerto for Orchestra in memory of Attila József. Each of the concerto's five movements is based on a quotation from József. The fourth has folk music elements and the whole demonstrates the influence of Bartók. Both the String Quartet no.2 (1956–57) and the Wind Quintet no.2 (1957) also demonstrate the composer's increasing interest in serialism.

For his Six Orchestra Pieces, composed in 1959, Szervánszky employed 12-note serialism and the piece is particular in its use of percussion. Szervánszky did not compose another major work until 1963 – the oratorio Requiem – Dark Heaven, based on a text by János Pilinszky which takes the concentration camp of Auschwitz as its theme. Works which followed include the Variations for Orchestra (1964) and the Clarinet Concerto (1965).

Endre Szervánszky was given the "Righteous Among the Nations" award by the State of Israel to honour non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews from the Nazis.

Family He was the brother of artist Jenö Szervánszky and violinist Peter Szervánszky (who gave the Hungarian premiere of Bartók's Second Violin Concerto) and the uncle of pianist Valeria Szervánszky.

He died in Budapest.

Notable students Ákos Rózmann

Works Stage and vocal works Napkeleti mese – “Oriental Tale”, (a "dance play") 1948–9 Népdalszvit – “Folksong Suite”, 1949 Honvédkantáta – “Soldier’s Cantata”, 1949 Tavaszi Szél – “Spring Breeze” (cantata), 1950 8 Petőfi Songs, 1951 3 Petőfi Choruses, 1953 3 Songs, 1956–7 3 Male Choruses (ancient China), 1958 Requiem – “Dark Heaven” to words by János Pilinszky (oratorio), 1963 Az éj – “The Night” (cantata), 1974–5

Orchestra 3 divertimentos, 1939, 1942, 1943 Serenade, strings, 1947–8 Rhapsody, 1950 Serenade for clarinet and orchestra, 1950 Flute Concerts, 1952–3 Concerts for Orchestra, 1954 6 Orchestral Pieces, 1959 Variations, 1964 Clarinet Concerto, 1965

Chamber String Quartet no.1, 1936–8 20 Little Duos for 2 violins, 1941 Sonata for violin and piano, 1945 25 Duos for 2 violins, 1946 Trio for flute, violin and viola, 1951 Sonatina for flute, and piano, 1952 Wind Quintet no.1, 1953 5 Koncert etűd – “5 Concert Etudes” for flute, 1956 Suite for 2 flutes, 1956 String Quartet No.2, 1956–7 Wind Quintet no.2, 1957 2 Duos for 2 flutes, 1972 7 Studies for flute, 1974–5

Piano Folksong Suite, 4 hands, 1935 Little Suite, 1939 Sonatina, 1941 Sonatina, 4 hands, 1950

Films For Whom the Larks Sing, 1959 Be True Until Death, 1960