Jenő Takács

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Relief "Portrait Jenö Takács" in bronze, Siegendorf (2011)

Jenő (Gusztáv) Takács [ ˈjɛnøː ˈtɒkaːʧ ] (born September 25, 1902 in Siegendorf , Ödenburg County , Austria-Hungary ; † November 14, 2005 in Eisenstadt ) was an Austrian composer , pianist , ethnomusicologist and educator of Hungarian descent, also known as " Arab Bartók ”. Most recently he was professor at the College Conservatory of Music Cincinnati in Ohio. He was best known for his piano pedagogical work.

life and work

Jenő Takács was born in 1902 as the son of Gusztáv Adolf Takács, a civil servant in Conrad Patzenhofer's sugar factory in Siegendorf, and his wife Gabriella Takács, née. Magyar, born in the Croatian municipality of Siegendorf (Hungarian: Cinfalva) in what was then German West Hungary ( Burgenland from 1921 ). From 1914 he was taught piano at the Realschule Ödenburg ( Sopron ), today's Szechenyi-Realgymnasium . He appeared in public for the first time in 1916, and composed from 1917. After graduating from high school in 1920, Takács studied from 1921 to 1926 at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Joseph Marx ( composition ) and Paul Weingarten ( piano ), and also attended lectures with Hans Gál ( counterpoint ) and Guido at the University of Vienna Adler ( musicology ). In Vienna he got to know the Second Viennese School . In the 1920s he undertook concert tours through Germany, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Together with Otto Siegl he founded the "Performances of Modern Music Works" in Sopron. Around 1925/26 there was a lively exchange of ideas with the important composer Béla Bartók , who lasted until his emigration to the USA in 1940; In 1932 he met Bartók at the international congress for Arabic music in Cairo . He maintained further friendships with Alban Berg , Paul Hindemith , Zoltán Kodály , Ernst von Dohnányi and György Ligeti .

In 1927 he married Gertrude Christy in Bremen, with whom he was married until 1937. From 1927 to 1932 Jenő Takács was professor of piano at the Conservatoire de Musique in Cairo, where he also made Egyptian and Arabic music the subject of his research. In the years 1932 to 1934 he worked as a full professor and head of the training classes for piano and composition at the University of the Philippines in Manila . On behalf of the Berlin Phonogram Archive , he dealt with the ethnological music of the indigenous peoples on the Philippine island of Luzon . He has given concerts in East Asia (Japan, China and Hong Kong ). After a renewed professorship for piano at the Cairo Conservatory, he undertook his first concert tour in 1938 - with his Tarantella for piano and orchestra op. 39 - to the USA. During his stay in New York, he learned of the "Anschluss" between Austria and the German Empire. In 1939 he moved to Sopron, Hungary, to prevent the National Socialist cultural authorities from abusing his name and his music . In 1940 he taught piano in Szombathely . From 1942 to 1948 he was director of the music school and conservatory in Pécs . There he taught a. a. Andor Losonczy and Josef Maria Horváth in piano.

In 1943 he married his second wife, Éva Pasteiner. In 1948/49 he left the "communist" ruled Hungary and settled in the municipality of Grundlsee in Styria after stints in Austria, Switzerland and Italy . From 1949 to 1952 he made concert tours through Europe and America and taught from 1949 to 1952 as a visiting professor at the Geneva and Lausanne Conservatories . He was also a juror. Finally, from 1952 to 1970, he took over a professorship for piano and composition at the College Conservatory of Music Cincinnati (CCM). Walter Mays was his only PhD student in composition. His American piano students included u. a. Jerry Perkins , Ellsworth Snyder , John Egan and James Levine . 1957/1958 he was visiting professor at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. After retirement , he moved back to his native town where he lived until his death and served as music consultant.

Until his turn to Béla Bartók in the 1920s, it was shaped by a late Romantic and Impressionist style, namely Claude Debussy , Maurice Ravel and Joseph Marx. Takác's music was influenced by Hungarian, Austrian, Croatian and Filipino folk songs , folk music and folklore . There are some overlaps with Igor Stravinsky and Zoltán Kodály . Furthermore, he relied on Bartók's piano school Mikrokosmos and the cycle For Children as well as the brass literature by Paul Hindemith . In his late work (from the 1960s) he also adapted twelve-tone music / dodecaphony and atonality . The exchange with Witold Lutosławski and György Ligeti , who was friends with him, flowed into his work. He composed ballet , vocal and instrumental works, especially piano and chamber music. His works appeared a. a. at Musikverlag Doblinger and Universal Edition .

He was u. a. Member of the Society for Ethnomusicology and the IGNM section Austria .

His estate has been handed over to the Austrian National Library as the property of the Province of Burgenland and is on permanent loan in the library of the University of Art in Graz . In 2002 there was a special exhibition on “Burgenlanders & World Citizens” Jenö Takács in the Haydn House in Eisenstadt .

Prizes, awards and honorary memberships

Further appreciations

In 1992 the ballroom of the Oberschützen cultural center was renamed Jenö Takács Hall.

The following music schools were named after Takács: 1999 in Szentgotthárd (Takács Jenő Zeneiskola) and 2001 in Rechnitz (Jenö Takács Music School).

In memory of Jenö Takács, the Province of Burgenland donated the Jenő Takács Composition Prize , which went to Wilhelm Spuller in 2008 , Gerhard Krammer in 2009 and Tibor Nemeth in 2010 . was awarded.

The Takács Jenö alapitvány (Jenö Takács Foundation) was set up in Sopron in 2008, with the aim of preserving the memory of Éva and Jenö Takács through a variety of activities. The Austrian musicologist Christian Heindl became the first president of the foundation . Since 2010, the foundation has organized the international Jenö Takács piano competition for young performers, which takes place every two years, together with the Oberschützen Institute of the Graz University of Art.

Catalog of works (selection)

Instrumental music

Piano works

  • Humoresque for piano op. 1 (1918/28)
  • Sonatina for piano op.2 (1920/23)
  • Sonata for violin and piano op.6 (1922)
  • Three bagatelles "Rhapsodietta" for piano op. 10 (dated 1927)
  • Trio Rhapsody for piano trio op.11 (1926)
  • Suite Arabe op.15 for two pianos (1929)
  • Danse Soudanese for solo instruments (1931)
  • Berceuse orientale (1931)
  • Philippine Island Miniatures for piano op.34
  • From foreign countries and people 20 pieces for piano op.37
  • Concerto for piano and orchestra op.38 (1933/34)
  • Napolitana, dance scenes for piano op.46 (1942)
  • Small sonata for piano op.51 (1943/44)
  • Toccata for piano op.54 (1945)
  • Partita op.55a (1976)
  • Toccata and Fugue op. 56 (?) For piano for left hand
  • Crispy house. Dance scene for piano four hands and percussion ad lib. op. 56 (1952)
  • Partita for piano op.58 (1954)
  • All sorts for little fingers op. 63 (1958) 24 easy pieces for piano
  • For me / For me. Small recital pieces for piano op.76 (1963)
  • Sons et Silences for piano op.78 (1963/64)
  • Four epitaphs op.79 (1964)
  • Children's Piece op. 82 (1966)
  • Twilight Music - 6 pieces for piano op.92 (1970–1971)
  • When the frog goes on a journey, 6 pieces for piano without opus number (1971)
  • Sounds and colors / Sounds and Colors op for piano. 95 (1973/74)
  • Le Tombeau de Franz Liszt for piano op.100 (1975)
  • A thousand shrill screams op.101 (1977)
  • 4x4 piano pieces for 4 hands op.106 (1979/80)
  • Von Nah und Fern, 21 easy pieces for piano op.111 (1983)
  • News for you for piano op.116
  • MISS Sona-Tina op.118 (1986)
  • Musica Biologica "Bird Voices in Piano Music" arr. for piano (1986)
  • Concert Etude (Toccata No. 2) for piano op.120 (1988)
  • Six Metamorphoses op. 121 (1989)
  • Three minutes for piano op.123 (1997)
  • Polka for piano (1997)

Organ works

  • From an old Hungarian music book (arrangement for organ) (1941)
  • Six Metamorphoses for Organ op.121 (1989)

Further solo works, duos and chamber music

  • Trio-Rhapsody for violin, violoncello and piano op.11 (dated 1926)
  • Goumbrie for violin and piano op.20 (1931)
  • Joseph Haydn: "Echo" (1932)
  • Little music for 2 soprano and tenor recorders op.30 (?)
  • Rhapsody (Hungarian Wise Men) for violin and piano op.49 (1941)
  • Eight little pieces for violin and piano op.50 (1949/50)
  • Divertimento for flute or violin and guitar op. 61 a. 61 a (1954–1977)
  • Meditation and dance for guitar op.64 (1955/80)
  • Sonata Concertante for violin and piano op.65 (1956)
  • Sonata Missoulana for oboe or bassoon and piano op.66 (1958)
  • Meditation and dance for oboe or bassoon, string orchestra and harp ad lib. op.66a (1958)
  • Sonata breve for trumpet and piano op.67 (1958)
  • A little table music. Divertimento for wind quintet op.74 (1961/1962)
  • Dialogues for violin and guitar op.77 (1963)
  • Sonata Capricciosa for tuba and piano op.81 (1965)
  • Essays in Sound for clarinet and piano op.84 (1967)
  • The Songs of Silence, Ballet in One Image for clarinet, piano and percussion op.85 (1967)
  • Homage to Pan. Two pieces for 4 clarinets in B flat op.87 (1968)
  • Two Fantastics for alto saxophone and piano op.88 (1969)
  • Fantastic I for clarinet in A and piano (from: Two Fantastics) op.88a (1969–1974)
  • Late Thoughts for violin and guitar op.90 (1969)
  • Musica Reservata for double bass and piano op.91 (1969)
  • Serenade based on Altgraz counter dances for wind quintet op.83a (1973)
  • Diary fragments for two pianos and percussion op.93 (1972)
  • Monologue for violoncello op.94 (1973/74)
  • Octet op. 96 (1974/75)
  • Clarinet studio. Twelve pieces for clarinet in Bb and piano op.97 (1976)
  • Trumpet Studio I. 16 pieces for 2-3 trumpets in C or B flat op. 98 (1976/77)
  • Trumpet Studio II. Twelve pieces for trumpet and piano op.99 (1975/76)
  • Five Bagatelles for ten wind instruments op.102 (1977)
  • Tiberika, 8 Duos for 2 violins op.103 (1977)
  • Quodlibet for contrabassoon or bassoon and piano op.104 (1978)
  • Very easy (and not so easy) pieces for soprano or treble recorder (transverse flute) and guitar op.105 (1979)
  • Variations on a Theme by Paisiello for flute and violin op.107 (1980)
  • Dialogues based on birdsong for flute solo without opus number (1981/82)
  • Changing Moods / Changing moods for flute, trombone (bassoon) and piano op.110 (1982/83)
  • Drifting Leaves for flute, viola and guitar op.113 (1983)
  • Music for six wind instruments and piano op.114 (1984)
  • Old Hungarian court ball music for double bass and piano op.115 (1984/85)
  • Spring music for flute (treble recorder), violoncello and guitar without opus number (1985)
  • Homage á Henry Purcell for brass quintet without opus number (1994)
  • Sonata for trombone and piano op.59

Orchestral music

  • Suite Philippine for chamber orchestra op.35 (1935)
  • From foreign countries and people op. 37, Suite for Orch.
  • Tarantella for piano and orchestra op.39 (1937)
  • Nilusi Legenda (Egyptian Love Legend), Ballet (1938/39)
  • Deux mouvements Symphoniques pour Thérémine et Orchester op.41 (1938)
  • Suite of Old Hungarian Dances for Strings, Op. 42 (dated 1946) (the most frequently performed work, his Opus Magnum)
  • Antiqua Hungarica op.47 (1941)
  • Rural Baroque (Soproni barokk Muzsika), an orchestral suite based on an old Hungarian music book op.48 (1941)
  • Rhapsody (Hungarian Wise Men) for violin and string orchestra op.49a (1941)
  • Miniatures for orchestra op.53 (1943/44)
  • Partita for guitar or harpsichord and orchestra op.55 (1949/50)
  • Folk dances from Burgenland for orchestra op.57 (1952)
  • Concerto for piano, string orchestra and percussion op.60 (1947)
  • Overtura semiseria op.69 for orchestra (?)
  • Passacaglia for string orchestra op.73 (1960)
  • Eisenstädter Divertimento, orchestral suite op.75 (1961/62)
  • Serenade after Altgrazer Kontratanzen for orchestra op. 83 (1966) arr. Also for wind orchestra, wind quintet and four pianos
  • Sinfonia breve for orchestra op.108 (1981)
  • Postcard greetings, 7 pieces for string orchestra without opus number (1987)
  • Pannonian Rhapsody for large orchestra op.109 (1988)
  • Suite Purcelliana for strings without opus number (?)
  • American Rhapsody. Four pieces - four countries. Four easy pieces for string quartet (orchestra) without opus number (1993)
  • Jennersdorf Music. Eight easy pieces for string (youth) orchestra without opus number (1993)

Symphonic wind orchestra

  • Suite of old Hungarian dances for strings op.42 arr. By Armin Suppan for wind orchestra (symphony) (1988)
  • Pannonian Rhapsody for large wind orchestra arr. By Armin Suppan op.109 (1988)

Vocal music

  • Five Croatian Peasant Songs from Burgenland for medium voice and piano op.36 (1934)
  • Five Fragments of Jade op.40
  • The song of creation. Cantata for mixed choir and orchestra based on a poem by Sándor Weöres op.44 (1943/44)
  • Psalm settings No. 4, 23, 41, 50, 62, 71, 115 for choir (1966)
  • Toccata Mistica for four-part choir and organ op.86 (1968)
  • Hirtenlied aus dem Burgenland / Christmas Song from Austria for mixed choir a cappella without opus number (1965)
  • Essays on the Madrigal op.70
  • Abendgesang op.80 b (1987)
  • Harvest Song op. 89/3 for choir
  • Summer fell apart, Six songs for medium voice op.101 (1977)
  • Hymn for choir a cappella (1978)
  • Miss Sona-Tina based on children's songs for piano op.118 (1985)
  • The boat driver in the moon, a stage music (1944–1985)
  • Szelid Domb (Gentle Hill), Choirs op.117 (1985)

Fonts

literature

Web links

Commons : Jenő Takács  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Joseph Marx , in: Neues Wiener Journal , December 14, 1937, cf. Wolfgang Suppan : Jenő Takács, an "Arab Bartók", in: Yearbook for Folk Song Research, 27./28. Volume, Festschrift for Lutz Röhrich on his 60th birthday (1982/83), pp. 297–306, here: p. 303.
  2. a b Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Comments, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 10.
  3. a b c d e f g h i j k l Entry "Takács, Jenő" in Munzinger Online / KDG - Contemporary Composers
  4. a b c d e f g h i j k l Ferenc Bônis, SL:  Takács, Jenő. In: Ludwig Finscher (Hrsg.): The music in past and present . Second edition, personal section, volume 16 (Strata - Villoteau). Bärenreiter / Metzler, Kassel et al. 2006, ISBN 3-7618-1136-5  ( online edition , subscription required for full access)
  5. a b Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 16.
  6. a b c d e f g János Demény, Wolfgang SuppanTakács, Jenő. In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required).
  7. a b Jerry Perkins: An Introduction to the Piano Music of Jenö Takács, in: American Music Teacher, Vol. 53, No. 5 (2004), pp. 36-40, here: p. 38.
  8. Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 23.
  9. a b c d e Christian Heindl (ed.): Jenö Takács. Festschrift for the 100th birthday, Vienna 2002, p. 74.
  10. Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 24.
  11. a b c d e f g h Gerhard J. Winkler : Takács, Jenő. In: Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon . Online edition, Vienna 2002 ff., ISBN 3-7001-3077-5 ; Print edition: Volume 5, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2006, ISBN 3-7001-3067-8 .
  12. Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 123.
  13. Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 124f.
  14. Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 125.
  15. Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 67.
  16. a b c Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 118.
  17. Membership List, in: Ethnomusicology, Volume 3, No. 3 (1959), pp. 135–146, here: p. 140.
  18. a b Wolfgang Liebhart : Jenö Takács (1902-2005), in: World New Music Magazine 16, July 2006, p. 108f.
  19. Jenő Takács in the database directory of artistic, scientific and cultural-political bequests in Austria, accessed on January 19, 2018.
  20. Jenö Takács , archiv.kug.ac.at, accessed on January 12, 2018.
  21. Special exhibitions - archive ( Memento of the original from October 3, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , haydn-haus.at, accessed on January 19, 2018. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / haydn-haus.at
  22. outstanding artist award - music ( memorial from January 8, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on October 28, 2012
  23. Ehrenbürger , www.siegendorf.at, accessed on January 13, 2018.
  24. Wolfgang Suppan (author): Jenő Takács: Documents, Analyzes, Commentaries, Eisenstadt 1977, p. 96.
  25. a b c d e Christian Heindl (ed.): Jenö Takács. Festschrift for the 100th birthday, Vienna 2002, p. 75.
  26. Honorary Members , www.kug.ac.at, accessed on January 13, 2018.
  27. (caption :) The Golden Haydn Medal (…) . In: Burgenland Freizeit . LXIII. Volume, No. 8/1993, February 24, 1993, ZDB -ID 2391662-X , p. 26.
  28. ^ Joseph Haydn Prize (...) . In: Burgenland Freizeit . LIX. Volume, No. 32/1989, August 9, 1989, ZDB-ID 2391662-X, p. 35.
  29. Jenö Takacs Prize for Willi Spuller on ORF from March 5, 2008
  30. ^ Krammer wins Jenö Takacs competition on ORF on June 29, 2010
  31. Jenö Takacs Prize 2010 goes to Tibor Nemeth on ORF -Burgenland on December 22, 2010
  32. according to JTVAC0 directory
  33. according to JTVAC4 directory
  34. according to JTVAC1 directory
  35. according to JTVAC3 directory