DOHNANYI, Ernst von

b Bratislava, 27 July 1877

d New York, 11 February 1960, aged eighty-two

His father was a professor of mathematics and a good amateur cellist. At the age of seventeen Dohnanyi enrolled at the Budapest Royal Academy of Music, leaving to become a successful concert pianist, a career he later abandoned to become a teacher and composer. For ten years he taught at the Berlin Hochschule, then became director of the Budapest Academy, and conductor of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1927 he was awarded a grant from the State. He became director of the Hungarian Broadcasting Service. From 1947 he settled in the USA.

1895 (18)

fp Piano Quintet in C minor (Op 1, published 1902)

1896 (19)

Zrinyi, overture

1897 (20)

Symphony No 1 in F major

1903 (26)

p String Quartet in A major

p Cello Sonata in Bb minor

1904 (27)

p Serenade in C major for string trio

1907 (30)

p String Quartet in D major

1910 (33)

Der Schlier der Pierette, ballet

p Piano Quintet in Eb major

1913 (36)

p Violin Sonata in C sharp minor

Tante Simona, opera

1915 (38)

Violin Concerto No 1

1916 (39)

Variations on a Nursery Song, for piano and orchestra

1919 (42)

Suite in F# minor

1920 (43)

Hitvallas, for tenor, choir and orchestra

1922 (45)

The Tower of the Voivod, romantic opera

1929 (52)

A Tenor, opera

1930 (53)

Szeged Mass, for twelve voices, orchestra and organ

1933 (56)

Symphonic Minutes, for orchestra

1935 (58)

Sextet in C

1939-41 (62-4)

Cantus Vitae, symphonic cantata (unpublished)

1942-3 (65-6)

Suite en Valse, for orchestra

1943-4 (66-7)

Symphony No 2 in D minor, Op 9

1945 (68)

Six Pieces for piano

1946 (69)

Piano Concerto No 2

1950 (73)

Twelve Studies for piano

1952 (75)

Violin Concerto No 2

Harp Concerto

1953 (76)

Stabat Mater

1954 (77)

American Rhapsody

Dohnanyi also composed:

Konzertstucke for cello, Op 10

Ruralia Hungarica, for piano (later orchestrated), Op 33

Symphony No 3 in E major