Durkό, Zsolt

Durkό, Zsolt, prominent Hungarian composer; b. Szeged, April 10, 1934. He was a student of Farkas at the Budapest Academy of Music (1955–60) and of Petrassi at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome (1961–63). After teaching at the Budapest Academy of Music (1971–77), he was active with the Hungarian Radio (from 1982). In 1978 he won the Kossuth Prize, and in 1983 the Bartok-Pasztory Award. He was made a Merited Artist in 1983 and an Outstanding Artist in 1987 by the Hungarian government. His varied output reveals an assured craftsmanship and imaginative use of traditional forms in a contemporary style.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Mozes

(1972–77;

Budapest, May 15, 1977). ORCH.: Episodi sul tema B-A-C-H (1962–63); Organismi for Violin and Orch. (1964); Una rapsodia ungherese for 2 Clarinets and Orch. (1964–65); Cantilene for Piano and Orch. (1968); Concerto for Orchestra (1970); Ballad for Youth Orch. (1970); Fantdzia es utojdtek (Fantasy and Postlude) for Youth Orch. (1979); Quattro dialoghi for 2 Percussion Soloists and Orch. (1979); Refrains for Violin and Chamber Orch. (1979); Piano Concerto (1980); Ornamenti 1 (1984) and 2 (1985); Violin Concerto (1992–93). CHAMBE R ENSEMBLE : Colloides for Flute and Chamber Ensemble (1969); Iconography No. 2 for Horn and Chamber Ensemble (1971); Chamber Music for 2 Pianos and 11 Strings (1972–73); Turner Illustrations for Violin and 14 Instruments (1976); Impromptus for Flute and Chamber Ensemble (1983); Téli zene (Winter Music) for Horn and Chamber Ensemble (1984). CHAMBER : 11 pezzi per quartette d’archi (1962); Improvvisazioni for Wind Quintet (1965); 2 string quartets (1966, 1969); Symbols for Horn and Piano (1968–69); Quartetto d’ottoni (1970); Iconography No. 1 for 2 Bass Viols or Cellos and Harpsichord (1971); Fire Music for Flute, Clarinet, Piano, and String Trio (1971); Serenata for 4 Harps (1973); Varianti for Viola and Piano (1974); 8 Duos for 2 Horns (1977); 5 Pieces for Tuba and Piano (1978); Movements for Tuba and Piano (1980); 3 Essays for Clarinet and Piano (1983); Sinfonietta for 10 Brass Instruments (1983); Clair- obscure for Organ and Trumpet (1984); Sextet for 5 Clarinets and Piano (1987); Woodwind Octet (1988); also piano pieces and organ music. VOCAL: Fioriture for Chamber Chorus and Orch. (1966); Altamira for Chamber Chorus and Orch. (1967–68); Halotti beszed (Burial Prayer), oratorio for Tenor, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1967–72); Hat tanulmdny (6 Studies) for Chorus and Piano (1970–72); Cantata No. 1 for Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1971) and No. 2 for Chorus and Orch. (1972); Het dallamrajz for Chorus and Piano (1972); Szechenyi Oratorio for Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1981–82); Pillanatkepek a Kalevaldbol for Chorus (1986); Ilmarinen for Chorus (1986); 3 English Verses for Mezzo-soprano and 12 Instruments (1991).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire