Láng, István

Láng, István, Hungarian composer and teacher; b. Budapest, March 1, 1933. He studied with Viski (1951–56) and Szabó (1956–58) at the Budapest Academy of Music. He pursued his career in Budapest, where he first worked at the Acadey of Dramatic and Film Arts (1957–60). From 1966 to 1984 he was municipal consultant to the State Puppet Theater. He taught at the Budapest Academy of Music from 1973. From 1978 to 1990 he also was general secretary of the Assn. of Hungarian Musicians. In 1968 and 1975 he received the Erkel Prize. In 1985 he was made a Merited Artist by the Hungarian government. His music is rooted in euphonious dissonance, without venturing into fashionable ugliness.

Works

dramatic:Opera: Bernada háza (Bernar-da’s House; 1959); Pathelin mester (Master Pathelin; Budapest, 1958); A nagy drámairó (The Great Dramatist), television opera (1960; rev. 1974; Budapest, Feb. 14, 1975); A gyáva (The Coward; Budapest, 1968); álom a szinházról (A Dream about the Theater), television opera (1979-81; Budapest, March 25, 1984). Ballet: Mario és a varázsló (Mario and the Magician), after Thomas Mann (1962); Hiperbola (1963; suite, 1968); Lebukott (Nabbed; 1968); Csillagra-török (Starfighters), ballet-cantata (1972; rev. 1977). orch.: Viola Concerto (1957); Concerto for Strings (1960); Xylophone Concertino (1961; rev. 1967); 4 syms.: No. 1 (1965; withdrawn and reworked as Variazioni ed Allegro), No. 2 (1972–74), No. 3 (1981-82; Szombathely, June 7, 1982), and No. 4 (1983; Budapest, Nov. 28, 1984); Gyászzene (Funeral Music; 1969); Impulsioni for Oboe and Instrumental Groups (1969); 3 Sentences from Romeo and Juliet for Strings (1969–70); Concerto bucolico for Horn and Orch. (1970–71); Tüzoszlop (Firepillar; 1972); Egloga (1976); Violin Concerto (1976-77; Budapest, May 1, 1980); Double Concerto for Clarinet, Harp, and Orch. (1979-80; Budapest, April 7, 1981); Pezzo lirico for Oboe and Orch. (1985); Organ Concerto (1987). chamber: Sonata for Solo Cello (1960); 3 string quartets (1961, 1966, 1978); 3 wind quintets (1964; Transfigurazioni, 1965; 1975); Monodia for Clarinet (1965); Dramma breve for Flute (1970); Cassazione for Brass Septet (1971); Rhymes for Flute, Clarinet, Viola, Cello, and Piano (1972); Villanasok (Flashes) for Violin (1973); Improvisazioni for Cimbalom (1973); Constellations for Oboe, Violin, Viola, and Clarinet (1974–75); Surface Metamorphosis for Tape (1975); Constellations for Oboe and String Trio (1975–76); Waves II for Flute, Guitar, and Harpsichord (1976); 2 Preludes for a Postlude for Bass and String Trio (1977); Music 2-4r-3 for Ensemble (1979); Prelude, 3 Mobils and Postlude for Brass Quintet (1980); Chagall Flies Away over His Sleeping Vitebsk for Percussion Quartet (1985; Budapest, May 18, 1986); Interpolations for Bassoon (1988); Cimbiosis for Cimbalom and Chamber Ensemble (1991). vocal: 2 chamber cantatas: No. 1 for Soprano, Clarinet, Piano, Percussion, and Cello (1962) and No. 2, locaste, for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Harp, and String Trio (1979); Pezzi for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Percussion, and Viola (1964; rev. 1967); Laudate hominem, cantata for Chorus and Orch. (1968); In Memoriam N. N., cantata for Chorus and Orch. (1971); Fragments for Alto, Oboe, Bassoon, and Harp (1971–72); Waves I for Soprano and Vibraphone (1975); 3 Songs for Bass and Orch. (1985).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire