Them, Károly

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Them, Károly

Them, Károly, Hungarian composer of German birth; b. Iglau, Aug. 13, 1817; d. Vienna, April 13, 1886. After studies at the Univ. of Pest, he worked as asst. conductor at the National Theater (1841). He taught at the National Cons. (1853-64), and later settled in Vienna. He wrote the operas Giyul (1841), Tihany ostroma (The Siege of Tihany; 1845), and A képzelt beteg (The Imaginary Invalid; 1855), as well as a Sym. (1871), chamber music, songs, and piano pieces. His sons, Vilmos (1847-1911) and Lajos (1848-1920), studied with Reinecke and Moscheles at the Leipzig Cons., and later with Liszt; after winning distinction as a duo-piano team in Europe, they settled in Vienna as teachers.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire