Vécsey, JenÖ

Vécsey, JenÖ, Hungarian musicologist and composer; b. Felsocéce, July 19, 1909; d. Budapest, Sept. 18, 1966. He studied composition with Kodály at the Budapest Academy of Music (diploma, 1935), took courses in chemistry and biology at the Univ. of Budapest (graduated, 1941), and completed his musical training in Vienna (1941-42). He joined the staff of the National Széchényi Library in Budapest in 1942, where he was head of its music dept. from 1945 until his death. He made valuable contributions to the historical and bibliographical music literature preserved there, initiated and directed editorial work on the Musica Rinata series (1963-66), and did preparatory work on the new Haydn Collected Edition. He publ. Joseph Haydn müvei az Országos Széchényi kb’nyvtár zenei gyüjteményében (Joseph Haydn’s Compositions in the Music Collection of the National Széchényi Library; Budapest, 1959; Eng. tr., 1960).

Works

dramatic: Ballet: Kele diák (Scholar Kele; 1943). ORCH.: Divertimento (1939-40); Rhapsody (1940-41); Intermezzifor Strings (1942); 2 Symphonic Dances (1945; from Kele diák); Boldogkö vara (Boldogkö Castle), symphonic poem (1951; rev. as Praeludium, notturno és scherzo,1958); Piano Concertino (1953); Double Bass Concertino (1954); Szimfonikus concerto Krúdy Gyula emlékeré (Symphonic Concerto in Memory of Gyula Krúdy; 1958). CHAMBER: String Quartet (1942); String Sextet (1956); Bagatellesfor 2 Pianos (1962). VOCAL: Songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire