Viski, János

views updated

Viski, János

Viski, János, Hungarian composer and teacher; b. Kolozsvár, June 10, 1906; d. Budapest, Jan. 16, 1961. He was a student of Kodály at the Budapest Academy of Music (1927-32). In 1940 he became a prof, at the Budapest National Cons. After serving as director of the Cluj Cons. (1941-42), he was a prof, of composition at the Budapest Academy of Music from 1942 until his death. In 1954 he won the Erkel Prize, in 1955 he was made a Merited Artist by the Hungarian government, and in 1956 he received the Kossuth Prize. His music was permeated by Hungarian melorhythms set in classical forms.

Works

ORCH: Symphonic Suite (1935); 2 Hungarian Dances (1938); Enigma (1939); Violin Concerto (1947); Piano Concerto (1953); Cello Concerto (1955). CHAMBER: String Trio (1930; not extant); 5 Little Piano Pieces (1948); Epitaph for Anton Webernfor Piano (1960). VOCAL: Az irisórai szarvas (The Heart of Irisora), ballad for Baritone and Orch. (1958); choruses; solo songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire