Levente Gyöngyösi was born in 1975 in Cluj
(Kolozsvár) in Romania. In 1993, he was ad
mitted to the second year of the composition
department at the Liszt Academy of Music in
Budapest; his professor was György Orbán.
His first notable success was in 2000, winning
second prize at the Hungarian National Opera’s
Millenium Opera Competition with his two-act
opera, The Stork Calif; the libretto was by Zsófia
Balla, and it was based on a novel by Mihály
Babits. In 2005, he was awarded the Erkel Prize,
and two years later, Hungaroton published his
first CD containing his mass composed for
women’s choir, Missa Lux et Origo, and an oratorio, Cantici Fratris Sole (Canticle
of Brother Sun) conducted by György Vashegyi. In 2008, the Erdődy Chamber
Orchestra, conducted by György Vashegyi, performed his St. Luke’s Passion in
Latin. This work received “Best Contemporary Work of the Year” from Artisjus,
the Hungarian Bureau for the Protection of Author’s Rights. In 2009, he won
the Bartók–Pásztory Award. Since 2012, he has sat on the jury of several choir
competitions, including: in 2012: World Choir Games, Cincinnati, USA; 2013:
Bartók International Choir Competition, Debrecen; 2016: World Choir Games,
Sochi, Russia; 2019: Tokyo International Choir Competition, Japan. He has
been composer-in-residence of the Dohnányi Symphony Orchestra since 2018.
In the same year, at Budapest’s Palace of Arts, the world-renowned British
vocal ensemble, The King’s Singers performed his Veni Iesu, veni amor, a choral
work he composed especially for them. In that same year, he was awarded
a three-year scholarship from the Hungarian Academy of Arts. In 2021, the
Hungarian National Opera performed his new opera-musical The Master and
Margarita.
OPERAS
A gólyakalifa/The Stork Calif (1998–1999), 2 Acts Lib: Zsófia Balla (after
Mihály Babits) Pub/SR: comp. hp.
A Mester és Margarita/The Master and Margarita – Opera-Musical (2014–
2017), 2 Acts Lib: Szabolcs Várady (after Bulgakov)
CANTATAS, ORATORIOS
Cantici Fratris Sole (2003), S, A, T, B, SATB, org., str. Lib: St. Francis of Assisi
Pub/SR: comp. hp.
Des Hohelied der Liebe (2004), B, 2 fl., 2 ob., 2 cl., 2 bs., 4 hn., 2 tr., 3 trb.,
tuba, timp., perc. Lib: St. Paul Pub/SR: comp. hp.
Istenkép/Image of God – Cantata in Memory of Hungarian Revolution in 1956
(2006), S, B, SATB, symph. orch. Lib: Géza Szőcs Pub/SR: comp. hp.
St Luke Passion (2008), S, CT, T, Bar, B, symph. orch. Pub/SR: comp. hp.
Missa Vanitas vanitatum (2010), S, B, SATB, symph. orch. Pub/SR: comp. hp.
Christmas Oratorio (2013), 3 T, S, 2 Bar, 2 B, SATB, str. Lib: Biblical, Kájoni:
Cantionale Catholicum, Hungarian Folk Texts, Attila József Pub: Kontra
punkt SR: comp. hp.
Katonasirató/Soldier Lament (2015), S, male chr., symph. orch. Lib: Morduin
and Zuryen Folk Texts Pub/SR: comp. hp.
In te, Domine, speravi (2017), S, MS, A, female chr., fl., vlc., pno. SR: comp. hp.
Lenni vagy nem/To Be or Not (2020), S, A, T, B, SATB, symph. orch.
Lib: András Visky Pub: comp. hp.
CONCERTOS
Piano Concerto (2011), pno., symph. orch. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Sinfonia Concertante – For Four Percussion Player and Orchestra (2013),
4 perc., symph. orch. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Flute Concerto (2018), fl., symph. orch. Pub/SR: comp. hp.
ORCHESTRAL WORKS
Verkündigung – Five Symphonic Images for Orchestra “Das Buch der Bilder” von
Rainer Maria Rilke (2001), symph. orch. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Symphony, No. 1 (2009), MS, symph. orch. Lib: Jenő Dsida, Mihály
Csokonai Vitéz, János Pilinszky, Sándor Weöres, Rainer Maria Rilke,
Brentano Clemens, Attila József Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Symphony, No. 3 – “Birth” (2013), S, symph. orch. Lib: Attila József
Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
CHAMBER WORKS
Sonata for Piccolo and Piano (2007) Pub/SR: comp. hp.
Sonata for Trumpet, Violoncello, and Piano (2013) Pub: Kontrapunkt
SR: comp. hp.
CHORAL WORKS
Cantate Domino (1997), female chr. Pub: Ars Nova SR: comp. hp.
Assumpta est Maria (1999), SATB Pub: EMI SR: HCD 32195
Salve Regina (2000), S, fl., harp, female chr. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Te lucis ante terminum (2003), SATB Lib: Hymn of St. Gregorius
Pub: Kontrapunkt, UMP EMB SR: comp. hp.
Missa Lux et Origo (2004), female chr. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Missa Quinque Auctorum – Gloria (2006), SATB Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Gloria Kajoniensis (2008), S, MS, A, female chr., 2 vl./pno., bongo, tamb.
Lib: János Kájoni: Cantionale Catholicum Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Confitemini Domino (2010), female chr. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Sicut lilium inter spinas (2010), SATB Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Domine Deus meus (2011), SATB Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Puer natus in Bethlehem (2011), SATB Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Ubi caritas et amor (2011), female chr. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Quo ibo a suspiritu tuo (2012) Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Laudate Dominum (2013), female chr., tamb. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
O Maria, nori flere (2014), female chr. Lib: Hymn of Philippe de Grève
Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Caelum et terra (2017), female chr. Pub: Kontrapunkt SR: comp. hp.
Dixit Dominus (2017), female chr. Pub: Kontrapunkt
Missa Quarta (2017), female chr. Pub: comp. hp.
Veni Iesu, veni amor (2018), 2 CT, T, 2 Bar, B Pub: comp. hp.
Vulnerasti cor meum (2018), SATB Pub/SR: comp. hp.
Beati pauperes spiritu (2019), 40 voices Pub/SR: comp. hp.
De profundis (2019), SATB Pub: comp. hp.
Solvere volo (2019), SATB Lib: Apocryphal Gospel Pub: comp. hp.
VOCAL WORKS
Two Csokonai-Songs (2007), S, pno. Lib: Mihály Csokonai Vitéz
Pub/SR: comp. hp.
ORCHESTRATIONS
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: L’oca del Cairo (2005), 2 ob., 2 bs., 2 hn., 2 tr.,
timp., str. Lib: Giambattista Varesco Pub/SR: comp. hp.
Bach, Johann Sebastian: Cantata, No. 190 (Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied)
(2012), 3 tr., timp., 3 ob., bs., str., harps., chr. Pub/SR: comp. hp.
