László Király began his musical studies
in Zalaegerszeg. Between 1968 and 1972, he
studied composition at the Béla Bartók Music
Secondary School in Budapest as a student of
Elek Huzella, Béla C. Nagy, and István FeketeGyőr, as well as receiving double-bass lessons
with József Bonyhádi. From 1972 to 1973, he
played double bass in the Symphony Orchestra
of the Post Administration, including at the
Vienna Festive Weeks in 1973, where he met
Hungarian-born composer György Ligeti for the
first time. Between 1973 and 1978, he studied
composition at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, first as a student of his
great mentor, Endre Szervánszky, and later as that of Emil Petrovics. He learned
contemporary music from Rudolf Maros and Zsolt Durkó, and electronic
music from Zoltán Pongrácz. Between 1975 and 1979, he was director of music
at the College of Theater and Film Studies in Budapest. As a recipient of a State
Scholarship in 1980, he received further training at the electronic music studio
of the University of Gent in Belgium. In 1984, he received the Zoltán Kodály
Scholarship for composers. From 1981, he was a part-time music director, as
well as the author of programs of contemporary music at Hungarian Radio.
Between 1984 and 1993, he was a special contemporary music advisor at the
National Philharmonic Orchestra, and from 1990 to 1993, the editor of the
Contemporary Music Series. He is a multi-award-winner, including: the Klára
Chitz Memorial Competition for Composers (1973); the Albert Szirmai Prize
(1978); the Erkel Prize (2002), and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of
the Republic of Poland (2016).
STAGE WORKS
A vakok/The Blinds – Opera (1988), 1 Act Lib: Sándor Galamb (after Michel
de Ghelderode)
A botlókő legendája – Balett (2017), soloists, vl., jazz ens. Lib: Rebeka
Schranez
ORATORIC WORKS
Hungarian Requiem (1985), S, female chr., symph. orch.
Cantata, No. 1 (1994), Bar, SATB, symph. orch. Lib: Dezső Keresztury
Göcseji legenda/Legend of Göcsej – Cantata (2009), SATB, symph. orch.
Lib: Gabriella Pécsi
Psalm Cantata (2011), soloists, SATB, symph. orch.
Madaras mese/Bird Tale – Cantata (2011), female chr., str. orch.
Lib: Gabriella Pécsi
Katyn – Requiem (2013), MS, Bar, SATB, symph. orch. Lib: Zoltán Polner,
Cyprian Norvid
“Devictus vincit” – Oratorio for Mindszenty (2014–2016), narr., solo voices,
SATB, symph. orch. Lib: Composer, Zoltán Polner
Az Úr érkezése/The Arrival of God – Christmas Oratorio (2018–2019), narr.,
soloists, SATB, symph. orch. Lib: Biblical
Itthoni dalok/Home Songs – Crossover Cantata (2020–2021), 2 pop-singers,
symph. orch. [Composed with Sándor Z. Lukács]
Eszter könyve/Book of Ester (2021), narr., soloists, male chr., symph. orch.
Lib: Hebrew Texts
CONCERTOS
Suite Concertante (1987), 2 cimb., str. orch. SR: SLPX 31127
Elégia egy gordonkás halálára/Elegy on the Death of a Cello-Player (1993),
vlc., str. orch.
Valse Triste (1994), vl., chbr. orch. Pub: Editio Bernardus SR: HCD 31954
Concertino (1996), vl., symph. orch.
Ifjúsági zongoraverseny/Youth Piano Concerto (1997), pno., symph. orch.
Elégia a megsebzett gyermekért/Elegy for the Wounded Child (1998), hn.,
chbr. orch.
Szerenád/Serenade (2003), vl., str. orch.
Elégia egy szerelem halálára/Elegy for the Death of a Love (2003), engl. hn.,
str. orch. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Ifjúsági fuvolaverseny/Youth Flute Concerto (1970/2006), str. orch.
Rievocazione (2020), ob., str. orch.
Canto doloroso, No. 2 (2020), ob., symph. orch.
ORCHESTRAL WORKS
Zalai bokréta/Zala Bouquet (1977), symph. orch.
Lassú és friss – Pálóczi Horváth Ádám emlékére/Slow and Fast – Remem
bering Ádám Pálóczi-Horváth (1979), symph. orch.
Boswili kirándulások/Trips Around Boswil (1986), chbr. orch. SR: SLPX
31354, HCD 31954
Képek a gyermekkorból/Pictures of my Childhood (1988), youth str. orch.
Akácok városa/City of Acacias – Suite (1989), symph. orch. SR: HCD 31954
Zalatáj/Landscape of Zala – Suite (1990), symph. orch.
Miklós-idill/Nicholas-Idyll (1995), symph. orch.
Hálaének Zalának/Paean to Zala – Overture (2004), symph. orch.
Eine kleine Weihnachtsmusik (2008), str. orch.
Elégia Lukin László emlékére/Elegy for the Memory of László Lukin (2009),
symph. orch.
Magyar tánc/Hungarian Dance – “Hommage à Erkel” (2010), symph. orch.
SR: Gyulai Várszínház
Dallamok a zsidó zene világából/Melodies from the World of Jewish Music –
Suite (2010), symph. orch.
Márciusi magyar hangok/Hungarian Voices in March – Suite (2011), symph. orch.
Magyar szvit, No. 1/Hungarian Suite, No. 1 (2020), symph. orch.
Magyar szvit, No. 2/Hungarian Suite, No. 2 (2020), symph. orch.
CHORAL WORKS
És mégis, Márciusi láz/And Yet, March Fever (1978), SATB Lib: Gyula Juhász
Pub: Editio Bernardus
Five Choirs – For Female or Girls’ Choir, on the Poems by Lőrincz Szabó (1983)
Halk szélben/In Soft Wind (1984), 3 female chr. Lib: Dezső Keresztury
Pub: UMP EMB SR: SLPX 31354
A szülőföld lelke/Soul of the Homeland (1984), SATB Pub: Editio Bernardus
Tavaszköszöntő/Greeting of the Spring (1985), girls’ chr. Lib: Anonymous
Télköszöntő/Greeting of the Winter (1985), girls’ chr. Lib: 20th Century
Hungarian Poems
Két dunántúli tájkép/Two Pannon Landscapes (1986), SATB Lib: Dezső
Keresztury, István Sinka
Őszköszöntő/Greeting of Autumn (1987), girls’ chr. Lib: 20th Century
Hungarian Poems
Húsvét/Eastern (1994), children’s chr. Lib: Dezső Keresztury
Istenes énekek/Divine Songs (1994), SATB Lib: Dezső Keresztury Pub: Editio
Bernardus
Tréfás népdalok/Humorous Folk Songs (1996), SATB Lib: Hungarian Folk
Texts Pub: Editio Bernardus
Shalom Israel (1997), SATB Pub: Editio Bernardus SR: HCD 31956
Missa Zalaegerszegiensis (2002), SATB, org. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Kerkamenti csúfolók/Scoffer from along the Big Kerka River (2003), SATB
Lib: Hungarian Folk Texts Pub: Editio Bernardus
Óda a hazatérőhöz/Ode for the Home-Comers (2008), SATB Lib: Lajos
Bence Pub: Editio Bernardus
Karácsony este/Christmas Eve (2010), female chr.
Pünkösdi kórusok/Choirs of Pentecost (2011), girls’ chr.
Adventi kórusok/Choirs of Advent (2012), female chr.
CHAMBER WORKS
Variations (1973), cl., db., pno.
Divertimento ‘52 (1976), cl., str. trio
Four Studies (1977), vl., perc. SR: SLPX 31354
12 Miniatures (1977), fl.–perc., fl.–pno., fl.–org., fl.–harps. Pub: UMP EMB
SR: SLPX 31354
3 Movements for Percussions (1978, rev. 1984) SR: SLPX 31354
Magyar karácsonyi dalok/Christmas Carols in Hungary (1983), fl., harps./
org. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Nostalgia and Scherzo (1993), cl., pno. Pub: Editio Bernardus SR: HCD 31954
Two Concert-Pieces (1998), fl., perc. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Sonatina – In memoriam Pál Járdányi (1969/1999), fl., pno.
Notturno – In memoriam Zsolt Durkó (1999), 14 instr. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Melancholic Serenade (2000), 4 vlc./vlc. ens. Pub: Editio Bernardus
SR: HCD 32108
Ostinato Ongherese (2001), 4 vlc./vlc. ens. Pub: Editio Bernardus
…luceat ei… (2002), vl., pno. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Pop Fantasies (2003), str. quintet
Veronikának/For Veronica (2003), fl., pno. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Virágok/Flowers (2003), 4 sax.
Lamento e Scherzo (2003), cl. quintet Pub: Editio Bernardus
Vallomás/Confession (2004), vl., pno.
Emlékezés barátainkra/Remembering Our Friends (2011), hn., vl., cl.
Canto Doloroso (2020), ob., pno. Pub: Solo Music
Magyar karácsonyi pásztortáncok/Hungarian Christmas Shepherd Dances –
In Memory of Leó Weiner (2020), cl. quintet
VOCAL WORKS
Four Songs on the Poems by Paul Klee (1977), MS, chbr. orch.
Tres canciones españolas (1982), S, bs. Pub: Editio Bernardus SR: SLPX 31354
Egy szerelem korszakaiból/A Love’s Etaps – Song Cycle (1992), MS, symph.
orch. SR: HCD 31954
Three Songs on the Poems by Sándor Petőfi (1995), T, symph. orch.
Eight Haiku Poems (1995), S, ens.
Búcsúzások/Farewells – Song Cycle for Tenor Solo and Orchestra (1996)
Lib: László Nádor, János Kántor Kurszán, Péter Fábri
Három Petőfi töredék/Three Petőfi-Fragments (1999), A, chbr. orch.
Csillag csengők csilingelnek/Star Ring Tinkle – Ten Songs on the Poems
by József Kanizsa (2001)
Egerszegi daloskönyv I–II./Songbook from Egerszeg, Vol. I–II. (1998–2002),
MS, T, pno. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Két dal Szilárd Gyula verseire/Two Songs on the Poems by Gyula Szilárd
(2002), Bar, orch.
Vallomások Zaláról/Confessions about Zala (2002), MS, T, chbr. orch.
Zalai számvetés/Accounting of Zala (2004), B, orch. Lib: Ernő Bécs
Psalm Cantata (2005), soloists, SATB, org. Pub: Rózsavölgyi
Ünnepnapok/Holidays (2005–2007), B, 10 instr. Lib: József Kiss
Egerszegi daloskönyv III./Songbook from Egerszeg, Vol. III. (2006–2008),
A, Bar, pno.
Egerszegi daloskönyv III./Songbook from Egerszeg, Vol. IV. (2009), A, Bar, pno.
Zsidó dalok/Jewish Songs (2008), B, pno. Lib: András Mezei, Gyula Szilárd
Pub: Rózsavölgyi
Kilencek daloskönyve/Songbook of Nine (2011–2012), Bar, pno.
Bats Mon Coeur! Bats! (2017), Bar, pno. Lib: Leo Küpper Pub: Solo Music
Chants Nouveaux (2020), T, pno. Lib: Leo Küpper
Magyar holocaust 1944/Hungarian Holocaust 1944 (2020), Bar, pno.
Lib: András Mezei
Nálunk a tél/Winter is Here (2020), A, pno. Lib: Zsuzsa Mirtse
Ave Maria, Magnificat (2020), S, org.
SOLO WORKS
Four Piano Pieces (1969, rev. 1999) Pub: Editio Bernardus
Adagio and Rondo (1970), pno. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Hommage à Webern (1975), pno. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Solo Sonata, No. 1 (1999), vl. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Preludium – In memoriam Elek Huzella (2000), org. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Sirató/Lament – In memoriam Miklós Stábel (2010), vl. Pub: Editio Bernardus
Eve, My Heart, Eve – Variations on a Hungarian Folk Song (2011), vl.
Pub: Editio Bernardus
Solo Sonata, No. 2 (2013), vl. Pub: Editio Bernardus
ELECTROACOUSTIC WORKS
Echo (1978)
Búcsú Teréztől/Farewell from Teresa (1978)
Musica Naturae (1979)
Piano Piece (1980) SR: SLPX 12371
Repetitív etűdök/Repetitive Studies (1982)
Álomképek Zaláról/Vision of Zala (2001)
