László Tihanyi attended the Liszt Academy
of Music in Budapest, where he studied com
position with Rezső Sugár and conducting
with András Kórodi. Since 1979, he has been
a professor at the Academy, where he was also
vice-rector from 2000 until 2005. He regularly
conducts both in Hungary and abroad, and
typically focuses on 20th century classical and
contemporary works. In 1991, he participated
in the production of Maderna’s Hyperion at the
Festival d’Automne in Paris and continued to do
so on subsequent European tours. In 1985, he
founded his own instrumental Ensemble, the
Intermodulation – dedicated to 20th and 21-st century music – and has been
its artistic director ever since. He is the winner of numerous awards, including
the Erkel Prize and the Bartók–Pásztory Award. Besides being composer-inresidence for the Intermodulation Ensemble, his works are performed all over
Europe: Hungarian Radio commissioned Irrlichtspiel for violin and ensemble,
and in 1998 two Swiss foundations, Pro Helvetia and the Zuger Kulturstiftung
Landis & Gyr commissioned Matrix for four hands. Atte was premiered in 1999
in Berlin by the UMZE Ensemble, with soloists Csaba Klenyán (clarinet) and
György Déri (cello). In 2002, Musikfabrik premiered Kosmos, and several further
commissions followed, one of which was the 20 Night Meditations for 8 Soloists and
Orchestra with Double Strings, which had its American premiere in February 2007
at The Juilliard School, New York in 1991. In 1992, Summer Music was dedicated to
the Ensemble Contrechamps – and was also premiered by them – and remains
one of their most performed chamber works of his. In 1994, Radio France
commissioned L’Épitaph du Soldat (a short sequel to Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale).
He was also commissioned by the French State, as well as Opera de Bordeaux, to
write his first opera Genitrix, which was based on the novel by Francois Mauriac;
it received its premiere on the 25th of November 2007 in Bordeaux.
T
OPERAS
Genitrix, Op. 39 (2001–2007), solo voices, chr., children’s chr., symph. orch.
Lib: Composer, Alain Surrans (after François Mauriac)
ORCHESTRAL WORKS
Krios, Op. 2 (1985), small orch. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 31352
Enodios, Op. 5 (1986), symph. orch. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 31352
Arkhé, Op. 10 (1989), symph. orch. [Tihanyi’s comment: Needs revision,
cannot be played!]
Twelve Night Meditations, Op. 33 (2002), symph. orch. Pub: UMP EMB
Epilegomena (Jan Jansson on the Milkyway), Op. 47 (2009), fl., symph. orch.
Pub: EMB
Passacaglie, Op. 49 (2009), vla., symph. orch. Pub: UMP EMB
La Grande Adria, Op. 83 (2019–2020), symph. orch. Pub: Tihanyi Művészeti Bt.
ENSEMBLE
“Piano” Music, Op. Prius 2 (1976), ens.
A szelek csendje/Silence of the Winds, Op. 1 (1984), ens. Pub: UMP EMB
SR: HCD 31352
Winterszenen, Op. 11 (1991), ens. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 31792
Nachtszene, Op. 12 (1991), ens. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 31792
Irrlichtspiel, Op. 13 (1991), vl., ens. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 31792
Summer Music, Op. 14 (1992), ens. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 31792
Cord Canon, Op. 16 (1994), ens. Pub: EMB
L’épitaphe du soldat, Op. 17 (1994), ens. Pub: EMB SR: HCD 31792
Triton, Op. 18 (1995), bs., ens. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 32484
Nereida, Op. 19 (1995), ens. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 31868
Serenata, Op. 21 (1996), ens. Pub: EMB [Tihanyi’s comment: Needs revision,
cannot be played!]
Atte, Op. 26 (1999), cl., vlc., ens. Pub: UMP EMB SR: BMC CD 027
Dessin, Op. 27 (2000), ens. [Tihanyi’s comment: Needs revision, cannot be
played!]
Matrix/Kosmos, Op. 32 (2002), pno. 4 hands, ens. Pub: UMP EMB
Back from the Embankment, Op. 34 (2003), ens. Pub: EMB SR: HCD 32484
Concertino piccolino, Op. 35 (2004), fl., ens.
Arnis, Op. 51 (2010), harp, ens.
Two Imaginary Dialogues, Op. 55 (2011), ens. Pub: UMP EMB
Clausula, No. 6, Op. 62 (2013), ens.
Fríz, Op. 70 (2015), vla., ens. Pub: UMP EMB
CHAMBER WORKS
Two Sonatas Hommage à O. Messiaen, Op. prius 3 (1977), vl., pno.
Motetus, Op. prius 4 (1981), 6/12 instr.
Double, Op. 4 (1986), hn., pno.
Pylaios, Op. 8 (1988, rev. 1994), 8 instr. Pub: UMP EMB
Duettino, Op. 22 (1996), 2 cl.
Schattenspiel, Op. 23 (1997), cl., vlc., pno. Pub: EMB SR: BMC CD 027
Matrix, Op. 25 (1998), pno. 4 hands
Scene for Five Characters, Op. 28 (2001, rev. 2008), brass quintet Pub: UMP
EMB SR: HCD 32632
Three Bagatell in memoriam Gy. L., Op. 38 (2006), wind quintet [Tihanyi’s
comment: Needs revision, cannot be played!]
Sequenza in mem. A. Sz., Op. 40 (2008), 2 cl., bs.
Clausula, No. 2, Op. 48 (2009), pno. 4 hands
Clausula, No. 3, Op. 50 (2010), 2 cl., bs.
Eight Invocations to the Lunar Phases, Op. 53 (2010–2011), vl., pno.
Pub: UMP EMB
Prelude, Invocation and Postlude, Op. 54 (2011), vl., vla., vlc. Pub: UMP EMB
50 misure a S., Op. 56 (2011), vl., vla.
Rundherum, Op. 57 (2012), pno., str. quartet Pub: UMP EMB
Clausula, No. 4, Op. 58 (2012), A fl., vla., vlc., pno.
Three Strophes to Tabita, Op. 61 (2013), vla. solo, 5 vla.
Peacock Dance, Op. 64 (2014), trb., cimb.
In the Forests of the Night, Op. 67 (2015), 15 str. instr. Pub: UMP EMB
Three Sketches, Op. 73 (2016), vl., vla., vlc.
Song of the Distant Mountains, Op. 75 (2017), 5 instr.
Song of the Distant Mountains, Op. 75/b (2017–2018), pno. quintet
With Closed Eyes, Op. 78 (2018), 6 instr.
Covőe, Op. 81 (2019), rec., vl., vlc., harps.
A Sztüx két partján/In the Two Parts of the Styx, Op. 82 (2019), vl., muted vl.
Bagatelles, Op. 84 (2020), pno. 4 hands
Állóképek/Standing Pictures, Op. 85 (2020), str. quartet Pub: Tihanyi
Művészeti Bt.
CHORAL WORKS
Tra-duzioni, Op. 15 (1992), 6 female voices, double orch., 2 small str. orch.
Pub: UMP EMB SR: BMC PCD 015
Hymn Fragments, Op. 42 (2008–2009), SATB, 2 pno., 2 perc.
Red heat, Op. 69 (2015), narr., SATB, 5 instr. Lib: Composer
La nuit, Op. 74 (2016–2017), narr., SATB, chbr. orch. Lib: Victor Hugo
VOCAL WORKS
Message to Meng Hao-Jan – Six Songs for the Verses of Chinese Poets,
Op. Prius 1. (1974), S, fl., vla.
White Words, Op. 9 (1988), S, ens. Lib: Virginia Woolf SR: HCD 31792
Pimpalin köpenye/Pimpalin’s Gown, Op. 24 (1998), speaking voice, 6 instr.
Lib: Alíz Mosonyi Pub: UMP EMB
Mahlers Wunderhorn, Op. 36 (2005), S, T, ens. Pub: UMP EMB
SR: HCD 32484
8 Scenes from the Genitrix, Op. 41 (2008), MS, T, Bar, symph. orch.
Lib: Composer, Alain Surrans (after François Mauriac)
Genitrix. Suite, No. 1., Op. 44 (2008–2009), T, symph. orch. Lib: Composer,
Alain Surrans (after Francois Mauriac)
Genitrix. Suite, No. 2., Op. 45 (2008–2009), MS, Bar, symph. orch.
Lib: Composer, Alain Surrans (after Francois Mauriac)
Une porte sur l’abîme, Op. 52 (2010), S, ens. Lib: François Mauriac
“Früher, oder…”, Op. 63 (2013), MS, pno.
Opera Magna, Op. 66 (2014), MS, ens. Lib: Based on Péter Eötvös’ Operas
White Rose, Op. 72 (2016), actress, actor, MS, Bar, 5 instr. Lib: Composer
In Hundred Nights, Op. 76 (2017), narr., Bar, 12 str., perc. Lib: Attila József
Blue Vortex, Op. 79 (2018–2019), narr., Bar, dancers, str. quartet, perc.
Lib: Anonymous Hindi Poet
Three Haikus, Op. 80 (2019), A, vl., pno. Lib: Dezső Tandori
SOLO WORKS
Petal, Op. Prius 5 (1984), any keyboard
Ductus, Op. 3 (1986), vla.
Attis, Op. 6 (1986), vl. Pub: UMP EMB SR: HCD 32484
Jan Jansson’s Journey from Denmark to Denmark, Op. 7 (1987), fl./picc./A fl.
Pub: UMP EMB
The Passing of the Neptun, Op. 20 (1995–1996), pno. SR: HCD 32484
Nächtliche Klauseln, Op. 29 (2001), org. Pub: Bärenreiter SR: HCD 32484
80 Notes to András Szöllősy, Op. 30 (2001), pno.
Linos, Op. 31 (2001–2002), harp Pub: UMP EMB
Prophet als Vogel, Op. 37 (2006), pno. Pub: UMP EMB
Tractus, Op. 43 (2009), cl.
Clausula, No. 1, Op. 46 (2009), vlc.
Bach Commentary, Op. 59 (2012), vlc. Pub: EMB
Clausula, No. 5, Op. 60 (2013), cl. Pub: EMB
Clausula, No. 7, Op. 65 (2014), trb.
Farewell, Op. 68 (2015), fl.
Game of Intervals, Op. 71 (2016), pno.
Satie-ricon, Op. 77 (2017), pno.
