Erwin Lendvai

Erwin Lendvai (4 June 1882, in Budapest – 31 March 1949 in either Epsom, Surrey or London in England) was a Hungarian composer and choral conductor. He was an uncle of the composer Kamilló Lendvay.

Lendvai was born in Budapest. He graduated from National Music Academy of Budapest studying with Hans von Koessler. He also studied with Gioachino Rossini (impressive! Rossini died in 1863. Giacomo Puccini is the right one) in Milano. From 1906, he lived in Germany starting his teaching career. From 1913 to 1914, he taught at the J.-Dalcroze Institute in Hellerau where he married a photographer Erna Lendvai-Dircksen. From 1914 to 1920, he taught composition at the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory in Berlin and in 1923 choral singing at the Volksmusikschule in Hamburg.

He was also director of a musical society in Koblenz and director of the popular choir of Munich. In 1929, he premiered Arnold Schoenberg's choral work Glück Op. 35, No. 4.

In 1933, he emigrated from Germany due to the Nazi regime and since then he worked as a music teacher in Kenninghall, England. After the war, he led the Györ Conservatory of Music. He became interested in Béla Bartók's music there. He died in Epsom.

Lendvai wrote one opera Elga (1916, on text by Gerhart Hauptmann), festival music Völkerfreiheit (1930), a symphony, Archaic dances, Scherzo for orchestra, 3 Pieces for organ Op. 4, chamber music, choral works and songs. Lendvai's choral music influenced many other choral composers.

Sources

• Erwin Lendvai
• German Wikipedia article
• Italian Wikipedia article

Further reading

• Hugo Leichtentritt, E. Lendvai. Berlin 1912.
• Gesine Schröder, Zum Streit der Männerchöre in den Zwanziger Jahren: Eine Erinnerung an Erwin Lendvai", in: 4. Tagung AIM Gender in Stuttgart-Hohenheim, 2.-4.2.2006 (pdf)

External links

• Free scores by Erwin Lendvai at the International Music Score Library Project
• Texts of his songs
• A New Symphony by Lendvai Heard at the Fourth Evening Concert
• Listing of some of Lendvai's choral works