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Ferenc Erkel ( hu, Erkel Ferenc , german: link=no, Franz Erkel; November 7, 1810June 15, 1893) was a Hungarian composer, conductor and pianist. He was the father of Hungarian 
* '' Bátori Mária'' (1840, two acts; Mária Bátori is the lover of László, son of
Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
Opera.hu
Erkel playing chess
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Erkel, Ferenc 1810 births 1893 deaths 19th-century classical composers 19th-century classical pianists 19th-century Hungarian musicians 19th-century conductors (music) Burials at Kerepesi Cemetery Danube-Swabian people Hungarian classical composers Hungarian classical pianists Hungarian conductors (music) Hungarian-German people Hungarian male classical composers Hungarian music educators Hungarian opera composers Hungarian Romantic composers Male classical pianists Male conductors (music) Male opera composers National anthem writers People from Gyula
Ferenc Erkel ( hu, Erkel Ferenc , german: link=no, Franz Erkel; November 7, 1810June 15, 1893) was a Hungarian composer, conductor and pianist. He was the father of Hungarian grand opera
Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and orchestras, and (in their original productions) lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on o ...
, written mainly on historical themes, which are still often performed in Hungary. He also composed the music of "Himnusz
"" (; "Hymn" or "Anthem") is the national anthem of Hungary. The lyrics were written by Ferenc Kölcsey, a nationally renowned poet, in 1823, and its currently official musical setting was composed by the romantic composer Ferenc Erkel in 1844, ...
", the national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...
of Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
, which was adopted in 1844. He died in Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
.
Biography
Erkel was born in Gyula to a Danube Swabian family, a son of Joseph Erkel who was a musician. His mother was the Hungarian Klára Ruttkay. The libretti of his first three operas were written byBéni Egressy
Béni Egressy (; born Galambos Benjámin; 21 April 1814 – 17 July 1851 in Sajókazinc) was a Hungarian composer, librettist, translator and actor. He created a number of popular melodic compositions, including the one to Mihály Vörösmart ...
. Beside his operas, for which he is best known, he wrote pieces for piano and chorus, and a majestic ''Festival Overture''. He acquainted Hector Berlioz
In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...
with the tune of the Rákóczi March
The "Rákóczi March" ( Hungarian: ''Rákóczi-induló''), sometimes known as the "Hungarian March" was one of the unofficial state anthems of Hungary before Ferenc Kölcsey wrote the Himnusz. It was most likely composed by Nikolaus Scholl in 1820 ...
, which Berlioz used in ''The Damnation of Faust
''La damnation de Faust'' (English: ''The Damnation of Faust''), Op. 24 is a work for four solo voices, full seven-part chorus, large children's chorus and orchestra by the French composer Hector Berlioz. He called it a "''légende dramatique' ...
''.
He headed the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
The Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra ( Hungarian: ''Budapesti Filharmóniai Társaság Zenekara'') is Hungary's oldest extant orchestra. It was founded in 1853 by Ferenc Erkel under the auspices of the Budapest Philharmonic Society. For many years i ...
(founded in 1853). He was also the director and piano teacher of the Hungarian Academy of Music until 1886. The Hungarian State Opera House
The Hungarian State Opera House ( hu, Magyar Állami Operaház) is a neo-Renaissance opera house located in central Budapest, on Andrássy út. Originally known as the Hungarian Royal Opera House, it was designed by Miklós Ybl, a major figure of ...
in Budapest was opened in 1884, of which he was the musical director.
In 1839, he married Adél Adlers. Four of his sons participated in the composing of his later operas: Gyula (July 4, 1842, PestMarch 22, 1909, Újpest
Újpest (; german: Neu-Pest, en, New Pest) is the 4th District in Budapest, Hungary. It is located on the left bank of the Danube River. The name Újpest means "New Pest" because the city was formed on the border of the city of Pest, Hungary i ...
), Elek
Elek (, ) is a town in Békés County, in the Southern Great Plain region of south-east Hungary.
Jews lived in the city as early as the 19th century and in 1944 many of them were murdered by the Nazis in the Holocaust.
Geography
The town cover ...
(November 2, 1843, PestJune 10, 1893, Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
), László
László () is a Hungarian male given name and surname after the King-Knight Saint Ladislaus I of Hungary (1077–1095). It derives from Ladislav, a variant of Vladislav. Other versions are Lessl or Laszly. The name has a history of being frequen ...
(April 9, 1844, PestDecember 3, 1896, Pozsony
Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approximately 140% of ...
/ Bratislava
Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approxim ...
) and Sándor (January 2, 1846, PestOctober 14, 1900, Békéscsaba
Békéscsaba (; sk, Békešská Čaba; see also #Name, other alternative names) is a City with county rights, city with county rights in southeast Hungary, the capital of Békés County.
Geography
Békéscsaba is located in the Great Hungarian ...
).
In popular culture
*Erkel was an internationally acknowledgedchess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...
player as well, and a founder of Pesti Sakk-kör (Budapest Chess Club).
*A department of the Opera House was established in 1911 in Budapest which also performs operas, named ''Erkel Színház'' (Erkel Theatre
The Erkel Theatre is a theatre in Budapest, Hungary. Being the largest public building in the city for decades (and the largest theatre in the city), it was made part of the Hungarian State Opera House in 1951.
History
With the idea of brin ...
) since 1953.
*He was commemorated on gold and silver coins issued by the Hungarian National Bank
The Hungarian National Bank ( hu, Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB)) is the central bank of Hungary and as such part of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). The Hungarian National Bank was established in 1924 and succeeded the Royal Hungarian St ...
for the 200th anniversary of his birth.
Operas
* '' Bátori Mária'' (1840, two acts; Mária Bátori is the lover of László, son of Coloman of Hungary
Coloman the Learned, also the Book-Lover or the Bookish ( hu, Könyves Kálmán; hr, Koloman; sk, Koloman Učený; 10703February 1116) was King of Hungary from 1095 and King of Croatia from 1097 until his death. Because Coloman and his younge ...
)
* ''Hunyadi László
László Hunyadi or Ladislaus Hunyadi ( Slovak: ''Ladislav Huňady''; 1431Bánhegyi 2008, p. 17. – 16 March 1457) was a Hungarian nobleman.
Ladislaus Hunyadi was the elder of the two sons of John Hunyadi, voivode of Transylvania and later rege ...
'' (1844, three acts)
* ''Erzsébet'' (1857, three acts, only the second is by Erkel)
* ''Bánk bán
''Bánk bán'' is an opera in 3 acts by composer Ferenc Erkel. The work uses a Hungarian-language libretto by Béni Egressy which is based on a stage play of the same name by József Katona. (''Bán'' is ban in English, similar to a viceroy, a ...
'' (1861, three acts; Bánk bán
''Bánk bán'' is an opera in 3 acts by composer Ferenc Erkel. The work uses a Hungarian-language libretto by Béni Egressy which is based on a stage play of the same name by József Katona. (''Bán'' is ban in English, similar to a viceroy, a ...
is a palatine
A palatine or palatinus (in Latin; plural ''palatini''; cf. derivative spellings below) is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times.
of Andrew II) – this opera is often thought of as the national opera of Hungary
* ''Sarolta'' (1862, three acts)
* '' Dózsa György'' (1867, five acts)
* '' Brankovics György'' (1874, four acts)
* '' Névtelen hősök'' (1880, "Nameless heroes", four acts)
* ''István király
''István király '' is an 1886 Hungarian opera by Ferenc Erkel on King Stephen I of Hungary.
References
''The following sources were given:''
* Till Géza: ''Opera'', Zeneműkiadó, Budapest, 1985,
* Winkler Gábor: ''Barangolás az operák ...
'' (1885, "King Stephen", four acts)
* ''Kemény Simon'' (remained in fragments; planned to be of three acts)
See also
* Hungarian operaReferences
External links
*Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
Opera.hu
Erkel playing chess
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Erkel, Ferenc 1810 births 1893 deaths 19th-century classical composers 19th-century classical pianists 19th-century Hungarian musicians 19th-century conductors (music) Burials at Kerepesi Cemetery Danube-Swabian people Hungarian classical composers Hungarian classical pianists Hungarian conductors (music) Hungarian-German people Hungarian male classical composers Hungarian music educators Hungarian opera composers Hungarian Romantic composers Male classical pianists Male conductors (music) Male opera composers National anthem writers People from Gyula