Jenő Takács (September 25, 1902 – November 14, 2005) was an Austrian composer of Hungarian extraction.
Born in Cinfalva, Hungary, he studied at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Joseph Marx in composition and Paul Weingarten in piano until 1926 at the University of Vienna with Hans Gál counterpoint and Guido Adler music science. Since 1920, he had already undertaken tours through Germany, Hungary and Yugoslavia. In 1926 he made acquaintance with Béla Bartók; from which a lively contact arose until Bartók's emigration to the United States in 1940. He was a professor of piano at the conservatory of Cairo, Egypt from 1927 to 1932, where he made Arab and Egyptian Music the subject of his research. He knew Egon Wellesz, Curt Sachs, Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Paul Hindemith.
In the years 1932 to 1934 he was a professor of piano and composition at the University of the Philippines, Conservatory of Music. He gave concerts in Japan, China and Hong Kong. Due to a new professorship in piano at the conservatory in Cairo in 1938, he made his first trip to the United States. In 1939, he moved to Sopron in Hungary, however the Nazi authorities made his life difficult. In the years 1942 to 1948, he was director of the Conservatory in Pécs, Hungary. In 1943, he married Eva Pasteiner. At that time, he learned from Zoltan Kodaly, Ernö Dohnányi, Rudolf Maros, Sándor Weöres, Fencers Csorba, Zoltan Jékely, József Soproni, Sándor Szokolay, Darius Milhaud and Yehudi Menuhin. From 1948 to 1949, he left then the communist-ruled Hungary and settled down in Grundlsee after stays in Austria, Switzerland and Italy. In the years 1949 to 1952, he conducted concert tours in Europe and America and was visiting professor at the conservatories of Geneva and Lausanne. In addition, he was professor of piano and composition at the Cincinnati, Ohio.
In 1970, after his retirement in Cincinnati, he moved back to Siegendorf, where he remained until his death. On the occasion of his 100th birthday his works were performed in about 200 concerts.
He was a significant composer for Austria, having been compared in importance to Joseph Haydn and Franz Liszt.
Jenő Takács
Biography
Jenő Takács (September 25, 1902 – November 14, 2005) was an Austrian composer of Hungarian extraction.Born in Cinfalva, Hungary, he studied at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Joseph Marx in composition and Paul Weingarten in piano until 1926 at the University of Vienna with Hans Gál counterpoint and Guido Adler music science. Since 1920, he had already undertaken tours through Germany, Hungary and Yugoslavia. In 1926 he made acquaintance with Béla Bartók; from which a lively contact arose until Bartók's emigration to the United States in 1940. He was a professor of piano at the conservatory of Cairo, Egypt from 1927 to 1932, where he made Arab and Egyptian Music the subject of his research. He knew Egon Wellesz, Curt Sachs, Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Paul Hindemith.
In the years 1932 to 1934 he was a professor of piano and composition at the University of the Philippines, Conservatory of Music. He gave concerts in Japan, China and Hong Kong. Due to a new professorship in piano at the conservatory in Cairo in 1938, he made his first trip to the United States. In 1939, he moved to Sopron in Hungary, however the Nazi authorities made his life difficult. In the years 1942 to 1948, he was director of the Conservatory in Pécs, Hungary. In 1943, he married Eva Pasteiner. At that time, he learned from Zoltan Kodaly, Ernö Dohnányi, Rudolf Maros, Sándor Weöres, Fencers Csorba, Zoltan Jékely, József Soproni, Sándor Szokolay, Darius Milhaud and Yehudi Menuhin. From 1948 to 1949, he left then the communist-ruled Hungary and settled down in Grundlsee after stays in Austria, Switzerland and Italy. In the years 1949 to 1952, he conducted concert tours in Europe and America and was visiting professor at the conservatories of Geneva and Lausanne. In addition, he was professor of piano and composition at the Cincinnati, Ohio.
In 1970, after his retirement in Cincinnati, he moved back to Siegendorf, where he remained until his death. On the occasion of his 100th birthday his works were performed in about 200 concerts.
He was a significant composer for Austria, having been compared in importance to Joseph Haydn and Franz Liszt.
He died in Eisenstadt in 2005 at the age of 103.
(from wikipedia.org)