Géza Frid


file:Geza frid-1517846863.jpg|thumb|Portrait painting by Vilmos Aba-Novák
Géza Frid was a Hungarian–Dutch composer and pianist.
WWW gezafrid.eu

Early years

Géza Frid was born in Máramarossziget in the Máramaros County of Austria-Hungary and studied piano and composition in Budapest with a.o. Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók. He settled in Amsterdam in 1929 and became a Dutch citizen in 1948. He died in Beverwijk and was buried at Zorgvlied cemetery.

Activities

Frid gave many piano recitals all over the world: Italy, Indonesia, Siam and Egypt, Israel, the Soviet Union,, South- and North-America, Turkey, The Netherlands, Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles, the United States, Hungary. During the Second World War Frid was active in the resistance. He taught chamber music at the Conservatory of Music in Utrecht.

Publications

In 1976 his book Oog in oog met... was published. In 1984 he published his memoirs In 80 jaar de wereld rond.

Prizes

In 1949 he received the music prize of the City of Amsterdam for Paradou, in 1950 the second prize in the Wereldomroep-K.N.T.V.-competition for Varieties op een Nederlands Volkslied, for choir and orchestra, and in 1951 the third prize at the Concours International pour Quatuor à Cordes for Strijkkwartet III. In 1954 he was awarded the music prize of the City of Amsterdam for Etudes Symphoniques, in 1956 the second prize from the Dutch Government for the Sonate op. 50, for violin and piano, and the fourth prize at the Concours International pour Quatuor à Cordes in Luik for Strijkkwartet IV. In 1990 Frid was posthumously awarded the Bartók prize from the Ferenc Liszt Hochschule in Budapest.

Works

;StageFête Champêtre, Ballet, Op. 38 Luctor et Emergo, Ballet, Op. 43 De Zwarte Bruid, Opera parodistica, Op. 57 ; libretto by Cornelis Jan KelkEuridice, Ballet, Op. 61 Toneelmuziek bij "Twelfth Night" for wind quintet and harp, Op. 65 ; for the play by William ShakespeareToneelmuziek bij "Hamlet" for small orchestra, Op. 68 ; for the play by William Shakespeare
;Orchestral
  • Suite, Op. 6 Tempesta d'orchestra, Op. 10 Divertimento for string orchestra, Op. 11
  • Symphony, Op. 13 Nocturnes for flute, harp and string orchestra, Op. 24 Paradou, Op. 28 Kermesse à Charleroi, Op. 44 ; also for piano 4-handsCaecilia-ouverture, Op. 45 Suid-Afrikaanse rhapsodie, Op. 46a ; also for wind bandÉtudes symfoniques, Op. 47 Serenade for chamber orchestra, Op. 52 Fragmenten uit De Zwarte Bruid, Op. 57a Ritmische studies for chamber orchestra, Op. 58 ; also for 2 pianosVariations on a Theme of Zoltán Kodály: Variation III ; composed in collaboration with Antal Doráti, Tibor Serly, Ödön Pártos and Sándor Veress for Kodály's 80th birthday celebrationSymphonietta for string orchestra, Op. 66 Toccata, Op. 84 ; also for 2 pianosMuziek voor violen en altviolen, Op. 92
;Wind bandVarieties op een Nederlands volkslied, Op. 29 ; also for piano solo, and chorus with orchestraRhapsodie, Op. 42a ; original for clarinet and pianoSuid-Afrikaanse rhapsodie, Op. 46b ; also for orchestraVier schetsen, Op. 72a ; also for piano 4-handsBrabant en Maramures, Op. 94
;ConcertantePodiumsuite for violin and small orchestra, Op. 3a ; original for violin and piano
  • Concerto for violin and orchestra, Op. 7
  • Concerto for piano and mixed chorus, Op. 14 Romance et Allegro for cello and orchestra, Op. 16
  • Concerto for 2 violins and orchestra, Op. 40
  • Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra, Op. 55
  • Concertino for violin, cello, piano and orchestra, Op. 63
  • Concerto for 3 violins and orchestra, Op. 78
  • Concerto for clarinets and string orchestra, Op. 82 Olifant-varieties for double bass and string orchestra, Op. 91
  • Concertino for 2 trumpets and orchestra, Op. 93
  • Concerto for viola, string orchestra and bass drum, Op. 108
;Chamber music
  • String Trio, Op. 1
  • String Quartet No. 1, Op. 2 Podiumsuite for violin and piano, Op. 3 ; also orchestrated
  • Wind Quintet for flute, 2 clarinets, bassoon and horn, Op. 4 Caprice Concertante for flute and piano Sonate en cinq pièces for cello and piano, Op. 9
  • Sonata for violin solo, Op. 18
  • String Quartet No. 2 "Fuga's", Op. 21 Sonatina for viola and piano, Op. 25
  • Piano Trio, Op. 27
  • String Quartet No. 3 "Fantasia tropica", Op. 30 Twintig duo's for 2 violins, Op. 37 Tien stukken voor blokfluiten, Op. 39 Rhapsodie for clarinet and piano, Op. 42 ; also for wind bandTranscripties for soprano recorder and harpsichord, Op. 49
  • Sonata for violin and piano, Op. 50
  • String Quartet No. 4, Op. 50a Twaalf metamorfosen for 2 flutes and piano, Op. 54
  • Duet for 2 violins Étude rythmique for violin and piano Fuga voor harpen for harp ensemble, Op. 62 Zeven pauken en een koperorkest for 7 timpani and brass ensemble, Op. 69
  • Sextet for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and piano, Op. 70 Dubbeltrio for flute, oboe and bassoon, Op. 73 Gertleriade for violin solo Chemins divers for flute, bassoon and piano, Op. 75 Paganini-varieties for 2 violin ensembles or 2 violins, Op. 77
  • Duo for violin and cello, Op. 80 Arabesques Roumaines for bamboo pipes or recorders, Op. 85a ; original for female chorus a cappellaCaprices Roumains for oboe and piano, Op. 86 ; also for male chorus a cappellaSons Roumains for flute, viola, harp and percussion, Op. 87 Kleine suite for alto saxophone and piano, Op. 88 Vice versa I for alto saxophone and marimba, Op. 95 Vice Versa II for viola and piano, Op. 96 Symmetrie I for winds and percussion, Symmetrie II for winds and piano, Op. 98
  • String Quartet No. 5, Op. 99 Symmetrie III for piccolo, violin, cello and bassoon, Op. 100
;Piano
  • Sonata, Op. 5 Twaalf muzikale caricaturen, Op. 8 Vier études, Op. 12 Drie stukken, Op. 17 Preludium en fuga for 2 pianos, Op. 23 Varieties op een Nederlands volkslied, Op. 29a ; original for wind band; also for chorus with orchestraKermesse à Charleroi for piano 4-hands, Op. 44a ; also for orchestraRitmische studies for 2 pianos, Op. 58a ; original for chamber orchestraMuziek voor S.D. for 2 pianos, Op. 67 Esquisses autobiographiques for piano Vier schetsen for piano 4-hands, Op. 72b ; also for wind bandDimensies for piano and tape, Op. 74 Toccata for 2 pianos, Op. 84a ; also for orchestraFoxtrot for 2 pianos ; from the collaborative work Een suite voor De SuiteZes miniaturen, Op. 107
;VocalAbel et Caïn for bass and orchestra, Op. 15 ; words by Charles BaudelaireVier liederen for mezzo-soprano and piano, Op. 19 ; words by Endre AdySchopenhauer-Cantate for voice and orchestra, Op. 22 ; words by Arthur SchopenhauerVox amantium for voice and piano Op. 26 ; words by Albert HelmanDrie romances for soprano and piano, Op. 41 ; words by Heinrich HeineKinderliedjes I for mezzo-soprano or children's chorus and piano, Op. 53 ; words by Annie M. G. SchmidtKinderliedjes II for mezzo-soprano or children's chorus and piano, Op. 56 ; words by Albert Verwey, Petrus Augustus de Génestet, Gijsbert LovendaalAbschied for male voice and piano, Op. 59 ; words by Hermann HesseAuf Reise, Song Cycle for tenor and piano, Op. 60 ; words by Hermann HesseDrie Shakespeare-liederen for baritone and harp, Op. 65a ; words by William ShakespeareVenedig, Song Cycle for male voice and piano, Op. 83 ; words by Hermann HesseDrie gedichten for narrator, alto saxophone and guitar, Op. 89 ; words by Igor Streepjes, Petrus Augustus de Génestet, Albert VerweyDuet in twee talen for soprano, alto and marimba or piano, Op. 106
;ChoralFiat Lux for double male chorus, Op. 20 ; words by Guido GezelleVarieties op een Nederlands volkslied, Op. 29b ; original for wind band; also for piano soloZeven drinkliederen for male chorus a cappella, Op. 31 Hymne aan de arbeid for male chorus and orchestra, Op. 32 Spreekwoorden, 2 Series for male chorus a cappella, Op. 33 Vier gemengde koren for mixed chorus a cappella, Op. 34 Tien klaagliederen for female chorus a cappella, Op. 35 Spreuken en citaten, 2 Series for mixed chorus a cappella, Op. 36 Muziek uit Luctor et Emergo for chorus and orchestra, Op. 43a
  • Suite for mixed chorus and piano, Op. 48 ; Old-Dutch SongsDas Sklavenschiff for tenor and baritone solos, male chorus, brass, percussion and piano, Op. 51 ; words by Heinrich HeineAcht vocalises for chorus a cappella, Op. 64 Ballade for mixed chorus and wind band, Op. 71, or for mixed chorus, string ensemble, piano 4-hands and percussion ; words by J. SlauerhoffNon far' tutto for male chorus a cappella, Op. 76 Houdt den Tijd! for male chorus and percussion, Op. 79 ; words by Dirk VansinaBuurtkermis in Vlaanderen for male chorus, piano and percussion, Op. 81 ; words by SimoensArabesques Roumaines for female chorus a cappella, Op. 85 Caprices Roumains for male chorus a cappella, Op. 86a ; also for oboe and pianoHet kwaad der wereld for tenor solo, male chorus and organ, Op. 90 ; words by EpicurusDrinklied for male chorus a cappella, Op. 97 ; words by S. DaensDrie Duitse koorteksten for mixed chorus, Op. 101 Drie Franse koorteksten for mixed chorus, Op. 102 Drie Engelse koorteksten for mixed chorus, Op. 103 Twee Nederlandse koorteksten for mixed chorus, Op. 104 Drie Italiaanse spreekwoorden for male chorus a cappella, Op. 105

Compact discs

Releases on CD include Sinfonietta op. 66 and several chamber music compositions. On the occasion of his 100th birthday the CD Géza Frid - Choral Works was released.