János Sebestyén
Encyclopedia
János Sebestyén is a Hungarian organist
, harpsichordist
and pianist
.
, and composers Ervin Major and Ferenc Szabó. He graduated in 1955 with an organ diploma and later attended the harpsichord class of Zuzana Růžičková
in Prague. His concert tours have taken him to Russia, India, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, the United States and nearly every country in Europe. In 1970 he established the first harpsichord class at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. His many students have included Miklós Spányi, Anikó Horváth, Szilvia Elek, Péter Ella, Judit Péteri, and Ágnes Várallyay. He has been invited to serve on juries for organ and harpsichord competitions in France, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and Switzerland. In Hungary he served as President of the Jury for the International Liszt Organ Competition in 1983, 1988 and 1993, and for the First International Harpsichord Competition, Budapest, in 2000. He has also worked at the Hungarian Radio
in various capacities since 1950. Between 1969 and 1994 he was senior music producer and from 1962 until 2007 he hosted a regular series of broadcasts documenting Hungarian musical life and history. He currently contributes a monthly program to the Hungarian Catholic Radio.
composer Valentin Bakfark through those by contemporary composers such as Frank Martin
. More than 80 LP and CD recordings have been published by various labels including Angelicum, Ariston, Balkanton, BAM, Il Canale, CBS Italiana, Fonit Cetra, Hungaroton
, Naxos
, Portugalsom, Supraphon
, and Vox.
Highlights include:
He has also contributed to many recordings for the Hungarian Radio
.
Highlights include:
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, harpsichordist
Harpsichordist
A harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord.Many baroque composers played the harpsichord, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, George Frideric Handel, François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
.
Biography
János Sebestyén attended the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music where his professors included organists János Hammerschlag and Ferenc Gergely, pianist István AntalIstván Antal
István Antal was a Hungarian politician, who served as Minister of Religion and Education and as Minister of Justice in 1944. Born in Kenderes, he knew Miklós Horthy from here, who was born here likewise. He fought in the First World War, after his returning from the front he joined to several...
, and composers Ervin Major and Ferenc Szabó. He graduated in 1955 with an organ diploma and later attended the harpsichord class of Zuzana Růžičková
Zuzana Ružicková
Zuzana Růžičková is a famous Jewish Czech contemporary harpsichordist, an interpreter of classical and baroque music.Růžičková studied music but during 1941–45 she was sent to a Nazi concentration camp. Afterwards she continued the study at music school in Plzeň and Prague...
in Prague. His concert tours have taken him to Russia, India, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, the United States and nearly every country in Europe. In 1970 he established the first harpsichord class at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. His many students have included Miklós Spányi, Anikó Horváth, Szilvia Elek, Péter Ella, Judit Péteri, and Ágnes Várallyay. He has been invited to serve on juries for organ and harpsichord competitions in France, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and Switzerland. In Hungary he served as President of the Jury for the International Liszt Organ Competition in 1983, 1988 and 1993, and for the First International Harpsichord Competition, Budapest, in 2000. He has also worked at the Hungarian Radio
Hungarian Radio
Magyar Rádió is Hungary's publicly funded radio broadcasting organization. It is also the country's official international broadcasting station...
in various capacities since 1950. Between 1969 and 1994 he was senior music producer and from 1962 until 2007 he hosted a regular series of broadcasts documenting Hungarian musical life and history. He currently contributes a monthly program to the Hungarian Catholic Radio.
Awards
- Erkel Prize,1967 (Hungary)
- Liszt Prize, 1974 (Hungary)
- Artist of Merit, 1982 (Hungary)
- Grand Prix du Disque for the HungarotonHungarotonHungaroton was the one and only record and music publisher company in Hungary for about 40 years.Hungaroton was founded in 1951, since then, its only competitors in the Hungarian music market were record labels like Melodiya, Supraphon and Eterna from other socialist countries. Previously called...
publication Bartók Record Archives, 1982 (France) - Cavalier of the Italian RepublicItalian orders of meritThere are five orders of knighthood awarded in recognition of service to the Italian Republic. Below these sit a number of other decorations, associated and otherwise, that do not confer knighthoods...
, 1984 (Italy) - Grande Comendador of the Henrique Infante State Order, 1996 (Portugal)
- Officer of the Isabella la Católica Order, 1999 (Spain)
- Cavalier of the Order of the Southern Cross, 2000 (Brazil)
- Officer of the Royal Order of the Nordic Star, 2000 (Sweden)
- Officer's Cross, 2000 (Hungary)
- Ufficiale of the Italian RepublicItalian orders of meritThere are five orders of knighthood awarded in recognition of service to the Italian Republic. Below these sit a number of other decorations, associated and otherwise, that do not confer knighthoods...
, 2003 (Italy)
Publications
- Rózsa Miklós: Életem történeteiből (Miklós RózsaMiklós RózsaMiklós Rózsa was a Hungarian-born composer trained in Germany , and active in France , England , and the United States , with extensive sojourns in Italy from 1953...
: Stories From My Life), Budapest, 1980; ISBN 9633303540 - És azok a rádiós évek (Those Radio Years), Budapest, 1995; ISBN 963831415X
Recordings
János Sebestyén's discography spans most of the keyboard repertoire, from works by renaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
composer Valentin Bakfark through those by contemporary composers such as Frank Martin
Frank Martin (composer)
Frank Martin was a Swiss composer, who lived a large part of his life in the Netherlands.-Childhood and youth:...
. More than 80 LP and CD recordings have been published by various labels including Angelicum, Ariston, Balkanton, BAM, Il Canale, CBS Italiana, Fonit Cetra, Hungaroton
Hungaroton
Hungaroton was the one and only record and music publisher company in Hungary for about 40 years.Hungaroton was founded in 1951, since then, its only competitors in the Hungarian music market were record labels like Melodiya, Supraphon and Eterna from other socialist countries. Previously called...
, Naxos
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
, Portugalsom, Supraphon
Supraphon
Supraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
, and Vox.
Highlights include:
- Paul HindemithPaul HindemithPaul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
: Organ Sonatas Nos. 1 and 3 - Angelicum LPA 5963 - J. S. Bach: Concertos after Alessandro MarcelloAlessandro MarcelloAlessandro Marcello was an Italian nobleman, poet, philosopher, mathematician and musician.-Biography:...
, Georg Philipp TelemannGeorg Philipp TelemannGeorg Philipp Telemann was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesheim, Telemann entered the University of Leipzig to study law, but eventually...
, etc. - Angelicum STA 9015 - Melodie di Natale (Domenico ZipoliDomenico ZipoliDomenico Zipoli was an Italian Baroque composer. He became a Jesuit in order to work in the Reductions of Paraguay where his musical expertise contributed to develop the natural musical talents of the Guaranis...
, Girolamo FrescobaldiGirolamo FrescobaldiGirolamo Frescobaldi was a musician from Ferrara, one of the most important composers of keyboard music in the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. A child prodigy, Frescobaldi studied under Luzzasco Luzzaschi in Ferrara, but was influenced by a large number of composers, including Ascanio...
, etc.) - Angelicum STA 9018 - Joseph HaydnJoseph HaydnFranz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
: Six EsterházySchloss Esterházy----The Schloss Esterházy is a palace in Eisenstadt, Austria, the capital of the Burgenland state. It was constructed in the late 13th century, and came under ownership of the Hungarian Esterházy family in 1622...
Sonatas - BAM LD 6000 - Andrea Lucchesi: Twelve Organ Sonatas - IL Canale FC U09-10
- J. S. Bach: Harpsichord Toccatas - CBS Italiana/Odissea S 54079
- Bernardo PasquiniBernardo Pasquiniright|thumb|Bernardo PasquiniBernardo Pasquini was an Italian composer of opera and church music.He was born at Massa in Val di Nievole . He was a pupil of Antonio Cesti and Loreto Vittori...
: Organ Works - Fonit Cetra/Italia ITL 70062 - Harpsichord Recital (J. S. Bach, Sergei ProkofievSergei ProkofievSergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
, Frank MartinFrank Martin (composer)Frank Martin was a Swiss composer, who lived a large part of his life in the Netherlands.-Childhood and youth:...
, Emil Petrovics) - Hungaroton LPX 1181 - Jean-Philippe RameauJean-Philippe RameauJean-Philippe Rameau was one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the Baroque era. He replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera and is also considered the leading French composer for the harpsichord of his time, alongside François...
: Pieces de Clavecin en ConcertsPièces de Clavecin en ConcertsThe Pièces de clavecin en concert, published in 1741, constitute the only chamber music by Jean-Philippe Rameau and were composed in full maturity; they came after his music for solo harpsichord, and just before Les Indes galantes....
- with flutist Lóránt Kovács and cellist László Mező - Hungaroton SLPX 11453 - Joseph HaydnJoseph HaydnFranz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
: Five Divertimenti - with members of the Tátrai QuartetTátrai QuartetThe Tátrai Quartet was a Hungarian classical string quartet founded in 1946 and based in Hungary. For the half-century after World War II it was one of the foremost string quartets in Hungary, specializing in Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn, and also in the first performance of works by Hungarian...
- Hungaroton SLPX 11458 - Arcangelo CorelliArcangelo CorelliArcangelo Corelli was an Italian violinist and composer of Baroque music.-Biography:Corelli was born at Fusignano, in the current-day province of Ravenna, although at the time it was in the province of Ferrara. Little is known about his early life...
: Violin Sonatas - with violinist Dénes Kovács - Hungaroton SLPX 11514-15 - Harpsichord Concertos (Domenico CimarosaDomenico CimarosaDomenico Cimarosa was an Italian opera composer of the Neapolitan school...
, Carlos SeixasCarlos SeixasJosé António Carlos de Seixas, , was a Portuguese composer, the son of the cathedral organist, Francisco Vaz and Marcelina Nunes.Seixas was born in Coimbra...
, etc.) - led by János Rolla - Hungaroton SLPX 12392 - George Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
: Violin Sonatas - with violinist György PaukGyörgy Pauk-Biography:Born in Budapest, Hungary, Pauk entered the Franz Liszt Academy of Music there at age twelve where he studied under Zoltán Kodály. In 1956 he left Hungary for the Netherlands and, after being persuaded by violinist Yehudi Menuhin, he permanently settled in London in 1961.Since then he...
- Hungaroton SLPD 12657-58 - Johann Adolph HasseJohann Adolph HasseJohann Adolph Hasse was an 18th-century German composer, singer and teacher of music. Immensely popular in his time, Hasse was best known for his prolific operatic output, though he also composed a considerable quantity of sacred music...
: Six Organ Concertos - Hungaroton HCD 31738 - Music for Two Organs (Daniel SteibeltDaniel SteibeltDaniel Gottlieb Steibelt , was a German pianist and composer who died in Saint Petersburg, Russia.-Life and music:Daniel Steibelt was born in Berlin, and studied music with Johann Kirnberger before being forced by his father to join the Prussian army. Deserting, he began a nomadic career as a...
, Muzio ClementiMuzio ClementiMuzio Clementi was a celebrated composer, pianist, pedagogue, conductor, music publisher, editor, and piano manufacturer. Born in Italy, he spent most of his life in England. He is best known for his piano sonatas, and his collection of piano studies, Gradus ad Parnassum...
, etc.) - with organist Miklós Spányi - Hungaroton HCD 32167 - W. A. Mozart: Organ Works - Naxos 8.550514
- J. S. Bach: Inventions and Sinfonias - Naxos 8.550679
- João de Sousa CarvalhoJoão de Sousa CarvalhoJoão de Sousa Carvalho was the foremost Portuguese composer of his generation.Born in Estremoz, he studied music from 1753 at the Colégio dos Santos Reis in Vila Viçosa, then from 1761 at the Conservatorio di S Onofrio in Naples. In 1766 his setting of Metastasio’s operatic libretto La Nitteti was...
: Harpsichord Works - Portugalsom 860006 - J. S. Bach: Concertos for Two, Three, and Four Harpsichords - with harpsichordist Zuzana RůžičkováZuzana RužickováZuzana Růžičková is a famous Jewish Czech contemporary harpsichordist, an interpreter of classical and baroque music.Růžičková studied music but during 1941–45 she was sent to a Nazi concentration camp. Afterwards she continued the study at music school in Plzeň and Prague...
, etc. - Supraphon 1110 4391-92 - Polish Renaissance Music for Harpsichord and Organ (Jakob Polak, Wojciech Długoraj etc.) - Vox/Candide CE 31019
- Hungarian Dances for Harpsichord (Valentin Bakfark, Johann Babnik, etc.) - Vox/Candide CE 31032
- J. S. Bach: Six Concertos after Antonio VivaldiAntonio VivaldiAntonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...
- Vox/Turnabout TV-S 34287 - Harpsichord Concertos (Johann Georg AlbrechtsbergerJohann Georg AlbrechtsbergerJohann Georg Albrechtsberger was an Austrian musician who was born at Klosterneuburg, near Vienna.He originally studied music at Melk Abbey and philosophy at a Benedictine seminary in Vienna and became one of the most learned and skillful contrapuntists of his age...
, Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, etc.) - led by Vilmos Tátrai - Vox/Turnabout TV-S 34325 - Franz LisztFranz LisztFranz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
: Complete Organ Works - Vox Box SVBX 5328-29
He has also contributed to many recordings for the Hungarian Radio
Hungarian Radio
Magyar Rádió is Hungary's publicly funded radio broadcasting organization. It is also the country's official international broadcasting station...
.
Highlights include:
- J. S. Bach: Six Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord - with violinist György PaukGyörgy Pauk-Biography:Born in Budapest, Hungary, Pauk entered the Franz Liszt Academy of Music there at age twelve where he studied under Zoltán Kodály. In 1956 he left Hungary for the Netherlands and, after being persuaded by violinist Yehudi Menuhin, he permanently settled in London in 1961.Since then he...
- János Decsényi: Divertimento for Harpsichord and Chamber Orchestra - conducted by György Lehel
- Ferenc FarkasFerenc FarkasFerenc Farkas was a Hungarian composer.Farkas began his studies in composition at the Budapest Academy of Music , where his teachers were Leo Weiner and Albert Siklós. He later studied with Ottorino Respighi in Rome...
: Concertino for Harpsichord and Strings - conducted by György Lehel - Frank MartinFrank Martin (composer)Frank Martin was a Swiss composer, who lived a large part of his life in the Netherlands.-Childhood and youth:...
: Concerto for Harpsichord and Small Orchestra - conducted by György Lehel - W. A. Mozart: Three Concertos after Johann Christian BachJohann Christian BachJohann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital...
- with members of the Tátrai QuartetTátrai QuartetThe Tátrai Quartet was a Hungarian classical string quartet founded in 1946 and based in Hungary. For the half-century after World War II it was one of the foremost string quartets in Hungary, specializing in Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn, and also in the first performance of works by Hungarian... - Francis PoulencFrancis PoulencFrancis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...
: Concert champêtreConcert champêtreConcert champêtre is a harpsichord concerto by Francis Poulenc, which also exists in a version for piano solo with very slight changes in the solo part....
- conducted by Tamás Bolberitz