Tibor Szász
Encyclopedia
Tibor Szász is a pianist and author of essays on musicological questions and performance practice related to Liszt
, Mozart and Beethoven. Since 1993 Szász is Professor of Piano at the University of Music in Freiburg, Germany.
Commune, Covasna County
, Romania
. His piano studies began at the age of four (4). At the age of 13 he won a competition to study with Elisa Ciolan (pupil of Alfred Cortot
). His official concerto debut came at age 16 with conductor Antonin Ciolan (pupil of Arthur Nikisch
).
In 1967 he became a Laureate of the George Enescu
International Piano Competition held in Bucharest and this honor was followed by many performances with orchestras in Romania. His West German debut came in 1968 when he was hailed as "the pinnacle of talent coming from behind the Iron Curtain".
After further studies in the United States with Leon Fleisher
, Theodore Lettvin
, Russell Sherman
, Miklós Schwalb and Charles Fisher, Tibor Szász distinguished himself as first prize winner of three international piano competitions, including William Kapell International Piano Competition in 1974.
and works for piano and orchestra in Boston Symphony Hall and with the Sinfonia Orchestra of Chicago have led up to acclaimed performances of the last three sonatas of Beethoven, first at the "La Gesse Foundation" in France, and then to presentation at Kennedy Center in Washington.
Szász was featured in two festivals where he performed 20 major works by Beethoven - the last three piano sonatas, the complete violin and cello sonatas, and the first and last piano trio. His chamber music collaborations have included tours with the Takács String Quartet.
All of his recordings have been issued in the United States and include works by Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt
, Mendelssohn
, Schubert and Bartók.
Tibor Szász holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and was Professor of Piano at Bowling Green State University
, the University of Dayton
and Duke University
. Since 1993 Szász has been at Freiburg.
, Mozart, and Beethoven. His publications include the internationally acclaimed article "Liszt's Symbols for the Divine and Diabolical: Their Revelation of a Program in the B minor Sonata" (Journal of the American Liszt Society, June 1984).
There are also two articles on Beethoven's piano concertos (the second included in the book Performing Beethoven published in "Cambridge Studies in Performance Practice 4" by Cambridge University Press
, 1994).
His most recent contribution published by Early Keyboard Journal centered on a hitherto overlooked authentic source for the Mozart Piano Concerto in C major K. 246 now at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France
and containing a basso continuo realization by the composer as well as a previously unknown cadenza
, now acknowledged as Mozart's due to Szasz's attribution.
Liszt
Liszt is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:* Franz Liszt , Hungarian composer and pianist* Adam Liszt , father of Franz Liszt* Anna Liszt , mother of Franz Liszt...
, Mozart and Beethoven. Since 1993 Szász is Professor of Piano at the University of Music in Freiburg, Germany.
Education
Tibor Szász was born in 1948 of ethnic Hungarian parents in ZagonZagon
Zagon is a commune in Covasna County, Romania composed of two villages:*Păpăuţi / Papolc*Zagon- History :It formed part of the Székely Land region of the historical Transylvania province. Until 1918, the village belonged to...
Commune, Covasna County
Covasna County
Covasna is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Sfântu Gheorghe.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 222,449 and the population density was 60/km².*Hungarians – 73.79% *Romanians – 23.28%...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. His piano studies began at the age of four (4). At the age of 13 he won a competition to study with Elisa Ciolan (pupil of Alfred Cortot
Alfred Cortot
Alfred Denis Cortot was a Franco-Swiss pianist and conductor. He is one of the most renowned 20th-century classical musicians, especially valued for his poetic insight in Romantic period piano works, particularly those of Chopin and Schumann.-Early life and education:Born in Nyon, Vaud, in the...
). His official concerto debut came at age 16 with conductor Antonin Ciolan (pupil of Arthur Nikisch
Arthur Nikisch
Arthur Nikisch ; 12 October 185523 January 1922) was a Hungarian conductor who performed internationally, holding posts in Boston, London and - most importantly - Berlin. He was considered an outstanding interpreter of the music of Bruckner, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Liszt...
).
In 1967 he became a Laureate of the George Enescu
George Enescu
George Enescu was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher.-Biography:Enescu was born in the village of Liveni , Dorohoi County at the time, today Botoşani County. He showed musical talent from early in his childhood. A child prodigy, Enescu created his first musical...
International Piano Competition held in Bucharest and this honor was followed by many performances with orchestras in Romania. His West German debut came in 1968 when he was hailed as "the pinnacle of talent coming from behind the Iron Curtain".
After further studies in the United States with Leon Fleisher
Leon Fleisher
Leon Fleisher is an American pianist and conductor.-Early life and studies:Fleisher was born in San Francisco, where he started studying the piano at age four...
, Theodore Lettvin
Theodore Lettvin
Theodore Lettvin was an American concert pianist and conductor.Lettvin's first concert was at the age of 5 at the Lyon & Healy in Chicago. At age 11 he appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under conductor Frederik Stock...
, Russell Sherman
Russell Sherman
Russell Sherman is an American classical pianist, educator and author.Russell Sherman made his debut at The Town Hall in New York at age 15; later studying piano with Edward Steuermann and composition with Erich Itor Kahn...
, Miklós Schwalb and Charles Fisher, Tibor Szász distinguished himself as first prize winner of three international piano competitions, including William Kapell International Piano Competition in 1974.
Artistic career
He has now performed in over 1000 solo, concerto, and chamber music concerts in Romania, Germany, Canada, France, England, Spain, Taiwan and the United States of America. Solo recitals in Carnegie Recital HallCarnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
and works for piano and orchestra in Boston Symphony Hall and with the Sinfonia Orchestra of Chicago have led up to acclaimed performances of the last three sonatas of Beethoven, first at the "La Gesse Foundation" in France, and then to presentation at Kennedy Center in Washington.
Szász was featured in two festivals where he performed 20 major works by Beethoven - the last three piano sonatas, the complete violin and cello sonatas, and the first and last piano trio. His chamber music collaborations have included tours with the Takács String Quartet.
All of his recordings have been issued in the United States and include works by Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt
Liszt
Liszt is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:* Franz Liszt , Hungarian composer and pianist* Adam Liszt , father of Franz Liszt* Anna Liszt , mother of Franz Liszt...
, Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
, Schubert and Bartók.
Tibor Szász holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and was Professor of Piano at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
, the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
and Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. Since 1993 Szász has been at Freiburg.
Musicology and Essays on Performance Practice
Tibor Szász has written extensively about the music of LisztLiszt
Liszt is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:* Franz Liszt , Hungarian composer and pianist* Adam Liszt , father of Franz Liszt* Anna Liszt , mother of Franz Liszt...
, Mozart, and Beethoven. His publications include the internationally acclaimed article "Liszt's Symbols for the Divine and Diabolical: Their Revelation of a Program in the B minor Sonata" (Journal of the American Liszt Society, June 1984).
There are also two articles on Beethoven's piano concertos (the second included in the book Performing Beethoven published in "Cambridge Studies in Performance Practice 4" by Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, 1994).
His most recent contribution published by Early Keyboard Journal centered on a hitherto overlooked authentic source for the Mozart Piano Concerto in C major K. 246 now at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
and containing a basso continuo realization by the composer as well as a previously unknown cadenza
Cadenza
In music, a cadenza is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display....
, now acknowledged as Mozart's due to Szasz's attribution.
External links
- Homepage (in German)
- Hochschule für Musik University of Music Freiburg website (in German)