Bárdos Lajos, *1 October 1899 Budapest, †19 November 1986 Budapest, Hungarian composer, conductor, music theorist and teacher. Between 1920 and 1925, he studied composition and conducting at the Budapest Conservatory under A. Siklós, A. Harmat and Z. Kodály. From 1925 to 1929, he worked as a choir conductor and music teacher in secondary school, and from 1928 to 1967, he was a professor at the conservatory, where he introduced choral conducting, the history of church music, and lectures on music theory and prosody into the curriculum. He directed and conducted: the Cecilia Kórus (St Cecilia Choir) from 1926 to 1941, the Palestrina Kórus from 1929 to 1933, the Budapest Kórus from 1941 to 1947 and the choir at St Matthias Church in Budapest from 1942 to 1962. From 1936, he was a member of the board of the Hungarian National Singing Association (Magyar Dalosegyesületek Országos Szóvetsége), from 1938 of the Cecilia Association (Cecilia Társulat), and in 1949–50 of the Bartók Society From 1931 to 1950, he was the editor of the journal “Magyar Kórus”. Bárdos played a major role in the revival of Hungarian musical life, initiated by Bartók and Kodály. Over the course of several decades, he contributed to the creation of Hungarian choral culture on an international level. He promoted early music, especially that of Josquin des Prés, as well as new music (e.g. Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms). He was an advocate for the creation of choirs in the provinces, and in 1934, together with G. Kerényi and G. Kertész, he organised the Singing Youth Movement (Éneklő Ifjúság). For his work, he was honoured with the Erkel Prize (1953) and the Kossuth Prize (1955). In 1954, he was awarded the title of Artist of Merit of the Hungarian People’s Republic. In order to cultivate his legacy, the B. L. Társaság (Lajos Bárdosa Society) was established in 1988.
Bárdos, alongside Kodály, laid the foundations for the development of Hungarian choral music in the 20th century. His compositions, linked to Renaissance polyphony and Hungarian folk music, were written with great attention to the prosody of the text and were intended to cultivate Hungarian choral music. He was a significant figure in Hungarian music theory and music pedagogy. Among his theoretical works, his studies on Gregorian melody, modal and romantic harmony, and analyses of works by Liszt, Bartók and Kodály are of the greatest importance. He published mainly in the journals “Muzsika”, “Magyar Zene”, “Parlando” and “Enek-Zene Tanitása” (“singing lessons”).
Literature: Z. Kodály Dreizehn junge Komponisten, in: Azene mindenkié (“music is a common good”), ed. A. Szóllósy, Budapest 1954; D. Bartha Köszöntő helyett (“instead of congratulations”), I. Fábián Bárdos Lajos, a zenetudós (“Lajos Bárdos — musicologist”) and L. Somfai Bárdos tanár úr (“professor Bárdos’), “Muzsika” 1969 No. 9, devoted to Bárdos; J. Mátyás Bárdos Lajos: pályámról, munkámról (“L. B.: about my career, my work”), conversation with Bárdos, “Magyar Zene” 1974 No. 4; I. Raics Bárdos Lajos zeneszerzői világa (“Lajos Bárdos’ world of composition”), L. Somfai A tudós köszöntése (‘”congratulations to the scholar”) and M. Szabó Bárdos Lajos, a karmester (“Lajos Bárdos — conductor”), “Muzsika” 1974 No. 10; A. Székely Zenetudomány ülészak Bárdos Lajos. 75. születésnapja tiszteletére (“musicology seminar to celebrate the 75th birthday of Lajos Bárdosa”), “Muzsika” 1975 No. 1; L. Lukin, I. Dobray Láng és fény. Kórus hangversenyek Bárdos Lajos 85. születésnapja tiszteletére (“flame and light, choral concerts in honour of Lajos Bárdos’ 85th birthday”), “Ének-Zene Tanitásra” 1985 No. 1; I. Biller Tanár Úr (“Professor”), conversation with Bárdos, “Parlando” 1985 Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5.
Compositions:
Instrumental:
String quartet 1925
works for violin, cello, piano, organ
vocal:
choral:
Négy földrész (“Four Continents”) 1933
Kicsinyek kórusa (“Children’s Choir”), 3 vols., 1933
Megütik a dobot (“They Beat the Drum”) 1936
Liszt Ferenchez 1936
Széles a Duna (“The Danube is Wide”) 1937
Szeged felől (“From Szeged”) 1938
Ungaresca 1951
Tilinkós (“The Shepherd’s Flute”) 1951
A földhez (“To the Earth”), text by F. Kölcsey, 1951
Hetven év (“70 Years”), text by S. Weöres, 1952
Elmúlt a tél (“Winter Has Passed”), text by S. Weöres, 1953
Kossuth, suite, 1953
Az nem lehet (“That Cannot Be”), text by J. Arany, 1955
Jeremiás siralma (“The Lamentations of Jeremiah”) 1956
Ének a dalról (“Song About the Song”), text by G. Juhász, 1956
A madár fiaihoz (“To the Sons of the Bird”), text by M. Tompa, 1957
A munka (“Work”), text by G. Juhász, 1962
Tűz-Szivárvány (“Fiery Rainbow”), text by L. Nagy, 1963
Tavunga 1964
Óda az igazsághoz (“Ode to Truth”), text by D. Kosztolányi, 1965
Bartók emlékére (“In memory of Bartók”), text by L. Bóka, 1965
Énekeljetek (“Sing”), text by I. Pákolitz, 1967
Ezékiel látomása (“The Vision of Ezechiel”) 1967
A dal titka (“The Secret of the Song”), text by M. Babits, 1972
Zrínyi-ének (“Song of Zrínyi”) 1972
14 gyermekkar (“14 Children’s Choir Pieces”) 1978
Ave maris Stella for women’s choir, numerous motets
offertoria
psalms
Vocal-instrumental:
songs to texts by S. Petőfi, E. Ady
A nyúl éneke (“The Song of the Rabbit”) for 2 choirs and 3 timpani, text by F. Jankovich, 1946
Körtánc (“Round Dance”) for choir and orchestra, 1952
Fújd a sípot (“Blow the Pipe”) for choir and orchestra, text by K. Vargha, 1956
4 masses — 1933, 1934, 1944, 1962
Stage:
Nyolc boldogság (“Eight Happinesses”), libretto by V. Dienes, 1927
Hajnalvárás (“Awaiting the Dawn”), libretto by V. Dienes, 1928
Advent, libretto by S. Sik, 1928
Magyar végzet (“Hungarian fate”), libretto by V. Dienes, 1931
Rózsák szentje (“The Saint of Roses”) 1932
A gyermekek útja (“The Way of the Children”), libretto by V. Dienes, 1935
Az anya (“Mother”), libretto by V. Dienes, 1937
Szent Imre (“Saint Emeric”), libretto by V. Dienes, 1938
Árpádházi Szent Margit (“Saint Margaret of the Árpád Dynasty”), libretto by G. Ujházy, 1938
Mi lesz velünk? (“What Will Become of Us?”) libretto by V. Dienes, 1938
Alexius, libretto by S. Sik, 1946
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arrangements of folk songs
Writings:
Hangzat-gyakorló (“Harmony Excercises”), Budapest 1954
Modális harmóniák (“Modal Harmonies”), Budapest 1961
Liszt Ferenc „népi” hangsorai (“Liszt’s ‘Folk’ Scales”), Budapest 1968
Harminc írás (“Thirty Writings”), Budapest 1969
Bartók dallamvilá-gából (“From Bartók’s World of Melodies”), Budapest 1970
A Bartók-zene stiluselemsi a gyermekkarokban és a Mikrokozmoszban (“Stylistic Elements of Bartók’s Music in the Children’s Choir Works and in Mikrokosmos”), Budapest 1971
Stravinsky Zsoltárszimfóniájáról (“On Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms”), Budapest 1972
Kodály-gyermekkarairól (“On Kodály’s Children’s Choirs”), Budapeszt 1972
Organika, Budapest 1972
Tíz ujabb irás (“Ten More Writings”), Budapest 1974
Liszt Ferenc, a jövő zenésze (“Liszt, the Musician of the Future”), Budapest 1976
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Modális harmóniák Liszt műveiben (“Modal Harmonies in the Works of Liszt”), «Zenetudományi tanulmányok» III, ed. D. Bartha and B. Szabolcsi, Budapest 1955
Natürliche Tonsysteme, in: Studia memoriae B. Bartók sacra, ed. B. Rajeczky and L. Vargyas, Budapest 1956, 3rd edition 1959
Egy “romantikus” moduláció (“A Romantic Modulation”), «Zenetudományi tanulmányok» V, ed. D. Bartha and B. Szabolcsi, Budapest 1957
Pentaton akkordok Bartók B. Műveiben (“Pentatonic Chords in the Works of B. Bartók”), “Parlando” 1982 Nos. 1, 2, 3
On Kodály Childrens Choruses, “Bulletin of the International Kodály Society”, 1982
Lasso — Liszt — Kodály, “Parlando” 1983 Nos. 6–7, 8–9.
