Péter Komlós

Péter Komlós in 2009

Péter Komlós (25 October 1935 – 2 May 2017) was a Hungarian violinist, known particularly as the founder of the Bartók String Quartet.

Life

[edit]

Péter Komlós was born in Budapest in October 1935, and studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music with Ede Zathureczky, Leó Weiner and others.[1][2]

In 1957, with other graduates of the Academy, he established the Komlós String Quartet, in which he played first violin; the other members were Sándor Devich [hu], Géza Németh [hu] and László Mező [hu]. In 1960 Károly Botvay [hu] replaced Mező (and there were further replacements in later years). The quartet was renamed the Bartók String Quartet in 1963.[1][3]

In 1964 the quartet won first prize at the International String Quartet Competition in Liège, Belgium, and subsequently the quartet had an international career. There was a wide repertoire, with an emphasis on Béla Bartók's string quartets. A number of Hungarian composers dedicated their works to the quartet.[2][3]

Komlós was concertmaster of the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra from 1960 to 1969. From 1982 he was an associate professor at the Franz Liszt Academy.[1][4]

He received the Liszt Prize in 1964, and the Bartók-Pásztory Prize in 1986. In 1970 he received the Kossuth Prize; in 1997 he and the other members of the Bartók String Quartet received a further Kossuth Prize.[1][2]

Péter Komlós died on 2 May 2017, aged 81.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Bartók String Quartet first violinist Péter Komlós has died, aged 81 The Strad, 3 May 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Obituary – Péter Komlós Liszt Academy, 5 May 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  3. ^ a b Bartók String Quartet Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  4. ^ a b Violinist Péter Komlós dies at 81 Daily News Hungary, 2 May 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.