Erno Dohnanyi Free Sheet Music, Program Notes, Recordings and biography

The Last Master of Hungarian Romanticism

In 1895, a young, unknown Hungarian student from the Budapest Academy of Music composed a sweeping, passionate Piano Quintet in C minor. Through his professor, the work found its way into the hands of the most formidable figure in European music: Johannes Brahms. The aging master was so profoundly impressed by the student’s talent and mature command of form that he personally arranged for the quintet’s premiere in Vienna. That student was Ernő Dohnányi, and the endorsement from Brahms himself launched a career that would establish Dohnányi as Hungary's most important musical figure for half a century—a triple threat as a world-renowned concert pianist, a revered conductor, and the leading composer of the Hungarian late-Romantic tradition.

Born in Pozsony (now Bratislava), Dohnányi was a musical prodigy. His father, a professor of mathematics and an amateur cellist, gave him his first lessons. Though he could have entered the prestigious Vienna Conservatory, he chose to study at the Royal National Hungarian Academy of Music in Budapest, a patriotic decision that signaled his lifelong commitment to his home country's culture. He studied composition with Hans von Koessler, a cousin of Max Reger and a thoroughly German-trained musician who instilled in Dohnányi a deep reverence for the craft and structure of Brahms and Schumann. After graduating, Dohnányi sought out the legendary pianist Eugen d'Albert for lessons, only to have d'Albert proclaim after their first meeting, "You have nothing to learn from me."

The Virtuoso and the Conductor: Shaping a Nation's Music

Dohnányi’s international career exploded after a sensational debut in Berlin in 1897, followed by an equally successful premiere in London. He was hailed as a virtuoso pianist of the highest order, possessing a flawless technique, intellectual depth, and a commanding stage presence. His tours across Europe and the United States were triumphant. He was particularly celebrated for his interpretations of Beethoven, Schubert, and, of course, Brahms. Yet unlike many virtuosos who focused solely on performance, Dohnányi felt a powerful duty to the musical life of Hungary.

In 1919, he was appointed conductor of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. Over the next two decades, he transformed it into one of Europe's finest ensembles. His programming was a masterful blend of the Classical and Romantic canon alongside the new, often challenging, music of his contemporaries. Though his own compositional style was deeply Romantic, he was a tireless advocate for the more modern, folk-inspired works of his younger colleagues, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. As director of the Budapest Academy of Music, he mentored an entire generation of Hungarian musicians who would go on to international fame, including the conductors Sir Georg Solti and George Szell. Dohnányi was, for all intents and purposes, the administrative and spiritual leader of Hungarian music between the World Wars.

A Composer's Voice: Wit, Tradition, and Folk Spirit

Dohnányi’s compositions stand as a glorious capstone to the Romantic era. His musical language is characterized by lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, and a Brahmsian sense of structure and development. Yet, his work is far from derivative. It is infused with a distinct personality, often marked by shimmering keyboard textures, brilliant orchestration, and a surprising, sophisticated wit.

His most famous and beloved work is the Variations on a Nursery Tune, Op. 25, for piano and orchestra. The piece begins with a comically pompous, dissonant introduction before revealing the simple theme: the French folk song "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman" (better known as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"). What follows is a series of dazzlingly inventive and humorous variations, each parodying a different musical style, from a Viennese waltz to a somber passacaglia, before ending in a triumphant fugue.

His chamber music is considered the heart of his output. The two Piano Quintets are masterpieces of the genre, filled with soaring melodies and passionate intensity. His Serenade in C major for String Trio, Op. 10, is another gem, a work of perfect balance, charm, and elegance that remains a staple of the repertoire. While he did not incorporate Hungarian folk music into his work with the same ethnographic rigor as Bartók or Kodály, a distinctly Hungarian flavor permeates many pieces, such as the orchestral suite Ruralia Hungarica, which draws upon folk-like idioms for its color and rhythm.

War, Exile, and a Floridian Finale

The Second World War brought immense tragedy and turmoil to Dohnányi’s life. He staunchly opposed the rising tide of Nazism in Hungary. As director of the Budapest Academy, he refused to implement anti-Jewish laws, and as conductor of the Philharmonic, he disbanded the orchestra rather than dismiss its Jewish members. He personally helped save numerous Jewish musicians, including the future wife of Zoltán Kodály. Despite these heroic actions, his two sons made choices that would haunt him. One was executed for participating in a plot to assassinate Hitler, while the other held a minor post in the pro-Nazi Hungarian government.

After the war, a smear campaign, fueled by political rivals and misinformation about his son, falsely labeled Dohnányi a Nazi collaborator. Though official investigations in the U.S. and elsewhere would eventually clear his name, the accusations made it impossible for him to resume his life in post-war Europe. He emigrated first to Argentina and then, in 1949, to the United States. He found his final professional home at Florida State University in Tallahassee, where he was appointed professor of composition and piano. He spent the last decade of his life teaching, composing, and occasionally performing, revered by a new generation of American students. He died in 1960 in New York City while recording his final album. His legacy is that of a colossal talent—a brilliant pianist, a nation-building conductor, and a composer whose music forms the final, eloquent statement of the Romantic tradition.

Section 4: References and Further Reading

• Books:

  • Dohnányi, Ilona von. Ernst von Dohnányi: A Song of Life. Edited by James A. Grymes. Indiana University Press, 2002. (A biography by his wife, providing personal insights).

  • Grymes, James A. Ernő Dohnányi: A Bio-Bibliography. Greenwood Press, 2001. (A comprehensive academic resource).

  • Grymes, James A., editor. Perspectives on Ernst von Dohnányi. The Scarecrow Press, 2005. (A collection of essays on his life and music, including clarification of his WWII record).

• Articles:

  • Kovács, Ilona. "Dohnányi, Ernő." Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press.

• Organizations:

  • The Ernő Dohnányi Archives, located at the Music Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.