Aristid von Würtzler

Aristid von Würtzler (born as Würtzler Arisztid) (September 20, 1925, Budapest – November 30, 1997, Debrecen) Hungarian-American harpist, composer, leader of the New York Harp Ensemble.

Biography Aristid von Würtzler was born into a middle-class family. His father was a violinist, a music critic and composer, who had devoted much attention to his sons’ musical education. His older brother, Béla Würtzler also became a musician. Aristid received his education at the Lutheran High School in Aszód and at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. Initially Aristid studied piano and cello, and then switched to harp at the age of 12–13 years. His first teacher was Henrik Rohmann. At the academy he studied harp with Miklós Rékai and composition with Zoltán Kodály. Würtzler was expelled from the academy once because he had not attended lectures on Marxism. But he was taken back by the intervention of Director Ede Zathureczky. Of his teachers he remembered Zoltán Kodály with pleasure. He considered him his mentor and invited him later to the USA. Würtzler's last performance in Hungary took place on 22 November 1956, in the Opera House when he was substituting for the bedridden Rékai. When the revolution began he left Hungary with Béla. Although he did not take part in the events of the Hungarian revolution, nevertheless he was afraid of retribution. However he believed that…Citește mai mult

Education Hartt College of Music, University of Hartford (USA), 1963–70

University of Bridgeport (USA), 1974–78 Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, City University (USA), 1982–1997

Harp competition and master courses Hartt College of Music, University of Hartford (USA), 1963–1970 New College, Sarasota, Florida - Summer Festival (USA), 1970, 1971 State University of New York - Planting Fields (USA), 1970 Sion (Switzerland), Heimbach (Germany) and Gitta de Castello, (Italy) 1972–78

Cairo Conservatoire (Egypt), 1985 Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Hungary), 1987

International Harp Competition (Switzerland), 1964, 1974 International Harp Competition (Israel), 1965 (honorary member)

Commissioned pieces Concert Improvisation - Hartt College of Music (USA), 1969 Little Suite - Nimura Harp Ensemble (Japan), 1970 Modern Sketches - Rhine Chamber Orchestra (Germany), 1972

Harp solos Bartók, Béla Vol. I. for Solo Harp (Lyra Music, International Music Service)

Brilliant Romantic Etude (General Music Publication) Capriccio for Solo Harp. Memory of Salzedo (Lyra Music, International Music Service) Concert Improvisation (Lyra Music, International Music Service) Donizetti, Gaetano - von Würtzler: Lucia di Lammermoori. Paraphrase (General Music Publication) Händel, George Friedrich - von Würtzler: Concerto in F Major with Cadenza by von Würtzler (General Music Publication)

Modern Sketches (Southern Music Publication) Old Dance (Lyra Music, International Music Service) Puppet Dance (Lyra Music, International Music Service) Variations on a theme of Corelli (General Music Publication) Vivaldi, Antonio - von Würtzler: Concerto in D Major (General Music Publication)

Canto Amoroso (F. C. Publishing Co.) Caprice de Concert (F. C. Publishing Co.)

Meditation (Salvi International Corp.) Paraphrase on a Theme from Rigoletto (F. C. Publishing Co.) Tale for the Boys (Salvi International Corp.) Three Miniatures for Violin and Harp (Salvi International Corp.) Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto (F. C. Publishing Co.)

Covers, transcripts Bach, Christian: Concerto „God Save the King”. Cadenza: von Würtzler (Salvi International Corp.) Bartók, Béla: Rumanian Folk Dances for Solo Harp (Salvi International Corp.) Bartók, Béla: Vol. II. for Solo Harp (Salvi International Corp.) Chinese folk song: Amid Flowers Beside the River Under the Spring (Salvi International Corp.) Franck, César: Agnus Dei for Solo Harp (F. C. Publishing Co.)

Kodály, Zoltán: Gyermektáncok (Salvi International Corp.) Kodály, Zoltán: Intermezzo from Háry János (Salvi International Corp.) Kodály, Zoltán: Székely nóta, Hungarian Songs (3) (Magyar parasztdalok) Landscape in Sunset. Original work from China, edited by von Würtzler. (Salvi International Corp.) Marcello, Benedetto: Adagio for Solo Harp (F. C. Publishing Co.) Noon. Edited by von Würtzler (Salvi International Corp.) The Cherry Blossoms. Original work from China, edited by von Würtzler. (Salvi International Corp.) The Voice of Youth. Original work from China, edited by von Würtzler. (Salvi International Corp.) Vivaldi, Antonio: D Major Concerto PVW 209 with Cadenza (F. C. Publishing Co.) Vivaldi, Antonio: Largo from Concerto in D Major PVW 209 (F. C. Publishing Co.) XVIII Century Hungarian Dances (Salvi International Corp.)

Chiti, Gianopaulo (Italy): Breakers Creston, Paul (USA): Olympia Rhapsody for Harp