Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Opera

 

Kazmer Sarkany was a Hungarian classical pianist and composer who was born on January 1, 1921, in Budapest, Hungary. He was the youngest of three children born to a family of musicians. His father, Bela Sarkany, was a renowned pianist and composer, and his mother, Maria Sarkany, was a singer and pianist. Kazmer's siblings, Gyorgy and Maria, were also musicians. Kazmer showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of four. He received his first piano lessons from his father and later studied with some of the most prominent pianists of his time, including Zoltan Kodaly, Bela Bartok, and Ernst von Dohnanyi. In 1937, at the age of 16, Kazmer made his debut as a pianist in Budapest, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. The performance was a huge success, and Kazmer was hailed as a prodigy. He continued to perform in Hungary and other European countries, gaining a reputation as one of the most talented young pianists of his generation. In 1940, Kazmer was drafted into the Hungarian army and served as a medic during World War II. He was captured by the Soviet army in 1944 and spent the next five years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Siberia. During his captivity, Kazmer continued to play the piano, often performing for his fellow prisoners. After his release in 1949, Kazmer returned to Hungary and resumed his career as a pianist. He quickly regained his reputation as one of the country's leading musicians and began performing in concerts and recitals throughout Europe. In 1956, Kazmer and his family fled Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution and settled in the United States. He continued to perform and teach, becoming a professor of piano at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Throughout his career, Kazmer was known for his virtuosic technique and his interpretations of the works of Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, and other classical composers. He also composed his own music, including piano sonatas, concertos, and chamber music. Kazmer received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Liszt Prize from the Hungarian government, the Order of Merit from the Austrian government, and the Medal of Honor from the city of Budapest. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Kazmer continued to perform and teach until his death on December 31, 2010, at the age of 89. He left behind a legacy as one of the greatest pianists of his generation and a composer of exceptional talent. His recordings and performances continue to inspire and delight classical music lovers around the world.

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