Harmat Artúr (1885-1862) studied church music and
composing in Esztergom at Ferenc Kersch between 1889 and 1894 then continued his
composing studies at the Academy of Music, Budapest. In 1922 he became the
conductor of the City Main Parish Church then in 1938 of the quire of Saint
Stephen's Basilica. In 1926 he organised the Faculty of Church Music and
introduced church choir master training at the Academy of Music. His
compositions are mostly religious pieces, masses, cantatas, motets, psalms. This
recording was written for the Basilica choir by the conductor-composer.
Ferenc Kersch (1853-1910) was a student of Liszt for a short time. First he was
a secondary school teacher, then became conductor of theNagyvárad (Oradea)
Basilica, and from 1897 that of the Esztergom Basilica. In the Esztergom
Basilica he laid down the foundation of an exemplary church music life both in
terms of the liturgy and artistic quality. Besides a lot of sacred music pieces
he composed 17 masses and 3 requiems. The recorded piece is part of the "Concentus
Sacri" series, showing the strong influence of Liszt.
László Lajtha (1892-1963)
studied composition at the Budapest Academy of
Music under
Viktor Herzfeld and also under Vincent d'Indy in
Paris. In 1913 he obtained his doctorate in economy at the Budapest University
of Sciences. He started collecting folk music in 1910 with similar significance
to Bartók and Kodály. Most of his compositions were published in Paris with a
strong French influence. He composed church music pieces towards the end of his
life. These included two masses and three Maria Hymns, from which the last one
is on our recording.
