Hugo Kelen

Hugo Kelen was born as Hugo Klein on 7 March 1888 in Budapest (Hungary). From 1907 to 1909 he studied music at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and completed his studies under Franz Schreker in Berlin and Joseph Marx in Vienna. He changed his name to Hugo Kelen in 1909.

After his studies Hugo Kelen worked as a repetiteur at the Opernschule in Berlin, but soon returned to Budapest where he became a sought after singing teacher. As a composer he was part of the modern music scene around Bela Bartok and Zoltan Kodaly. In 1926 he co-founded together with Pal Kadosa, György Kosa, Ferenc Szabo und Istvan Szelenyi the association Modern Magyar Muzsikusok (Modern Hungarian Musicians), that promoted the performance of contemporary Hungarian music. Since 1943 Hugo Kelen taught at the Goldmark Music School.

Hugo Kelen died on 14 July 1956 in Budapest (Hungary).

The work catalogue of Hugo Kelen contains orchestral works, a Concerto grosso, an Oboe concerto, a large body of works for choir and orchestra like Sirato, Chor der Toten, Johannisfeuer, and Zsoltar a mindenseg szereteteröl. Chamber music includes a Piano quartet, a String trio "Ifjusag", works for cello, violin or oboe as well as piano music and many songs. Most of the manuscripts of his works before 1944 were destoryed in the siege of Budapest.

In my possession is the autograph manuscript of an untitled small piano piece composed in 1922. The manuscript starts with a dedication "A kis Reményi Andrisnak" (to the little Andris Remenyi). I found no information about this Andris Remenyi.