Gyöngy, Pal

Pal Gyöngy

Pal Gyöngy was born on 19 October 1902 in Vienna (at that time Austro-Hungarian Empire). He began to play the piano at the age of 6 and continued his piano education during his time in Vienna. In 1919 the family moved to Budapest, where Pal Gyöngy finished his school time and also studied harmony privately with Adolf Schiffer. In 1921 he was such a serious pianist that Pal Gyöngy had a performance in the Vigado (a renowned concert hall in Budapest). Nevertheless Pal Gyöngy decided to study electrical engineering in Germany, but quit these studies after three terms. It seems that Pal Gyöngy was additionally an avid motorcyclist in the 1920s and drove on a Rudge Whitworth bike in competitions. In one year he won the Budapest championship in the 350cc class. In the late 1920s Pal Gyöngy was also one of the heads of the Hungarian general agency for Castrol motor oil and Sunbeam and Rudge motorcycles.
Beside these various activities Pal Gyöngy composed music since his student days and in 1930 mainly focused on a musical career. In 1932 he had his breakthrough with the operetta "Kadetszerelem" (cadet love), which became a big hit first in Budapest and received more than 100 performances at the Kiraly-Theatre in 1933. The next year performances in Vienna and Zürich followed.
His success in the operetta genre let Pal Gyöngy compose five more operettas until 1937 which all went on stage in Budapest. In 1937 Pal Gyöngy moved to Paris to make his mark as a composer. His works received some performances but with the outbreak of World War II Pal Gyöngy moved back to Budapest. There he continued to compose operettas, songs, chansons.
Beside his work as a composer Pal Gyöngy was also active as an official for different associations. From 1947 to 1952 he was director of the Hungarian Lyricists, Composers and Music Publishers Cooperative, from 1953 to 1962 assistant director of the Hungarian Music Fund, and from 1962 to 1983 director resp. assistant director of the Hungarian Art Fund. Pal Gyöngy wrote also articles and reviews for music journals like "American Billboard", "Music Week", "Jazz Journal International" or "Musikmarkt".
Pal Gyöngy died on 28 June 1990 in Budapest (Hungary).

The work catalogue of Pal Gyöngy contains 17 operettas and musicals, film music, and many individual songs and chansons.

Pal Gyöngy Archive

In my possession are several dozens of autograph manuscripts and printed scores of music by Pal Gyöngy. The archive inludes parts of the following operettas resp. musicals:

operetta "Zsuzsanna es a Könyvek" (Susanna and the books)
In my archive are full scores for the parts 4 to 10 and piano reductions for the parts 1, 2, 3, 8 and 10. The manuscripts are undated and I could not find any information about the work itself, a performance or a publication. The composition seems to be unknown in the work catalogue of Pal Gyöngy.
musical "Zenes jatek születik" (Birth of a musical) (1977)
According to the manuscript this composition was a commission of the Hungarian Broadcasting Association and was composed in 1977. The libretto was written by Robert Ratonyi on an original play by Jenö Heltai.
In my archive are the full scores of the parts No. 1 to 15, except No.13. Additionally I own piano reductions for No.1 to 8 and 10 to 12. There are also several voice parts.
operetta " Minden jegy elkelt" (All sold out)
The operetta "Minden jegy elkelt" was composed in 1958 on a libretto by Kristof Karoly. In my archive are full scores for the parts No. 2, 3, 16, 17 and 26 as well as the piano reduction of Nr.14.
radio operetta "Bünbak" (scapegoat)
This operetta was composed in 1960. In my archive are full scores for the parts No. 1 - 4, 6, 7, 9 and 11 - 15.
operetta "Sohajok haza" (House of sighs)
The libretto was written by Jozsef Romhanyi. In my archive are piano reductions for the parts No. 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11 and 15.

In addition I also own autograph scores of the following instrumental works by Pal Gyöngy:

Szeretlek Budapest, for small ensemble
Tarantella, for piano-forte
Tango, for orchestra
Trio for 3 wind instruments
Kalauz legenda, for small ensemble
A sunny day, for piano

and scores of the following songs, in autograph and/or printed editions:

A Banatos bassrista, for voice and piano (text by: Bela Kapuvari)
A Köszikla, for voice and piano (text by: Janos Rakosi)
A Margit-szigeten, for voice and piano (text by: Zsuzsa Gal)
Amikor egy nyari este, for voice and piano (text by: Bela Kapuvari)
Atragyog a nap a felhön, for voice and piano (text by: Bela Eröss)
Az eleteddel magad rendelkezel, for voice and piano (text by: Elemer Boross)
Beau Brummel‘s promenade, for ensemble (arrangement by Les Williams)
Bocsanat, for voice and piano (text by: Dezsö Keller)
Bossa nova, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan S. Nagy)
Buenos dias, Pippo, Pippo, for voice and piano (text by: Elemer Boross)
Domboldalon all egy öreg nyarfa, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Zagon)
Ebred az erdö, for voice and orchestra (text by: Zsuzsa Gal)
Edesanyam katonafia..., for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Raics)
Emlekszel meg? Sütött a hold, for voice and piano (text by: Ernö Vecsey)
Es jött a zapor, for voice and piano (text by: Ivan Szenes)
Esküvö elött..., for voice and piano (text by: Janos Rakosi)
Estere kiderul, for voice and piano (text by: György Lorand)
Fecskemadas, sargarigo..., for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Bekeffi)
Felülünk a göncölszekerre..., for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Varadi)
Hajnalban, delben, este..., for voice and piano (text by: Zsuzsa Gal)
Haragszom a szivemre!, for voice and piano (text by: Ivan Szenes)
Harom mafla agglegeny, for voice and piano (text by: Jozsef Romhanyi)
Hogyha rolam mident tudnal, for voice and piano (text by: Karoly Kristof)
Holnap mar masba szeretek, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Hejnal)
Hortobagyi eletkep, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Brand)
Hova lett a selyemret?, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Brand)
Huzd fel öcsem az uj cipod, for voice and piano (text by: Rezsö Török)
Ich hab‘ ein Rendevous mit einer Melodie!, for voice and piano (text by: Josef Petrak)
Isidore, for voice and piano (text by: Ande de Badet)
Itt az alkalom, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Brand)
Jaj, megszökött a napsugar, for voice and piano (text by: Ivan Szenes)
Jede Frau braucht einen Batschi!, for voice and piano (text by: Josef Petrak)
Kar, hogy bucsu lett a vege..., for voice and piano (text by: Ivan Szenes)
Keressük a boldogsagot, for voice and piano (text by: Jenö Magyaradi)
Kertem, kertem, for voice and piano (text by: Bela Kapuvari)
Kislany az agyba‘, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Szemzö)
Ki tudja miert vannak ejszakak..., for voice and piano (text by: Mihaly Szecsen)
Kivanok szivböl minden jöt..., for voice and piano (text by: Janos Rakosi)
Köszönteni jöttünk, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Raics)
Leptek, for voice and piano (text by: Zsuzsa Gal)
Madame, for voice and piano (text by: Henri Varna & Andre de Badet)
Masrol szeretnek beszelni, masrol, for voice and piano (text by: Rezsö Török)
Megvert engem kegyetlenül, for voice and piano (text by: Kalman Kovacs)
Mi ketten..., for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Brand)
Mikor az uccan, for voice and piano (text by: Eva Halasz)
Mire varsz, for ensemble
Mondja volt-e mir, for voice and piano (text by: ?)
Nehez szerep, for voice and piano (text by: Rudolf Halasz)
Nem kell mas..., for voice and piano (text by: Janos Rakosi)
Nem tudom, magan mit imadok?, for voice and piano (text by: Janos Rakosi)
Nincs mas, for voice and piano (text by: Ivan Szenes)
Nyilik mar e kek nefelejcs, for voice and piano (text by: Gabor Rudnai)
Padladlom, for voice and piano (text by: Karoly Kristof)
Rozi neni dala, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Brand)
Sandomingo, for voice and piano (text by: Imre Harmath)
Szabadsag..., for voice and piano (text by: Karoly Kristof)
Szegeny legeny..., for voice and piano (text by: Imre Harmath)
Szeretlek Budapest, for voice and piano (text by: Karoly Kristof)
Szombat, vasarnap…, for voice and piano (text by: Laszlo Szilagyi & Dezsö Keller)
Romantika pedig nincs, for voice and piano (text by: Elemer Boross)
Tancoljunk hajnalig, for voice and piano (text by: Dezsö Keller)
Tango Budapest, for ensemble (arrangement by Les Williams)
Tünödes.., for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Brand)
Tüsarkon tipeg..., for voice and piano (text by: Rudolf Halasz)
Ugy erzem, for voice and piano (text by: Rudolf Halasz)
Uj divat a hula hoop, for voice and piano (text by: Rudolf Halasz)
Un clair nuage, for voice and piano (text by: Andre de Badet)
Vidam tavasz, for voice and piano (text by: Istvan Raics)
Vigyazz a szivre..., for voice and piano (text by: Elemer Boross)

miscellaneous items

In addition to the music manuscripts I also own a few personal items from the Pal Gyöngy estate:

private photos of Pal Gyöngy, his second wife Mady Manstein and other relatives and friends
some photos showing the award ceremony for Sandor Benko receiving the "Hungary's Star of the Year" award from the magazine Musik Week in 1976 for his Benko Dixieland Group
a signed photo of French singer Jacqueline Dulac with the personal inscription: "Pour Paul en souvenir pour un merveilleux sejour en Pologne ou naquit notre amitie"
the last private appointment calender of Pal Gyöngy from 1990, filled up with entries until May.
a medal from the Cesky Hudebni Fond from 1979
a birthday letter (in German autograph and typewritten Hungarian) by Istvan Lang, the general secretary of the Maygar Zene Müveszek Szövetsege (Hungarian Composers Association) from 14 October 1982
a poster of the performance of "Die unentschuldigte Nacht" (music by Pal Gyöngy) at the Carl Maria von Weber Theater in Bernburg (Germany) on 30 August 1974

Tango for orchestra

The Tango for orchestra is one of the few instrumental pieces by Pal Gyöngy in my archive. The manuscript shows no date, so I have no information when it was composed.

Gyongy_Tango.pdf

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