Sandor Reschofsky

Sandor Reschofsky was born as David Reschofsky on 15 February 1887 in Timisoara (at that time Austria-Hungary, today Romania). He studied at the Music Academy in Budapest under Arpad Szendy and Hans von Koessler. After his studies he worked as a pianist, piano teacher and composer. Already in 1913 he completed his today most prestigious project: He published a piano school together with Bela Bartok. In this project Sandor Reschofsky composed the technical studies and exercises while Bela Bartok composed the 48 recital pieces. Later Sandor Reschofsky published two more piano schools with his sole compositions.
There is little information about the professional activities of Sandor Reschofsky and how he made a living, but it is known that he was a piano teacher at the Goldmark Music School in Budapest since its founding in 1943 and since 1946 he lectured piano at the Budapest Music Academy until 1958.

The musician and especially the composer Sandor Reschofsky is completely unknown world-wide and even in Hungary his work is neglected and totally unexplored. Hungarian encyclopedias mention him only as the co-author of the Bartok piano school and say nothing about his other compositions. Only the "Zenei Lexikon" by Denes Bartha from 1965 provides a work catalogue, giving for example a total of 11 concertos! Only the first one - a piano concerto - was ever performed (in 1912 and only once), none was ever published and there is no information where the manuscripts of the compositions by Sandor Reschofsky are located today! So the composer Sandor Reschofsky remains a huge mystery.

Information about other compositions by Sandor Reschofsky are 3 operas (Kleopatra, Keleti Alom, Eneklö virag), a children opera, 3 ballets (A mennyei talalkozas, A Kinai ünnep, A Forras), a Rhapsody for trumpet and orchestra, a Concert-fantasy for trombone and orchestra, a Serenade for string orchestra, 3 symphonies, several piano sonatas, works for cello and piano, solo works for harp and songs.
Sandor Reschofsky died on 2 April 1972 in Budapest (Hungary).

In English speaking countries he is also known as Alex Reschofsky or Alexander Reschofsky because Sandor is the Hungarian form of Alexander.

In my possession is the autograph full score of the Symphony No.3 by Sandor Reschofsky. The manuscript is not dated, and I found no information about this symphony nor any other of his symphonies. In the manuscript the title page is written down in English and he calls himself "Alex Reschofsky". Also his address is mentioned "VI. Kmetty ucca 19 II/6" in Budapest.

title page of the Bartok/Reschofsky piano school