Albert Siklos

Full biography Albert Siklos

Albert Siklós was a Hungarian composer, cellist, and musicologist who was born in Budapest on June 26, 1878. He was one of the prominent figures of Hungarian music in the 20th century. Siklós started his music education at a young age and was admitted to the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest at the age of 14.

Siklós studied cello with David Popper and composition with Hans Koessler, who was also the teacher of Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók. Later, Siklós studied musicology with Béla Vikár and earned his doctorate in 1903 with a thesis on the history of chamber music.

In addition to composing, Siklós was an active performer who played the cello in the Budapest String Quartet and the National Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also a noted musicologist who wrote books on Hungarian music history and taught at the Liszt Academy.

Siklós' compositions include chamber music, orchestral works, and songs. He utilized traditional Hungarian, as well as other European, musical elements in his compositions. Some of his notable works include his three string quartets, "Hungarian Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra," and the ballet "The Magic Toyshop."

Albert Siklós passed away in Budapest in 1942, leaving behind a legacy as a composer and musicologist who played an important role in the development of Hungarian music.