Unsung Composers

Does anyone know any of the music of this Hungarian composer?

(b Košice, 13 Dec 1858; d Budapest, 30 Jan 1925). Hungarian composer and pianist. He studied the piano with Erkel and Liszt. His music combines a nationalistic melodic flavour and Germanic formalism, resolved most successfully in the prize-winning 'Hungarian' Symphony op.17 and the 'Hungarian' Piano Sonata op.35. Notable among his other works are the symphonic poem Balaton (1906) and the folk opera Mila (1913).

http://www.answers.com/topic/jakab-gyula-major#ixzz375jjbnHN (http://www.answers.com/topic/jakab-gyula-major#ixzz375jjbnHN)


Works with Opus number

    Op.4 - piano trio in C minor (1885)
    Op.8 - Capriccio in F for piano (1892)
    Op.9 - 2 pieces for piano (Menuet, Impromptu) (1889)
    Op.12 - Concert Symphonique (by 1895)
    Op.14 - concerto symphonique- allegretto scherzando, arr. for piano (1894 from Deutsch & Co.) (also published separately by Leuckart in 1896 just as "Op.12 No.2")
    Op.16 - Suite romantique (Fantaisie, Ballade, Romance, Valse-sérénade, Meditation) for piano (1894, Budapest: Deutsch&Co.)
    Op.17 - Symphonie hongroise (Symphony No.2) (Budapest : Pesti Könyvnyomda Részvénytársaság : Bárd Ferencz, ca.1900, at British Library at least (autograph facsimile published score). 4-hand arrangement mentioned in 1901 HMB.)
    Op.18 - Violin Concerto (in A) (1899) (pub. 1899 by Julius Hainauer (score published, parts "(Orch.-St. in Abschrift)", solo-part also published, according to HMB.)
    Op.19 - Zsidó vallásos énekek : ... zenéjöket szerezte és a függelékben foglalt ritualis énekeket az ifjuság igényeihez alkalmazta (for choir) (1891, Méry, Budapest)
    Op.20 - 2nd piano trio in D, 1894, Budapest: Deutsch & Co./Leipzig: Leuckart
    Op.22 - String Quartet no.1 in D minor. (pub. or repub. 1908 by Méry of Budapest.)
    Op.24 - Serenade in G for string orchestra (1895) (prize-winning work from Clausenburger Conservatory. Allegro moderato - Andante moderato ungharese - Gavotte - Allegro molto)
    Op.25 - 3rd symphony in C minor (Ms. Mus. 959 in 4-hand reduction, Budapest/Szech. library?)
    Op.26 - 1re Rhapsodie hongroise (D minor) for piano (1898)
    Op.29 - 2 Sonatinas for Violin and Piano (C, G) (1897)
        5 sonatinas for piano (1898)
    Op.32 - Meine Göttin (after Goethe). Cantate für Männerchor, Sopran Solo, Bariton Solo u. gr. Orchester. (pub.ca.1923., presumably earlier? Ms. Mus. 965, Budapest/Szech. Library?)
    Op.33 - Violin Sonata in D major (1895, Leuckart)
    Op.36 - Scènes millenaires, suite pour piano à 4 mains (1900, Budapest, Pester Buchdruck-Aktiengesellschaft)
    Op.38 - Niels Finn (chorus) (arrangement published 1899. With orchestra, 1901. Another version published 1907)
    Op.40 - Symphony No.4 (F♯ minor?) (4-hand arrangement published 1905? by Breitkopf&Härtel)
    Op.42 - 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody for Piano (1901, Budapest, Pester Steindruckerei-Gesellschaft)
    Op.43 - Junge Liebe (for men's chorus and string orchestra or piano) (pub. 1908, Budapest, Méry)
    Op.44 - Cello Concerto in A major? (minor?) (reduction 1904/05, Breitkopf&Härtel) (full score at Free Library of Philadelphia- orchestra of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, triangle, harp, strings
    Op.45 - Psalm 47 for choir (male or mixed) and orchestra
    Op.49 - Piano Concerto No.2 in A minor (may be Baker "typo" for cello concerto in A minor Op.44)
    Op.51 - Grandpapa's Musical Clock (Grosspapas Spieluhr) (Childrens' Scenes for piano with optional chorus and Illustrations) (Breitkopf und Härtel, 1905.)
    Op.52 - Clerici beati sunt for bass solo, men's chorus and piano
    Op.55 - Balaton (composed 1906 or 1907?) (symphonic poem for orchestra) (published 1908, Méry of Budapest. Reissued 2013 by Musikproduktion Höflich, Munich - see Preface.)
    Op.56 - Rings um den Balaton (Utazás a Balaton körül) (1907, Méry, Budapest)
    Op.57 - Die alte Jungfer (3 part women's chorus and piano): "Ingeried Sletten von Sillehabb"
    Op.58 - Suite galante (1907, Méry, Budapest)
    Op.59 - Der Wasserfall (soprano, 3-part women's chorus and piano): "Die Elfin wohnt in der Felsenhall"
    Op.60 - 3 Volkslieder for 3-part Women's Chorus and Piano (pub.1908, Méry)

    Siciliana (Forsi pir si nun m'ami)
    La vera Sorrentina (Io la vidia Piedigrotta)
    Chanson du XVme Siècle (Vray Dieu d'Amours)

    Op.60a - 2 Songs for 1 voice and piano (Méry, Budapest, 1908)

    Vergessen (Ich ruhe ja schon in einer Gruft)
    No title (Hab' einen Traum begraben)

    Op.61 - Nach dem Strike (Wir schweigen schon) for one male voice and piano (Méry, Budapest, 1908)
    Op.63 - 3 Concert-fantasies for piano with 2nd piano or orchestra (1907)
    Op.63 - 3rd piano trio (according to Baker's)
    Op.68 - Piano Sonata in E minor (pub.1909 by Méry Bèla) (UNC Chapel Hill has, as does Library of Congress, both microfilm)
    Op.69 - Devant les Murailles de Jerusalem, poème hébraïque pour piano (Méry, Budapest, 1909)
    Op.70 - Bosnische Lieder
    Op.79 - Symphony No.5 (composed 1914–1915)

Works without Opus Number

    Traumbilder for Piano 4-Hands (1890)
    Alpenklänge: Waltz(es?) with "R. Law"(?) (1900)
    also by Mayor/Major? & Law: Reine Berthe!/Königin Berthe! Suite de valses for piano ; Eichkätzchen-Polka ; Papagei-Polka. (Berlin: Scheithauer as part of a series of Haus-, Konzert- und Tanz-Musik; later Berlin: Siegel, 1903 for Reine Berthe! )
    Symphonies Nos. 1, 6?
    A szombatosok énekei / Lieder der Sabatharier (pub.ca.1907?, downloadable from Hathitrust. Songs of the Sabbath-Keepers (to translate the title exactly))
    Operas "Lisbeth" & "Erysika" (both prem.1901)
    Opera "Széchi Maria" (1906)
    Opera "Mila" (1913)
    String Quartets Nos. 2 in E minor, 3 in C minor

http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Gyula_Major (http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Gyula_Major)

The Op 12 Concerto Symphoniqe was on Mike Spring's radar at one time for Hyperion's RPC series. Score and parts in Fleisher. It looks interesting, as does the piano sonata, a score of which I had, (have, actually - but I can't find it at present!)

Thanks, Gareth. Intriguing...

Wrote a lot of the IMSLP list myself from various dribs and drabs of sources which I should have listed to make correction easier. It's probably full of holes... obviously feel free to fix, sorry...

Here are some additions/corrections from Grove:

Chamber
4   Piano Trio No. 1 in c minor   1881
   String Quartet No. 1 in A   1882 (lost)
20   Piano Trio No. 2 in D   1892
21   String Quartet No. 2 in c minor   
22   String Quartet No. 3 in d minor   1896
29.1   Violin Sonatina No. 1   1897
29.2   Violin Sonatina No. 2   1897
32   Piano Quintet in A   
33   Violin Sonata No. 1 in D   1895
39   Sextet in Bb for piano and winds   
53   Violin Sonata No. 2 in g minor   1907
54   String Quartet No. 4 in e minor   1905
62   Piano Trio No. 3 in Bb   1907

Operas
19   Dalma (4, Major, after M. Jókai), op.19, not perf.;    1891
30   Széchy Mária (3, Radó), op.30, Kolozsvár, 1906;    1906
41   Erzsike (prol, 1, A. Radó), op.41, Budapest, 24 Sept 1901 (n.d.);    1901
78   Mila (folk op, 3, R. Batka and M. Wassermann), op.78, Bratislava, 1913   1913

Concerti
   Piano Concerto No. 1   1882
12   Concert symphonique for 2 pianos and orchestra   1888
18   Violin Concerto in A   1899
44   Cello Concerto in A   1905
49   Piano Concerto No. 2 in a minor   
63   Drei Konzertfantasien, pf, orch, op.63 (n.d.);    1907

Symphonies
5   Symphony No. 1 in a minor, op.5, 1883–4,
17   Symphony No. 2 in b minor 'Hungarian', op.17   1900
25   Symphony No. 3 in c minor   
40   Symphony No. 4 in f# minor   1904
79   Symphony No. 5 in D for soprano, baritone, and orchestra, Op. 79 (1910-12)
   Symphony No. 6, ?1918, incomplete

Other Orchestral
   Overture, 1881;
16   Suite romantique, op.16 (n.d.);    
24   Serenade, str, op.24 (Leipzig, n.d.);    1895
26   Rapsodie Hongroise, arranged for orchestra   
36   Scènes millénaires, op.36 (n.d.);    
55   Balaton, sym. poem, op.55, 1906 (n.d.)

Piano Sonatas
35   Piano Sonata No. 1 in A 'Hungarian'   1896
68   Piano Sonata No. 2 in e minor   1909

Thank you very much. That's helpful.

Not that helpful. Grove is often full of errors and this entry is no exception. The Op. 12 Concerto Symphonique is definitely NOT for 2 pianos & orchestra, simply for piano and orchestra. It was an edition of Grove that ascribed two piano concertos to Bronsart, the second in the same key as Brull's 2nd PC - that error was swiftly corrected. Another entry made Raimund Dreyschock the father of Alexander, and made Felix the latter's son!!! (Raimund was Alexander's younger brother; Felix was Alexander's nephew.)

Thanks for your vigilance, Gareth. Warning heeded.

Well, perhaps that one (out of the many I provided, including details on all of the symphonies, lacking in the first list) was in error, but hardly 'not that helpful'. I was going to add details on other aspects of his ouevre (piano, vocal), but that's fine.

Oh, please do, Balapoel. A full catalogue is always so much more useful than a partial one.

I didn't mean to denigrate your research, Balapoel, nor your posting. I merely wanted to point out that Grove is not nearly as reliable as one could hope (or, indeed, has a right to expect), particularly when it comes to the sort of composers discussed on this forum.

I give below a list of Major's scores held by the Hungarian State Library which was supplied to me by Mrs Boglárka Illyés in July 2007:

Handwritten scores:
Ms. mus. 963 Suite romantique
Ms. mus. 956 Symphonia I.
Ms. 957 Symfonie in c-moll III. Op. 25.
Ms. mus. 2.685  III. Symphonie. C-moll. Op. 25 Original handwritten score
Ms. mus. 2.686 IV. Symphonie (Fis-moll) Op. 40.
Ms. mus. 6.202  IV. Symphonie. Original handwritten score
Ms. mus. 2.684 Sinfonia in A. (On the title page: Nessunoz senza difetti)
Ms. mus. 64 Balaton. Original handwritten score
Ms. mus. 4.985/a Bosnische Rhapsodie für Orch. No. 1. Op. 71.
Ms. mus. 961 Magyar Rapszódia
Ms. mus. 905 Nyitány a besztercebányai színház 1882-iki október ....-i megnyitására. Original manuscript
Ms. mus. 960 Ouverture für das Orchester Op. 1. Bp. 1881. Original manuscript
Ms. mus. 2.687 V. Symphonie. Op. 79. [D-dur] Mit Sopran-, Alt- (nicht obligat) und Baryton-Solo.
Ms. mus.7.885 Symphonie hongroise.
Ms. mus. 896 Symphonie V. op. 79. Für grosses Orchester und Gesang. Op. 79. Original manuscript.
Ms. mus. 759 Violin Concert in A-dur op. 18. Original handwritten score.

Printed scores:
Z 42.193 / Z 52.819 / Z 58.075 Balaton. Op. 55. Bp. [1907]. Méry, Orpheus
Z 42.189 Bosnische Rhapsodie Op. 71.
Z 42.195 Suite millénaire
Z 42.191 Rhapsodie hongroise No. 1. Bp. [1896] Zipser-König
Z 42.192 Suite romantique
Z 42.181 Symphonie hongroise. Op. 17.

okay. Additions to the lists provided above:

Piano
The 5 sonatinas are Opp. 29 and 31 (~1898)
Devant les Murailles de Jerusalem, poème hébraïque pour piano (Méry, Budapest, 1909)
Zongora-iskola: hülönös tekintettel a kèpezdeí tantervre, pf tutor, 1890–99

Vocal
46   Lieder und Gesange   
47   Lieder und Gesange   
48   Lieder und Gesange   
   Jewish Songs, I-xii, 1889-92

the (vocal) score of sym. 5 says "composed 1914-15"; I suspect the compiler of the Grove list may be wrong here, unless this applies specifically to the composition of/arrangement of the vocal score.
Devant les murailles is Op.69 (and is in the list on IMSLP.)
Does "Sinfonia in A. (On the title page: Nessunoz senza difetti)" = Op.5 or should it be listed as a Symphony No.0?

Op.12 is pretty clearly not for "2 pianos" and orchestra, at least not in its published form - see IMSLP. It's a piano concerto.

Pazdirek lists both the Op. 12 and Op. 49 PCs, but I have not been able to find a copy of the published score of Op. 49. Curiously, Pazdirek does not list any piano sonatas, but the copy of the sonata I have (somewhere) is certainly a printed one, so it must have been published.

in the USA the Library of Congress, and U North Carolina Chapel Hill (http://search.lib.unc.edu/search?R=UNCb4975030), have microfilms of the 2nd sonata for piano as published by Mery in 1909.

Thanks, Eric. I knew that

The (old) catalogue of filmed cards at the Musikabteilung of the Staatsbibliothek Berlin has works by Julius Jacques Major, among which Op.12: Concert Symphonique p. le Piano av. accomp. de grand Orch. Partie de Piano av. accomp. D'un 2. Piano. Leipzig, F. E. C. Leuckart. This may have contributed to the concerto for two pianos idea.

I have not had time to go through all the cards, this is quite time consuming, but Op. 49 is not among them.

I think it much more likely that whoever was asked to do the article on Major for Grove was not very interested and did it in a slapdash manner. It happens all the time. They get people who are experts on a period or country in music, but the chap doesn't necessarily know everything about everybody in the particular period or country so he flicks through a few reference books and duplicates the earlier mistakes of other authors. I wonder where Op. 49 is. Somewhere in Hungary, I guess. Pazdirek doesn't give a publisher. The Op. 12 was published in Leipzig by Leuckhart (though Pazdirek does not say so), so perhaps they published Op. 49 too.

I see that several scores, including a couple of free ones, are available at: http://www.musicaneo.com/search.html?q=gyula+major  (http://www.musicaneo.com/search.html?q=gyula+major)

The scores of the 5th Symphony Op.79 and the Concerto Symphonique Op.12 can be downloaded here:
https://urresearch.rochester.edu/viewContributorPage.action;jsessionid=7C6AF45C747648BFAB80785359CDFE47?personNameId=2204 (https://urresearch.rochester.edu/viewContributorPage.action;jsessionid=7C6AF45C747648BFAB80785359CDFE47?personNameId=2204)

They are also available on IMSLP (from the same source - i.e. the Sibley Music Library, Univ. of Rochester) - and have been for some little while, I think. Unfortunately, the 5th symphony is an arrangement of the score for piano with the vocal parts added.

Thanks, Gareth.

He's an interesting composer, as I think his compatriots Beliczay and Mihalovich are too. Wonder if there is a series of missing links here between, say, Liszt and Dohnanyi?

Has anyone any up to date information on possible performances or recordings of Major's music?

I'd be interested to know more along those lines (and hear some of his music) too, even though I've only seen those two works of his, so far (I'd like to see/read/skim/... more too- I'll see if I can find libraries with loanable scores of his piano trios etc. (etc. etc. etc. etc.) but haven't had much luck so far as I recall.)

NYPL Research Library (offsite-request-in-advance-no-copying-etc :( ) has an _incomplete_ (last pages missing) score of his piano trio no.2 op.20. Sigh... British Library has a few works of his though (eg the Symphonie hongroise). I am fairly sure that the National Széchényi Library has quite, quite a few works of his- did last I checked, I'm about positive - of course my local library doesn't interloan anywhere outside the US and they don't, afaik, loan out :D, but at least it means the works still exist, and that would be the main stopping point for orchestras and others looking to perform works of his. (Though the Fleisher Collection has a few things too and they should probably stop there first?)

btw two works I think are available from MPH Münich: his concerto symphonique (which IMSLP has in score though that's only convenient for online reading unless you have a fair amount of printer paper) and his Balaton symphonic poem Op.55.

Fleisher has the Cello Concerto (photocopy of a MS), score only, plus (as Eric has observed) Full Score & Parts of the Op. 12 Concerto Symphonique. Also Score & Parts of the Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 24.
National Széchényi Library has most of his manuscripts, including full scores of all the symphonies and all the concertante piano works, which include a 2nd PC in E major (Woo) and 3 Fantasias for piano & orchestra. These last are:
1. Nordische Konzertfantasie (op. 63)
2. Mazurka-Fantasie (op. 55)
3. Ungarische Konzertfantasie (Woo)
I would like to get Hyperion interested in recording these.

Here's an excerpt from the MPH preface to the score of Concerto symphonique, Op.12:

The exact date of composition of the Concerto symphonique (op. 12) has eluded discovery; The New Grove assigns it to the year 1888 with a question mark. A printed edition for two pianos, the second being a reduction of the orchestral part, was published in 1895, followed by the full score in 1897 with the title Concert symphonique pour le piano avec accompagnement de grand orchestre. The term "concerto symphonique" already points to an expanded dialogue between soloist and orchestra. Unlike the standard solo concerto, which showcases the virtuosity of the soloist, the symphonic concerto – a genre already cultivated by Brahms – assigns signal importance to the orchestra, to a hybrid between concerto and symphony. This was indeed Major's point of departure. Once the themes are stated by the piano, their manipulation is frequently entrusts to the orchestra, the vehicle of the development. Another indication of the symphonic principle is the absence of a first-movement cadenza, which is de rigueur in a solo concerto. Major's op. 12 adopts the standard three-movement concerto form, but without the customary slow second movement: the opening Allegro is followed by an Allegretto and a concluding Allegro. The scoring adheres to the usage of the day: double woodwind, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and strings.
A rare reference to Major's concerto is found in Hans Engels's concert guide, Das Instrumentalkonzert (Leipzig, 1932): "One of the earliest Hungarian piano concertos is the Concert Symphonique, op. 12, by J. J. Major (1858-1925), dedicated to the memory of his teacher R. Volkmann. This romantic work, nourished on Schumann and Brahms, is more akin to a symphony than a concerto, since for large stretches at a time the piano, after stating the themes, merely accompanies the orchestra, the vehicle of the development, or plays with it in unison. This does not always stand the work in good stead."
Like Brahms in his First Piano Concerto, Major has the first movement open with a timpani roll. An introduction from the full orchestral is then followed by a general pause, after which the motif is repeated and enlarged upon. The piano takes up the motif some sixty bars later, but quickly turns to new themes with allusions to Hungarian folk music, which are then developed as the movement progresses.
Surprisingly, the second movement is not the slow movement we might expect, but a lively G-major scherzo that would have raised fewer eyebrows if it had been the third movement of a symphony. It opens with the piano playing a relaxed, feathery motif consisting of an ornamented high-register 5th with contrasting pizzicato interjections from the strings. The piano plays almost constantly throughout the movement, frequently together with the full orchestra or groups of instruments, which mutually complement, support or interact with each other. A few years later, in 1894, Major published this movement separately as Allegretto scherzando for solo piano.   
The finale, an Allegro in the form of a rondo or set of variations, opens with a sort of fanfare in the horns to announce the first theme in the piano.

It all sounds rather interesting to me, Gareth...

Has anyone actually clapped eyes on the scores?

I am familiar with the Op. 12 work. I consider it to be well worth performing and recording. I am trying to get hold of a photocopy of the 2nd PC (which is in E major, according to the library) as well.
I notice the work list at IMSLP assigns Op. 63 to all 3 Fantasias - interesting. The Op. numbers I gave in the post above came from the Hungarian State Library.

Thank you, Gareth.

I had quite forgotten about Major. This is all very tantalising, if only on paper.

Quoteand his Balaton symphonic poem Op.55.

Given that the Balaton symphonic poem is also listed elsewhere as Op. 55, I think the Hungarian State Library's designation of the Mazurka-Fantaisie for piano and orchestra as Op. 55 must be an error. The 2-piano versions of the 3 Fantaisies held in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin are catalogued as Op. 63, which accords with the list at IMSLP.

Hyperion and/or Hungaroton or someone. :)

Here is a snippet from the Concert Symphonique (1894 ?) for piano and orchestra. It's from the start of the final movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JazSKSYZ0QY&feature=youtu.be

Absolutely fascinating. Very, very good to be able to hear this attractive music properly at last. Thank you very much. I am hopeful that Hyperion will record the Concerto Symphonique and 2nd PC with (perhaps) one of the Concert Fantasies. Simon Perry is certainly aware of the music. We shall have to wait and see.

Well, I thought this was absolutely fascinating - and original. Certainly one for the Hyperion RPC series, I'd've thought. Thanks! And I posted this at precisely the same time as Gareth!

What a great testament to everyone's dedication to UCs. This thread started almost six years ago and is still being followed-up. And, when commercial recordings eventually appear, no doubt they'll be announced here, and commented upon here. I love it!  :)

Some additional biographical info on Major: 

https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/en/product/major-gyula-2/ (https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/en/product/major-gyula-2/)

J. Gyula Major
(b. Košice, 13 December 1858 – d. Budapest, 30 January 1925)

Concerto symphonique for piano and orchestra, op. 12

Preface
Little is known of the life, music, and career of the Hungarian composer, pianist, and teacher Jakab Gyula Major, aka Julius Gyula Major, Jules Jacques Major, Julius J. Mayer, and James Julius Mayer. (With the Magyarization of Hungary in the latter half of the nineteenth century, he changed his name from Mayer to Major.) He was born on 13 December 1858 in Kashau, now known as Košice in present-day Slovakia, but part of Hungary at the time. From 1877 to 1881 he studied composition with Robert Volkmann and piano with Ferenc Erkel und Franz Liszt at the Budapest Academy of Music. In December 1876, and thus even before he had begun his studies, Liszt wrote to his former pupil Johann Nepomuk Dunkl, "Yesterday your protégé, the young pianist Mayer, played a couple of pieces to me, presentably and with understanding. Indeed, he seems highly talented and worthy of further support" (Franz Liszt, Briefe aus ungarischen Sammlungen 1835-1886, ed. Margit Prahács, Kassel, 1966). Liszt was as good as his word: he later accepted Major into his close circle of associates. Major also appeared as a pianist at the Liszt memorial concert of the Philharmonic Society on 25 October 1886 (Prahács, op. cit.).

Major lived and worked mainly in Budapest, where he taught at local music schools and teacher training institutes and founded a women's chorus that he headed for more than ten years. His fame as a pianist extended beyond the borders of Hungary. In 1904 and 1905 he was an active ethnomusicologist, conducting field research in Transylvania with the cultural anthropologist Béla Vikár. He died in Budapest at the age of sixty-seven.

Being a pupil of Volkmann, who cultivated the classical-romantic tradition alongside Schumann and Brahms, and Erkel, a founding father of Hungary's national music (and the composer of its national anthem), Major combines the German symphony with stylistic elements from Hungarian and Slavonic folk music. But he was less radical and rigorous in his assimilation of Hungary's folk music than Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. This explains the comment that Bartók, a fiery patriot who opposed the hegemony of German music, made to the pianist István Thomán: "Not only do I grant my permission for the performance, I'm also delighted that you've chosen my humble 'fledgling effort' [the violin sonata], although in your own interest I would advise you to play something more ingratiating. The full chorus of critics and half of the audience look forward to 'Major', while 'Bartók' finds a friendly reception only from three or four of his adherents!" (Translated from Béla Bartók, Briefe, ed. János Demény, vol. 1, Budapest, 1973).

Major, in his rhapsodies, symphonic poems, and vernacular operas, cloaked Hungarian melodies in late-romantic garb. Music in the style hongrois – so-called "gypsy music" – was en vogue throughout Europe since the days of Liszt, the best examples being Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies and Brahms's Hungarian Dances.

Regarding the date of the Concert symphonique, Op. 12, David E. Schneider in "Bartok, Hungary, and the Renewal of Tradition" (2006), p. 39, notes that the work was performed on 15 Feb. 1888, based on lists of programs of the Philharmonic Society included Béla Csuka's "Nine Decades in the Service of Hungarian Musical Art" [English translation of orig. Hungarian title], 1943).  I think that's why New Grove gives the date as "?1888".  The work was dedicated to the memory of Major's teacher, Robert Volkman, who died in 1883, so the late 1880s also seems appropriate.

Apologies for resurrecting on perhaps insufficient cause, but this dissertation about some of Major's works (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lana-Pacuka/publication/323320887_A_Bosnian_Musical_Adventure_of_Hungarian_Composer_Julius_Gyula_Major/links/5a8db8c7aca272c56bc3ff31/A-Bosnian-Musical-Adventure-of-Hungarian-Composer-Julius-Gyula-Major.pdf) looks interesting - about his Bosnian-music-inspired works, specifically.

One sometimes finds some neat stuff made available on the web by people who've put some real work into it, imhonesto. I really appreciate this.

Thanks, Eric, it promises to be a diverting read.

Listening to the excerpt from the Concert Symphonique once again led me to wonder whether there's been any progress in getting this lovely music recorded...

Or modern performances, either. I see an announcement of a concert with his Op.71 Bosnian Rhapsody from back in 2018, but it would be nice to see more - admittedly, that would be easier if more of his music were available, of course, but it's been hard to find. Some libraries around the world have some of his chamber music, but not ones that loan it out much, I think (maybe the British Library has some of his works? If someone's interested in performing one of his piano works and they have something, this may be an avenue worth following up?)