Sándor Balassa

Born in Budapest,[1] Balassa attended a musical school and then studied music with Endre Szervánszky.[2] In 1964 he started working at the Hungarian Radio where he created music programs. Since 1981 he also taught at the Academy of Music. He retired from this position in 1996.[3]

Balassa was awarded the Kossuth Prize in 1983.[4]

• Dimenziók (Dimensions; Dimensioni) for flute and viola, Op. 8, 1966;
• Zenith, op.10, for alto and orchestra, 1971;
• Hárfástrio (Harp Trio), Trio for violin, viola and harp, Op. 19, 1971;
• Iris, op. 22, for orchestra, 1971;
• Glarusi ének , op. 29, for orchestra, (The Song of Glarus), 1978;
• Az örök ifjúság szigete, op. 32 for orchestra, (The End of Eternal Youth), 1979;
• Hívások és kiáltások, op. 33 for orchestra, 1981;
• Egy álmodozó naplója, op. 35 for orchestra, (Diary of a Daydreamer), 1983;
• Három fantázia zenekarra, op. 36 for orchestra, (Three fantasies), 1984;
• Szőlőcske és halacska, op. 40 for orchestra, 1987;
• Tündér Ilona, op. 45 for orchestra (with Elfje Ilona), 1992;
• Csaba királyfi, op. 46 for string orchestra, (Prince Csaba) 1993;
• Bölcskei concert, op. 49, for string orchestra, 1993;
• Mucsai táncok - avagy egy komolyzenei Lagzilajcsi fantazmagóriái, op. 50 for orchestra (Dancing from Mucsa), 1994;
• Fűzérke (Little Garland) for flute, viola and harp, Op. 51, 1994;
• A nap fiai, op. 54 for orchestra (Sons of the Sun), 1995;
• Négy arckép szimfonikus zenekarra, op. 56 for orchestra (Four Historical Portraits), 1996;
• 301-es parcella, op. 58 for orchestra (Package No.301), 1997;
• Pécsi concerto öt szólistára és vonószenekarra, op. 61 for violin, cello, oboe, bassoon, harp and string orchestra (Concert for the City of Pécs), 1999;
• Magyar koronázási zene, op. 63 for orchestra (Hungarian Coronation Music), 1998;
• Hunok völgye, op. 69 symphonic poem for orchestra, (Valley of the Huns), 1999;
• Október virágai, op. 77 for orchestra (Oktoberbloemen), 2003;
• Naphegyi kirándulás, op. 81 for string orchestra (Trips to Naphegyi), 2003;
• Szegedi concerto, op. 88 for string orchestra (Concert for Szeged), 2004;
• Nyári zene, op. 89 for flute and string orchestra (Summer Music), 2003;
• Üdvözlet Violának (Greetings to Viola) for viola solo, Op. 90, 2005;
• Civisek városa, op. 91 for orchestra (Music for Debrecen), 2005;
• Utazások Biharban, op. 93 for orchestra (Excursions to Bihar), 2005;
• Lovagi erények dicsérete, op.100 for orchestra, 2007.

The Hungarian music label Hungaroton has published some of Balassa's orchestral works and recorded his opera Karel en Anna.

• Literature by and about Sándor Balassa in the German National Library catalogue
• Sándor Balassa discography at Discogs