Károly Thern

Károly (Carl) Thern (13 August 1817 – 13 April 1886) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor and arranger. He was of German descent, but was among the second generation of composers who developed the language of Hungarian art music. Thern was born in 1817, in Spišská Nová Ves (Zipser Neudorf in German, Iglo in Hungarian; now in Slovakia). He conducted at the National Theatre of Pest in 1840s, and at the Music Lovers’ Association of Pest between 1868 and 1873, in succession to Mihály Mosonyi. He was also active as a teacher at the National Conservatory. Thern’s incidental music included Svatopluk by József Gaál (1839) in which he introduced the tárogató alongside standard orchestral instruments. His operas included Gizul (premiered 21 December 1841), The Siege of Tihany (Tihany ostroma; 12 April 1845), and The Would-be Invalid (A képzelt beteg; 11 October 1855). Gizul was described as a “… remarkable reflection of the endeavour to give its schooling i.e. musical technique a Hungarian character, to adorn it as if it were in Hungarian garment”. His other music includes a Symphony (1871); a Trio in D minor for two violins and viola, Op. 60; a Hungarian March for piano 6-hands; L