Born: May 8, 1846 - Budapest, Hungary
Died: March 9, 1913 - London, England

The Hungarian-born English composer, singer and pianist, Francis [Ferenc] Alexander Korbay, was the son of parents distinguished as amateur musicians. He studied the piano under various masters, and composition, etc., under Moronyi and Robert Volkmann. He was trained as a tenor singer under Gustave Roger, and sang in grand opera at the National Theatre in Budapest from 1865 to 1868. The continued exertion was too much for his voice, and he took to the piano under the advice of his godfather, Franz Liszt.

After touring in Europe as a pianist, Francis Korbay went to America in 1871, playing and teaching for two years. By this time his voice had recovered sufficiently to enable him to give song-recitals at which he accompanied himself, and to teach singing. He lectured and composed, besides singing and playing, during his residence in New York, and an orchestral piece, Nuptiale, was often played in the USA. A Hungarian overture was performed in London (1912). A Set of songs to Lenau's Schilfiieder, and other single songs, have been published and often sung, but his arrangements of Hungarian national songs to English versions of his own are the things by which his reputation was made in England. He lived in London from 1894, and was a professor of singing at the Royal Academy of Music from 1894 to 1903.

Source: Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1952 Edition; Author: J.A. Fuller Maitland)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2007)

Bach-Korbay: Francis [Ferenc] Korbay | Works | Recordings

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