“Ever heard melodies born from history itself?” Here, affixed to this building is the Ránki György Plaque. It commemorates the life and work of a remarkable Hungarian composer. György Ránki lived and created in this very house from 1945 until his death.
Ránki was born in Budapest in 1907. He studied composition with Zoltán Kodály at the Budapest Academy of Music. This was from 1926 to 1930. His interest in folk music and ethnomusicology defined his career. He worked with László Lajtha at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest. Later, he studied Asian folk music in London and Paris.
After directing the music section of Hungarian radio in 1947-8, Ránki devoted himself to composition. Ránki’s music blended authentic folk melodies with jazz elements. He possessed a gift for the grotesque, unusual, colorful, and humorous. This can be traced to his study of non-Western music.
Ránki achieved great success with stage works. His opera “King Pomádé’s New Clothes” drew heavily from Hungarian folk music. He also composed “The Tragedy of Man.” This two-act mystery opera was based on Imre Madách’s play. South Asian influences are apparent in “Pentaerophonia” for wind quintet. This piece imitates gamelan effects. Ránki sometimes used the Fibonacci series. He followed the example of Bartók. “Fantasy 1514” for piano and orchestra exemplifies this. It was based on wood carvings by Derkovits. He also composed incidental music for theatre and film.
Ránki composed music for several films. These included “The New Landlord” in 1935 and “The Golden Man” in 1936. He also worked on “Battle in Peace” in 1952. Later films include “Fourteen Lives” in 1954 and “Fever” in 1957. Other film scores included “Summer Clouds” also in 1957 and “Danse Macabre” in 1958. Finally, later films were “And Then The Guy…” in 1966 and “Three Nights of Love” in 1967. “The Pendragon Legend” was in 1974.
György Ránki died in 1992. This plaque was erected in 1997. It ensures his legacy lives on in the city he loved. This plaque serves as a reminder of his significant contributions to Hungarian music. It also celebrates his unique blend of folk traditions with modern techniques.
So as you stand before the Ránki György Plaque remember the power of music. Remember how music can reflect a nation’s soul. Consider how one man’s creativity can enrich the cultural landscape.