Béni Egressy

Béni Egressy (April 21 1814 – July 17 1851) was a Hungarian composer, librettist, translator and actor.

Biography

Béni Egressy was born in 1814, the younger brother of Gábor Egressy. He entered the stage in 1834, like his brother, and in 1837 became a member of the national theatre in Prague. During the revolution of 1848 he took part in the fighting and became a member of the Hungarian Honvéd resistance. After the rebellion, he received amnesty and returned to the stage.

Works

Egressy was more notable for his acting rather than his compositions. Nevertheless, he composed music for "The Szózat", a famous poem by Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty. The song later became the unofficial "second Hungarian national anthem" beside the Himnusz. His musical works are characterised by a wealth of melodies and attained great popularity in Hungary.