Korbay, Francis Alexander

1846-

Tenor and concert pianist, godson of Liszt; was born in Budapest. His parents were both amateur musicians and gave him his first musical education, after which he studied composition under Michel Mosonyi and Robert Volkmann, and singing under Gustave Roger. From 1865 to 1868 he sang grand opera in the National Theatre at Budapest, but his voice gave out at the end of that time and he turned his attention to piano playing, perfecting himself under Liszt. After traveling in England and Germany as a concert pianist he came to America, and in the autumn of 1871 settled in New York, where he lived for two years teaching, lecturing and giving song recitals, at which he accompanied himself. In 1894 he went to London, where he has since lived, and where, from 1894 to 1903, he taught singing at the Royal Academy of Music. He has written some interesting compositions, among which the Nuptiale and his arrangements of Hungarian songs to themes of his own are perhaps best known. Other compositions are a set of songs to Lenau's Schilflieder; piano-pieces and songs; duets for soprano and alto voices; and Le Matin, a solo with piano accompaniment, which Liszt arranged for orchestra.