For performance reference, listen to the definitive recording by Hungarian violist Pál Lukács alongside conductor János Ferencsik and the Hungarian State Orchestra, available on streaming platforms like Spotify via the Hungaroton record label.
The concerto spans roughly 20 minutes and adheres to a traditional three-movement concerto blueprint, though it manipulates classical architecture to emphasize the viola’s dark, vocal quality: Category:For viola, orchestra - IMSLP
Gyula Dávid (1913–1977), Hungarian violist and composer Work: Viola Concerto (c. 1950) Source: IMSLP (typeset / public domain in some regions) Gyula David Viola Concerto Imslp
The by Hungarian composer Gyula Dávid is a cornerstone of 20th-century Eastern European viola literature. While the IMSLP page primarily serves as a repository for the score and parts, the work itself is a significant example of how Hungarian modernism evolved under the influence of Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. Background and Style
is a hidden gem of the mid-20th century, offering a unique blend of folk-driven lyricism and professional craftsmanship that only a composer-violist could produce. Who was Gyula Dávid? Born in 1913, Dávid was a student of the legendary Zoltán Kodály While the IMSLP page primarily serves as a
Composed in , the Viola Concerto is one of the most celebrated works from Dávid’s first stylistic period and was dedicated to the violist Pál Lukács (1919-1981). While not a mainstay in the standard international concert repertoire, it has gained significant recognition, particularly in academic and student circles for its brilliant and characterful writing.
: As of early 2026, the Dávid Viola Concerto is not available in the public domain on IMSLP . Because the composer died in 1977, the work remains under copyright in most jurisdictions. Born in 1913, Dávid was a student of
While tonal, the work uses modality and rhythmic driving forces similar to Bartók’s mid-period works, making it accessible yet sophisticated. Movement Breakdown
The finale is a brilliant, dance-like movement. It requires high technical facility from the soloist, featuring rapid-fire passages and folk-like themes that bring the concerto to a spirited and triumphant conclusion. Significance in Repertoire