Born:
December 19, 1921
Birthplace:
Budapest, Hungary
Died:
February 8, 2000 in his Manhattan residence due to pulmonary embolism.
Also Known As:
Ervin Litkei was a composer and music executive who founded several companies including Arovox Record Corporation, Galiko Music and Film Enterprises, and Olympia Record Industries. He was also the president of several recording and publishing companies namely Aurora Records, Hanlit Publications, Jade Panther Corporation of America, JazzMania Records and Leona Music Publishing.
Type of Compositions:
Litkei composed orchestral works, a piano concerto and a symphonic piece. He also composed music for television and films. Litkei is most notable for his patriotic marches which he dedicated to political figures, specifically for U.S. Presidents. The first march he composed for a U.S. President was "The Franklin D. Roosevelt March."
Influence:
Ervin Litkei studied music at the Music Conservatory of Hungary and then immigrated to the United States in 1948. His works reflect the marches of John Philip Sousa.
Notable Works:
Litkei was a passionate composer of marches of which he wrote for U.S. Presidents; from Roosevelt to Bush. Each march has a specific characteristic reflective of that person's character as perceived by the composer.The Franklin D. Roosevelt March The Harry S. Truman March The President Dwight D. Eisenhower March The President John F. Kennedy March The President Lyndon Baines Johnson March The President Richard M. Nixon March The President Gerald R. Ford March The President Jimmy Carter March The President Ronald Reagan March The President Bill Clinton March The President George Bush March
Patriotic Marches
Other Works:
Interesting Facts:
"The President Lyndon Baines Johnson March" and "The President George Bush March" was played during these presidents' inaugurations. Aside from being a composer, Ervin Litkei was an architect who studied at the University of Hungary. His wife, Andrea Fodor, was a poet who had published several books of poetry. Andrea wrote the lyrics to her husband's marches. The couple has one daughter; Cathy Litkei Greene.
Additional Resources:
More information is available at Jeff Greene's blog.
