October 10, 1956:
A group of chamber musicians, including György Kurtág (30), gives a concert in Budapest of several previously banned works by Béla Bartók (†11).
July 10, 1960:
Eight Pieces for Piano by György Kurtág (34) is performed for the first time, in Darmstadt.
April 24, 1961:
String Quartet by György Kurtág (35) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
March 22, 1963:
Eight Duos for violin and cimbalom by György Kurtág (37) is performed for the first time, in Budapest. Also premiered is Kurtág’s Signs for viola.
November 17, 1963:
Wind Quintet by György Kurtág (37) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
September 5, 1968:
The Sayings of Péter Bornemisza for soprano and piano by György Kurtág (42) is performed for the first time, in Darmstadt. Critics are generally positive, if confused.
May 18, 1969:
Four Fragments on Poems by Pál Gulyás for soprano, violin, and cimbalom by György Kurtág (43) is performed for the first time, in Debrecen, Hungary.
October 13, 1971:
Four Caprices for soprano and chamber orchestra by György Kurtág (45), to words of Bálint, is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
April 12, 1975:
Splinters for cimbalom by György Kurtág (49) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
October 1, 1975:
Four Songs on Poems by János Pilinszky for bass and chamber orchestra by György Kurtág (49) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
December 28, 1976:
S.K. Remembrance Noise, a cycle for soprano and violin by György Kurtág (50) to words of Tandori, is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
April 21, 1978:
Homage to András Mihály for string quartet by György Kurtág (52) is performed for the first time, in Witten.
April 27, 1979:
The Little Predicament for piccolo, trombone, and guitar by György Kurtág (53) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
January 14, 1981:
Messages of the Late RV Troussova op.17 for soprano and chamber ensemble by György Kurtág (55), to words of Dalos, is performed for the first time, in the Palais des Arts, Paris. This work finally brings Kurtág international recognition.
February 3, 1981:
Omaggio a Luigi Nono op.16 for chorus by György Kurtág (55), to words of Akhmatova and Dalos, is performed for the first time, in London.
June 14, 1982:
Bagatelles for flute, piano, and double bass by György Kurtág (56) is performed for the first time, in London.
October 26, 1982:
Attila József Fragments op.20 for soprano by György Kurtág (56) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
October 1, 1983:
Scenes from a Novel, a cycle for soprano, violin, double bass, and cimbalom by György Kurtág (57) to words of Dalos, is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
June 1, 1984:
Eight Choruses on Poems of Dezsö Tandori for chorus by György Kurtág (58) is performed for the first time, in London.
October 7, 1985:
Seven Songs op.22 for soprano and cimbalom or piano by György Kurtág (59), to words of Károlyi and Issa (tr.Tandori), are performed for the first time, in Glasgow.
March 2, 1986:
13 Pieces from Játékok for two cimbaloms by György Kurtág (60) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
April 25, 1987:
Kafka Fragments for soprano and violin by György Kurtág (61) is performed for the first time, in Witten.
April 22, 1988:
Officium breve in memoriam Andreæ Szervánsky for string quartet by György Kurtág (62) is performed for the first time, in Witten.
October 16, 1988:
Three Old Inscriptions for soprano and piano by György Kurtág (62) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
November 16, 1988:
Quasi una fantasia for piano and chamber orchestra by György Kurtág (62) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
June 6, 1989:
Hölderlin: An… op.29 for tenor and piano by György Kurtág (63) is performed for the first time, in Aachen.
October 13, 1989:
Requiem for a Friend for soprano and piano by György Kurtág (63), to words of Dalos, is performed for the first time, in London.
October 26, 1989:
Grabstein für Stephan op.15c for guitar and chamber ensemble by György Kurtág (63) is performed for the first time, in Szeged, Hungary.
May 14, 1990:
Trois in memoriam for piano-one, two, or three hands by György Kurtág (64) is performed for the first time, in Paris.
July 18, 1990:
Ligature e versetti for organ by György Kurtág (64) is performed for the first time, in Kuhmo, Finland, by the composer.
September 25, 1990:
Ligatura: Message to Frances-Marie (The Answered Unanswered Question) op.31b for celesta, two violins, and cello (two bows) by György Kurtág (64) is performed for the first time, in Oslo.
October 8, 1990:
Hommage à R. Sch. for clarinet, viola, and piano by György Kurtág (64) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
December 8, 1990:
Op.27 no.2, a concerto for piano, cello, and two chamber orchestras by György Kurtág (64) is performed for the first time, at the Alte Oper, Frankfurt.
October 27, 1991:
Samuel Beckett: What is the Word op.30b for alto, five vocal soloists, and chamber orchestra by György Kurtág (65) is performed for the first time, in Vienna. See 5 June 1993.
April 26, 1992:
Curriculum vitae for two pianos by György Kurtág (66) is performed for the first time, in Witten.
June 5, 1993:
Samuel Beckett: What is the Word op.30a for woman’s voice and piano by György Kurtág (67) is performed for the first time, in Sermoneta, Italy. See 27 October 1991.
September 30, 1993:
Rückblick for trumpet, double bass, and various old and new keyboards by György Kurtág (67) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
December 14, 1994:
Stele for orchestra by György Kurtág (68) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
June 29, 1995:
Messages op.34 for chorus and orchestra by György Kurtág (69) is performed for the first time, in Essen.
August 16, 1995:
Requiem der Versöhung for vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart. Among the 13 composers contributing to the work are Luciano Berio (69), György Kurtág (69), Krzysztof Penderecki (61), Alfred Schnittke (60), John Harbison (56), and Wolfgang Rihm (43).
August 29, 1995:
Songs of Despair and Sorrow op.18 for chorus and chamber ensemble by György Kurtág (69), to words of six Russian poets, is performed for the first time, in Amsterdam.
January 17, 1997:
Six Pieces for trombone and piano by György Kurtág (70) is performed for the first time, in Amsterdam.
October 21, 1998:
…pas à pas-nulle part… for baritone, percussionist, violin, viola, and cello by György Kurtág (72), to words of Beckett, is performed for the first time, Paris.
June 24, 1999:
Aus der Ferne V for string quartet by György Kurtág (73) is performed for the first time, in Munich.
November 12, 1999:
Zwiegespräch for string quartet and electronics by György Kurtág (73) is performed for the first time, in Basel.
November 12, 1999:
Einige Sätze aus den Sudelbüchern Georg Christoph Lichtenbergs op.37a for soprano and double bass by György Kurtág (73) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
March 26, 2000:
Several works are performed for the first time, in South Bank Center, London, in honor of the 75th birthday of Pierre Boulez: Retrouvailles for piano by Elliott Carter (91), Hommage à Pierre Boulez for piano by György Kurtág (74), Ostinato with Melody for piano by Harrison Birtwistle (65), Vers for piano by Jonathan Harvey (60), Piano Jubilees for piano by Magnus Lindberg (41), and Piano Etude no.6 by Unsuk Chin (38).
June 24, 2000:
Myriam Marbé in memoriam for three recorders by György Kurtág (74) is performed for the first time, in Aldeburgh.
October 2, 2001:
Péter Esterházy: Fancsikó and Pinta op.40 for soprano, upright piano, and cello by György Kurtág (75) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.
April 29, 2003:
New Messages for orchestra by György Kurtág (77) is performed for the first time, in the Barbican Centre, London.
September 18, 2003:
…concertante… for violin, viola, and orchestra by György Kurtág (77) is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.
June 5, 2004:
Three Songs to Poems by János Pilinszky for male voice and piano by György Kurtág (78) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.
August 22, 2005:
Four Initiums in homage to Jacob Obrecht for viola and cello by György Kurtág (79) is performed for the first time, in Anvers, Belgium. Also premiered is Kurtág’s Hommage à Jacob Obrecht for string quartet.
January 31, 2009:
Songs to Poems by Anna Akhmatova for soprano and chamber ensemble by György Kurtág (82) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.
March 29, 2009:
Colinda-Balada for tenor, two choruses, and chamber ensemble by György Kurtág (83) is performed for the first time, in Cluj, Romania.
November 1, 2011:
Brefs messages for nine players by György Kurtág (85) is performed for the first time, in Geneva.
December 4, 2011:
…sospiri, gemiti… for viola da gamba by György Kurtág (85) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.