Ernő Dohnnyi was born in Poszony (now Bratislava) in 1877. During his early age he showed great interests in music, and he later opted for further musical study in Budapest rather than, more conventionally, in Vienna, setting an example that was followed by his younger contemporary Bartk. His acquaintance with musicians like Hans Richter, Johannes Brahms and Joseph Joachim helped him to establish his early musical career as a composer-pianist in several important cities in Europe. He returned to Budapest in 1915, and played a leading part in forming the musical culture of Hungary, although there were difficulties with the rgime that replaced the first republican government of the country a few years later. The unsettled political environment in Hungary made Dohnnyi move to Austria in 1944, but rumours continue to haunt him and caused him to halt his performing career several times. He finally settled in the United States in 1949, teaching at Florida State University in Tallahassee, where he was active in performing, teaching and composing until his death.
Orchestral Music Although there is much in the music of Dohnnyi to give pleasure, he is probably still best known abroad for his Variations on a Nursery Theme, for piano and orchestra.
