Farewell Songs

After completing his studies in Levoča and Banská Bystrica, Ján Levoslav Bella (1843 – 1936) studied theology at the Pázmáneum Jesuit school in Vienna from 1863 to 1865. During this time, he also devoted himself to the study of music under Simon Sechter, particularly in contrapuntal composition for a four-part male choir, which adhered to the norms of church music as well as the ideals of the emerging Cecilian movement. The cycle of male choirs titled "Búcsúhangok" was composed for the farewell ceremony of Pázmány's rector, Adolf Majthényi, using the four verses of a Hungarian seminarian and Pázmányist, Ignác Ürge.