Who Is Edward Kilenyi's Lighthearted, Or Serene Night?
Edward Kilenyi was a Hungarian-born violinist, composer, arranger, teacher, and writer-on music. Kilenyi began his education in Hungary, but he studied for a brief time in Rome with Mascagni before attending Cologne Conservatory, from which he graduated in 1908. He then moved to New York, he studied at Columbia University, and obtained his Master’s and PhD. It is notable that while he was living in New York, George Gershwin came to Kilenyi to study harmony from 1919-1921. It was also during this time that Kilenyi was both creating and arranging music for local theaters. This led him to his work creating works for silent movies. Noche Serena, or Serene Night, is a Mexican folk song. The major key of the piece keeps the song lighthearted, despite