2025Personalities - Viliam Figus-Bystry 1875-1937 - Set

The composer, teacher, pianist, conductor and collector of Slovak folk songs Viliam Figuš-Bystrý was a significant character in the history of Slovak music from the first third of the 20th century. He was closely connected with his home town, Banská Bystrica, where he spent most of his life. He studied at the teachers’ institute in Banská Štiavnica (1889 – 1893) and later briefly worked as a teacher in various places: Pilis near Budapest, Ostrá Lúka, Zvolenská Slatina and Padina, in Vojvodina. In 1907, he returned to Banská Bystrica where he would stay for the rest of his life. Music was an essential part of his life from childhood and everywhere he worked he made an active contribution to the improvement of the musical life of the area.