Alexander Albrecht

Alexander Albrecht (12 August 1885 - 30 August 1958) was a composer and a prominent figure in Slovak music during the first half of the 20th century. Born in Arad, Hungarian Kingdom (present-day Romania), he attended the Royal Catholic Gymnasium in Bratislava, where he developed a friendship with Béla Bartók. Albrecht furthered his musical education at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, studying composition with Hans Koessler and piano with István Thomán. He also studied conducting with Ferencz Szandtner and chamber music with David Popper. Albrecht's talent as a pianist garnered recognition, and he later served as an organist at St. Martin's Cathedral in Bratislava.