JÁNOS SEBESTYÉN
RECENT NEWS
On April 26, János Sebestyén and István Lantos performed improvisations and works by Mozart, Debussy, Strauss, Bartók and Kodály on the organ of the cathedral in Szeged, Hungary in support of the National Days in the Fight Against Cancer. They were also joined by two members of the Szeged Opera, soprano Júlia Vajda and bass Tamás Altorjai, for a selection of works by Bellini, Donizetti, Mascagni and Bizet.
János Sebestyén and István Lantos were among several musicians who took part in a charity concert for the foundation Gloria Victis on April 20. Their program included four-hand organ transcriptions of works by Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss and Ravel. The concert, with the title Spring Music for World Peace, took place in the large hall of the Music Academy and was part of the Green Day activities taking place throughout Budapest on that day.
János Sebestyén, who turned 77 on March 2, celebrated his birthday with a "working" party in the style of one of his radio broadcasts on Saturday, March 1. The party was hosted by Dr. Erika Fodor, his physical therapist and widow of diplomat János Fodor, and took place at her clinic. The evening included humorous excerpts from his Hungarian Radio programs, which came to and end in May 2007. Several of his radio co-workers were present, including Judit Merényi, Gábor Dombovári, Jószef P. Kovács and László Kelemen. Flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, played his own composition, 77 Notes, written especially for the occasion. Pianist Ágnes Várallyay played Debussy's L'isle joyeuse, Sebestyén favorite piano work, and young musicians Fanni Edőcs and Eszter Márfi performed a Bach flute sonata. Pianist István Lantos, tenor Ernő Tálas and former British ambassador Nigel Thorpe also took part in the activities, and the final speech of the evening was given by János Szirányi, director of the Bartók Memorial House and former president of the Hungarian Radio. A sushi buffet was served from an antique rolling medical table and guests received an early 20th century book from János Sebestyén's personal collection.
János Sebestyén is producing a new program for the Catholic Radio in Budapest (810 kHz). The first broadcast will be on February 4 at 23:00 with a new program to follow every four weeks. Several of the programs will feature recorded memories of the late Father János Fábián, former Canon of the Matthias Church.
János Sebestyén and his musical friends, including organist István Lantos, flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy and tenor Ernő Tálas gave a New Year's concert in the St. István Chapel of the Sport Hospital in Budapest on January 8.
János Sebestyén organized a Christmas concert for a group of 50 invited guests that took place on December 22 in Budapest. Other musicians taking part included pianists Ágnes Várallyay and István Lantos, flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy and tenor Ernő Tálas. Poetry was read in English by former British ambassador Nigel Thorpe and in Hungarian by radio personality József P. Kovács. Besides traditional carols, music by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Schubert, Debussy, Fauré, Liszt, Kodály and Vaughan Williams was performed.
I have started to write the longest chapter in my memoirs, the story of Thomas Gallia, Paul Déry and Tibor Kelemen, who was not a musician, but an eternal friend. The chapter includes the life of the three Thomán sisters, George Mendelssohn, the Vox president, and Miklós Rózsa, based on letters from Gallia and Mendelssohn written 40 years ago. The letters tell the difference between the old record making, which was Hungary, and the new situation of capitalism and competition with the big companies.
János Sebestyén organized a house concert on September 1 in honor of a visit to Budapest by Dr. Dorothy Armstrong, former Canadian ambassador to Hungary. The concert took place at the home of former British ambassador Nigel Thorpe. The other musicians participating included pianists István Lantos and Ágnes Várallyay, flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy and tenor Ernő Tálas. The program included works by Mozart, Elgar, Ravel, Warlock, Kodály, Frank Martin and several Scandinavian composers.
János Sebestyén was a member of the jury for the International Organ Competition in Saint Maurice, Switzerland, which took place August 21-26. The competition, established to honor the memory of Swiss organist Georges Cramer, was organized by Georges Athanasiadès. The other jury members included Jeremy Filsell, Bernhard Haas, Ferdinand Klinda, Pierre-Yves Tribolet and Johann Trummer. First prize was awarded to Balázs Szabó, a former student of Gábor Lehotka at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest. Second and third prizes were awarded to Joon-Ho Park of South Korea and Paul Goussot of France.
Organist Georges Athanasiadès, Canon of Abbey Saint Maurice in Switzerland since 1952, took part in the Balatonlelle Organ Festival on August 4. His recital program included works by Buxtehude and Brahms, as well as his own compositions. Athanasiadès was accompanied on his visit to Hungary by Harrietta Krips, the widow of famed conductor Joseph Krips.
On July 14, organists István Lantos and János Sebestyén performed four-hand works and improvisations in Balatonszemes, Hungary. Two young musicians, pianist Petra Somlai and soprano Zsófia Bódi, as well as tenor Ernő Tálas joined them. The program, which included works by Franck, Ibert, Purcell and Xavier Mozart, was in memory of those who have died, including Judit Makó and László Hegyessy.
Organists István Lantos and János Sebestyén performed during the opening concert of the Balatonlelle Organ Festival at the Roman Catholic Church in Balatonlelle, Hungary on June 30. Nigel Thorpe, former British ambassador to Hungary and now a resident of Budapest and executive with the Vodafone company, spoke at the concert. The program of English music included works by Purcell, Elgar and Warlock. Also performing were the young musicians Petra Somlai and Zsófia Bódi. Lantos and Sebestyén returned on July 7, joined this time by tenor Ernő Tálas and flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy. The Swedish-French program included works by Stenhammar, Sjögren, Ravel and Frank Martin. The Organ Festival is organized by János Sebestyén.
On June 29, organists István Lantos and János Sebestyén performed four-hand works and trancriptions by a number of composers, including Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Vaughan Williams and Bruckner. The concert, supporting Harmony in the EU and the World, took place at the Turkish Church Djami in Pécs, Hungary.
Today the best thing for me was the phone call - I got the number via Montevideo-Dallas-Budapest - with Pelayo Maguerza, Uruguay's new ambassador in Germany. He served for five years in Budapest, then Beijing and now in Berlin, and is an excellent expert of music, European history, museums and old palaces - especially in Italy. He is a good friend of the former Brazilian ambassador in Budapest, Ivan Batalha, whom we gave the nickname "Ivan the Terrible", who sang bass and tenor duets with his partner in Brasilia, the Hungarian János Benyhe, with a wonderful tone. One is now retired, the other is in Berlin, an expert in music and operas. Pelayo told me that yesterday, 24 June, he heard Ádám Fischer, who, since two months, is now the General Music Director of the Budapest Opera House.
On May 4, János Sebestyén took part in the annual concert at the cathedral in Szeged, Hungary in support of the National Days in the Fight Against Cancer.
On January 4, organists István Lantos and János Sebestyén, flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy, violinist Rita Pilissy and tenor Ernő Tálas gave a concert in the St. István Chapel of the Sport Hospital in Budapest. The program included works by Vivaldi, Caccini, Mozart, Liszt, Franck, Ravel, Peterson-Berger, Bevilaqua, and Kodály.
On December 19, János Sebestyén took part in a Christmas concert at the Budapest home of Nigel Thorpe, former British ambassador to Hungary. Pianist István Lantos, flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy and tenor Ernő Tálas also performed and József P. Kovács read poetry. Mr. Thorpe himself recited works by T. S. Eliot.
István Lantos, János Sebestyén and tenor Ernő Tálas gave a concert in Balatonszemes, Hungary on July 22. Tálas celebrated his 80th birthday the following day.
István Lantos and János Sebestyén gave a concert at the cathedral in Pécs, Hungary on July 9.
Organists István Lantos, János Sebestyén and tenor Ernő Tálas gave a concert at the Roman Catholic Church in Balatonlelle on July 8 as part of the 19th Balatonlelle Organ Festival. Sebestyén returned on July 15, this time with flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy. The Festival ended with a concert by British organist Malcolm Rudland on August 26, which also included the participation of Lantos and Sebestyén. Other Festival participants this year include organists Johann Trummer, Silvio Celeghin, Miklós Teleki, Róbert Várallyay, Szabolcs Szamosi, harpsichordist Ágnes Várallyay, bass Kolos Kovács and the Pécs Basilica Chorus. The Festival is organized by János Sebestyén.
On April 29, István Lantos and János Sebestyén gave their annual organ recital in support of the National Day in the Fight Against Cancer at the cathedral in Szeged, Hungary.
János Sebestyén remembers Paul Gerstbauer...
János Sebestyén celebrated his 75th birthday with a special evening at Óbudai Társaskör in Budapest on March 6. Speakers at the celebration included Máté Hollós, Miklós Kaposy, József P. Kovács, Gyula Marton, Judit Merényi, Gábor Mohai, Rezső Palotás and József Somogyvári. Sebestyén told humorous stories from his long career as a musician and staff member of the Hungarian Radio and performed several improvisations with pianist István Lantos and flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy. Pianist and former rector at the Liszt Academy, Sándor Falvai, also performed with Lantos and Ágnes Várallyay, former student of both Sebestyén and Lantos, played solo works on harpsichord and piano. János Szirányi, former president of the Hungarian Radio and now director of the Bartók Memorial House, hosted the evening. There were about 140 invited guests. Those attending included two former presidents of the Hungarian Radio, István Hárs and István Hajdu, harpsichordists Anikó Horváth, Borbála Dobozy and Angelika Csizmadia, and Dr. Judit Hidasi, who in December 2005 was the first woman in Japanese history to be awarded the highest medal from the Emperor of Japan. The evening began and ended symetrically, with the old signals of the radio. A second celebration took place on March 27 at the Fészek Club in Budapest. The program was different but with the same musical guests: Zoltán Gyöngyössy, István Lantos and Ágnes Várallyay. The evening was hosted by the actor József P. Kovács and speakers included György Czigany, former radio and TV man and excellent poet, and hospital directors Dr. István Berkes and Dr. Zoltán Radnai. There was also a long conversation between retired SwissAir captain László Zsindely and Gábor Heckenast, former technical director of the Hungarian Radio. Finally, radio colleague Miklós Gróf presented a story in the style of Sándor Márai, contrasting our modern technical age with Sebestyén's use of very old recordings for his radio programs.
János Sebestyén was a member of the jury for the International Organ Competition in Saint Maurice, Switzerland. The competition, organized by Georges Athanasiadès, took place August 23-28. Other jury members included Jeremy Filsell, Bernhard Haas, Ferdinand Klinda, Pierre-Yves Tribolet and Johann Trummer. First prize was awarded to Bernadetta Sunavska (Slovakia), second to Bálint Karosi (Hungary) and third to Ourania Gassiou (Greece).
István Lantos and János Sebestyén gave a concert of four-hand organ music at the Catholic Church in Balatonlelle, Hungary on July 9. Opera singer Ernő Tálas also performed. This concert was part of 18th season of the Balatonlelle Organ Festival which is organized by János Sebestyén. Lantos and Sebestyén performed again in Balatonlelle on July 15, this time on piano, for a Caesar Concert hosted by Gábor Dombóvári. The Sotto Voce Chamber Choir also peformed that evening. Sebestyén performed for a second Caesar Concert on August 12, this time with pianist Ágnes Várallyay.
In celebration of 35 years of the harpsichord class at the Liszt Ference Academy of Music, János Sebestyén organized a Bach concert on May 30. Special guest, flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy, performed sonatas with faculty members Anikó Horváth, Ágnes Várallyay and János Sebestyén, while current students of the Academy peformed a selection of preludes and fugues.
The 13th annual conference of the National Day in the Fight Against Cancer took place in Szeged, Hungary on April 30. The conference was organized by Dr. Gyula Telegdy, President of the Szeged Academy Committee, and members of the Szeged Academy Oncological Committee: Dr. Jenő Czigner, President; Dr. Mihály Gervain, Vice President and Dr. László Iván, Secretary. As has become tradition, István Lantos and János Sebestyén concluded the conference with an organ recital at the Szeged cathedral, where they were joined by opera singers Júlia Vajda and József Gregor. The program consisted of works by Warlock, Bach, Handel, Schubert, Mozart, Liszt, Kodály and Hesse.
János Sebestyén was awarded the Pro Clavicembalo 2005 prize from the organization Clavicembalo Alapítvány in honor of 35 years of the harpsichord class at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, which he founded in 1970. A bronze plaque by the artist Miklós Borsos was presented to Sebestyén on February 5 during a concert devoted to music for two harpsichords by Couperin, Soler, Luchinetti, Mozart and C.P.E. Bach. The soloists, all past or present students at the Academy, were Borbála Dobozy, Judit Péteri, Anikó Horváth, Dalma Cseh, Zsolt Balog, Claudia Rédai, Elvira Király, Katalin Juhász, Antal Flach and Szilvia Takács.
Dr. Günter Birbaum, recently retired Austrian ambassador, and János Sebestyén gave a recital of music for cello and piano in honor of Paul and Emma Gerstbauer on January 15. For many years, Paul Gerstbauer was the Steinway and Sperrhake representative in Vienna, and a great friend to Hungary. He played an important role in establishing the harpsichord program at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music by making it possible for them to acquire their first instruments. This special concert took place at the Gerstbauer's home in Vienna.
On January 6, István Lantos and János Sebestyén gave an organ recital in the St. István Chapel of the Sport Hospital in Budapest. Nearly 100 doctors and staff attended the concert and were served hot wine and pogácsa. The hospital, built in the 19th century as Erzsebet Hospital, later served as the home of the Hungarian Post Office and Red Cross, finally becoming the Sport Hospital in 1952. It has established an excellent reputation among many musicians and artists for its medical treatments. The director of the hospital is Professor István Berkes.
On December 18, pianists István Lantos and János Sebestyén gave a Christmas concert at the Budapest home of Nigel Thorpe, former British ambassador to Hungary and Mozart devotee.
Dr. Günter Birbaum, Austrian ambassador to Hungary, and János Sebestyén presented two concerts of music for cello and piano in December. The program featured works by Schubert, Rossini, Romberg, J. Strauss, Rubinstein, Fauré and Squires. The first performance, organized by Dr. Zoltán Radnai, took place December 5 at the Greek Catholic Church in Esztergom. The second, on December 9, was held at the Austrian ambassador's residence in Budapest. Pianist István Lantos also took part in this performance, which was attended by 70 invited guests.
János Sebestyén concluded the festival Ten Days of International Organ, Choral and Chamber Music in Cieszyn, Poland with a recital on October 12. The program included improvisations and works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Bellini and Bossi.
On August 29, János Sebestyén, István Lantos and flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy performed a concert in the chapel of the Visegrád Rehabilitation Hospital. The concert, the first of its kind at the hospital, proved to be a great success and was enjoyed by almost 100 guests. The program consisted of light classical works by Gluck, Mozart, Debussy, Bizet, Fauré, Weiner, Radnai, Kodály and three works by Grieg, performed in memory of Judit Makó. Special thanks is due to Dr. Zoltán Radnai (medical doctor by day, composer by night) for his assistance in making this concert possible.
The annual keyboard masterclass in Siófok, Hungary took place August 22-29. There were 32 participants; eleven organists and 21 pianists and harpsichordists. The faculty included organists László Csanádi and István Baróti, pianists Balázs Szokolay, István Gulyás, Angela Tosheva and Gergely Bogányi, and harpsichordist Ágnes Várallyay. János Sebestyén's classes discussed Wanda Landowska and the 20th century harpsichord revival, as well as rarites for piano and harpsichord.
The 17th season of the Balatonlelle Organ Festival concluded on August 21 with a Swedish/Hungarian concert. Participants included organists István Lantos and János Sebestyén, harpsichordist Ágnes Várallyay, flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy and Ernő Tálas, former member of the Royal Stockholm Opera House.
István Lantos and János Sebestyén performed recitals together on July 9 and 10. The first concert celebrated the music of Sweden, Hungary and Italy. Lantos and Sebestyén performed on piano and were joined by tenor Ernő Tálas. The evening was hosted by Gábor Dombóvári. The second concert, part of the 17th Annual Balatonlelle Organ Festival, celebrated the music of Austria and Hungary. Austrian ambassador to Hungary, Dr. Günter Birbaum, was the special guest.
On April 3, János Sebestyén took part in the annual concert at the cathedral in Szeged, Hungary in support of the National Days in the Fight Against Cancer.
János Sebestyén organized a concert in honor of departing Italian ambassador Giovan Battista Verderame at the Italian Cultural Institute in Budapest on January 15. Flutist Zoltán Gyöngyössy, contralto Judit Rajk and pianists Donatella Failoni, István Lantos and János Sebestyén performed a program of works by Bartók, Cimarosa, Bellini, Brahms, Dohnányi, Doppler, Kodály, Leoncavallo and Liszt.
A new collection of essays on flying, Beszélgetések a felhők felett, by Margit Robicsek, includes a selection by János Sebestyén in which he compares the instruments in the cockpit of an airliner with the stops on an organ console.
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"Paul Gerstbauer died after a long illness on March 22, 2006 at the age of 81. He was a friend for 40 years and for decades was the Steinway representative for the whole of Austria, working with such famous artists as Martha Argerich, Shura Cherkassy, Claudio Arrau and, especially, Géza Anda - they all wanted to work with Gerstbauer and he always provided the best tuning and service. He owned an old house on Bäckerstrasse in the 1st District in Vienna, which was once the premises for the piano manufacturer J. Nemetschke, complete with stables for the horses that were used to transport the pianos. From here he not only sold every model of Steinway, but also Stingl and Schimmel, upright pianos and harpsichords. He also had a small shop on the Praterstrasse. In the 1960s he helped many musical institutions in Hungary obtain Sperrhake harpsichords, and later, instruments by Sassman. Through Gerstbauer, I came into contact with the senior Sassman, who was a Messerschmitt flyer during the second world war and who also sold pianos to Hungary. Quick, helpful, friendly, interested in the problems of others, he had a feeling for everything and helped both me and my mother a lot. Paul Gerstbauer was a human being, a good friend and an excellent businessman. The Steinway changed, the world changed, but he never changed. His passing is a big loss for everyone who knew and liked him, and there were many."
