Founded in 1964 Volume 29, Number 2

AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN LISZT SOCIETY, INC.

An official publication of the American Liszt Society, Inc. First Fiftieth Anniversary Commemorative Issue ALS 50th Anniversary Celebration at TABLE OF CONTENTS James Madison University The American Liszt Society will celebrate its fiftieth Anniversary with a festival on the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, June 6 - 8, 2014! 1 2014: ALS 50th Anniversary Featured guests for the festival include the noted Liszt scholar Alan Walker, pianist Celebration James Tocco, and Jonathan Kregor, Editor of the Journal of the American Liszt Society. 2 President's Message Rena Charnin Mueller will give a talk on "Totentanz Revisited" (bringing the Totentanz manuscript with her!), and Liszt's Dance with the Devil, directed by Ophra Yerushalmi, 3 Letter from the Editor: will be shown, followed by a roundtable discussion with the director as moderator. "A Letter from Budapest" Altogether there will be ten concerts, four lectures, and two lecture/recitals. A full 4 A Conversation with schedule of events is found on pages 12 - 13 of this issue. Mária Eckhardt The festival will take place in the state-of-the-art facilities at JMU's Forbes Center for the Performing Arts (http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/index.shtml). In addition, a special 7 A Conversation with "Weimar Desserts" event will take place, featuring delicacies served at the New Leaf Zsuzsanna Domokos Pastry Shop. 10 A Conversation with Host airports for the event are Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO) and Kálmán Dráfi Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHO), and full festival registration includes free round-trip shuttle service to and from both airports! (Other airports in Washington, 11 Garrick Ohlsson Releases New D.C., Baltimore, and Richmond will require car rental or other means of transportation.) Liszt CD Registration will begin in mid- to late February. Fees are $140 for ALS members, Deadline for Next Issue $165 for non-members, and $55 for a one-day pass. Registration will be online only at http://www.jmu.edu/music/lisztsociety/index.html, the main web page for the festival. 12 2014 ALS Festival Schedule Schools, publishers, performers, et.al., may purchase an ad for the program booklet 14 Member News (deadline March 15) at the following rates: 16 2013 Liszt-Garrison International Full page color (7.5" x 10") - $300 Competition Results Full page b/w (7.5" x 10") - $150 17 Grand Hall of Franz Liszt 1/2 page b/w (7.5" x 4.75") - $100 Academy Reopens 1/4 page b/w (3.5" x 4.75") - $75 18 Chapter News Hotel information: DEADLINE FOR PREFERRED RATES IS MAY 8, 2014 19 Liszt-Lakatos Jazz Concert: A Review Courtyard by Marriott 540 432 3033 (reference American Liszt Society) 21 Two Rare Liszt Works Published www.marriott.com/shdcy in October 2013 Rates: 77.00 22 Membership Updates Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott 23 Odds and Ends 540 433 9333 (reference American Liszt Society) 24 Picture Page www.marriottharrisonburg.com Rates: $77.00 two queens, $77.00 king, $87.00 extra-large king For additional information, please contact ALS member Gabriel Dobner, host for the festival, at [email protected] or [email protected].

Perpetuating the ideas of Franz Liszt through excellence in music performance and scholarship PRESIDENT President's Message Thomas Mastroianni* The Catholic University of America School of Music Washington, D.C. 20064 [email protected]

PRESIDENT EMERITUS Fernando Laires

VICE PRESIDENT Jay Hershberger* Concordia College Music Department Moorhead, MN 56562 [email protected]

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Dear Fellow Lisztians, Justin Kolb* 1136 Hog Mountain Road Fleischmanns, NY 12430 2014 marks the first half-century of our dedication to and blessedness in sustaining [email protected] and embellishing the spiritual journey of Franz Liszt. His music, ideals, and actions demonstrate a human and musical nobility unique in the history of our arts. MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Barbara Mellon Kolb* Fifty years ago in founding ALS, Fernando Laires, David Kushner, and Robert 1136 Hog Mountain Road Lee recognized the great potential and need for a better understanding of the strong Fleischmanns, NY 12430 human gains that a deeper appreciation of Liszt’s music and philosophy would bring to [email protected] the musical world. Our festival this year at James Madison University will explore and TREASURER elucidate the great strides that have been made not only in our country but throughout Cynthia Hershberger* the music world, the enrichment of our musical experience and our artistic lives by 29282 Co. Rd. 157 Hitterdal, MN 56552-9433 the emulation of the values and ideals in Liszt’s musical and humanistic qualities. The [email protected] paradoxes that seem apparent in his life and music only sharpen our appreciation of the balance in his existence between flesh and spirit, between depression and elation, between ALS JOURNAL Jonathan Kregor, Editor showmanship and deep emotion, between damnation and salvation, between cleverness Mary Emery Hall Room 4240 and genuine love, between self-assurance and Génie Oblige!. These polarities reveal the Cincinnati College-Conservatory depth of his humanity and the height of his nobility. PO Box 210003 Cincinnati OH 45221-0003 The details of our 50th anniversary festival are plentifully contained in this issue of [email protected] the Newsletter. I strongly urge you to visit the beautiful campus of James Madison University. The University, through the efforts of Gabriel Dobner and his colleagues, ALS NEWSLETTER/WEBSITE Edward Rath, Editor/Webmaster has made a strong commitment to bringing an outstanding array of events to this festival. 2603 Copper Tree Road Every possible provision for your convenience and comfort have been made. Your Champaign, IL 61822-7518 enthusiastic participation will make this an unforgettable event. I hope to see you there. [email protected] We are a great society because of the genuine bonding of members, and we support each BOARD OF DIRECTORS other throughout the year. Add to this the high standards we experience in each other’s Joseph Banowetz presence, and you have a society that flourishes in the true spirit of Liszt. Paul Barnes Luiz de Moura Castro I encourage each of you to let me greet you at the festival. We are all co-workers and Alexandre Dossin enrich each other’s experience. Gila Goldstein Cindy Hershberger* Jay Hershberger* Cordially, Geraldine Keeling Jonathan Kregor Barbara Mellon Kolb* Justin Kolb* Thomas Mastroianni Elyse J. Mach President, American Liszt Society Thomas Mastroianni* 1420 Chilton Dr. Ksenia Nosikova Edward Rath Silver Spring, MD 20904 Nancy Roldán [email protected] Steven Spooner Helen Smith Tarchalski Alan Walker William Wellborn Richard Zimdars

*Member, Executive Committee www.americanlisztsociety.net

2 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net Letter from the Editor

A Letter from Budapest

Although I am officially editing this letter in the comfort of my own home on a cold February afternoon, most of my thoughts were collected during a recent six-day trip to Budapest, so I feel comfortable with the above title! I never cease to feel excitement when I go to Budapest, whether I am flying, taking the train, or driving into this city that has witnessed so much history, especially history with regard to our namesake, Franz Liszt. But this most recent visit was something very special for my wife and me, as we were able to meet with three people who have unique relationships with Liszt, and also to attend the reopening of the renovated Grand Hall of the Franz Liszt Academy. The first meeting was with Mária Eckhardt. I first met Mária in 1995 when I visited the Liszt Museum for the first time, and I was immediately impressed with her knowledge and kindness. Our acquaintance was renewed at the Museum in 2006, and in 2012, when both of us were among the adjudicators of the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition. For many years, she was an indispensable resource for Liszt scholars and performers in her position as Director of the Liszt Memorial Museum and Research Centre. Although she has officially retired, her devotion to Liszt is a model for all of us as Liszt enthusiasts, and I am sure that we will continue to see further results of her research in various areas of Liszt's life and works. My second meeting was with Prof. Kálmán Dráfi, Head of the Keyboard Department at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. I first met Kálmán at the 2012 Los Angeles Competition, and we immediately "hit it off" when I greeted him with a few words of my limited vocabulary in Hungarian. Kálmán and his associate, Beáta Furka, Manager of International Affairs and Development for the Liszt Academy, hosted us for a typical Hungarian meal in a local restaurant, where we were joined by Alan Walker, Luiz and Bridget de Moura Castro, and Judith Nesleny, who, like Lois and I, had come to Budapest for the reopening of the Academy's Great Hall, among other cultural activities. Lois and I would later tour the Ligeti Annex of the Liszt Academy, with Kálmán and Beáta as our hosts. The third meeting was with Dr. Zsuzsanna Domokos, who for the past five years or so has been the Director of the Liszt Memorial Museum and Research Centre. We sat in her office sipping tea and talking like old friends, although we had just met that morning. It was a particularly nice visit both because of her dedication to Franz Liszt as well as her charm and hospitality, and also because it was Liszt's birthday that very day - October 22. It was an The American Liszt Society honor to join her and many of her staff members as she hung a birthday wreath on the sign PRESIDENT designating the building as the Franz Liszt Memorial Museum and Research Centre. Thomas Mastroianni I invite you to read elsewhere in this issue my conversations with all three of these lovely [email protected] people. The enthusiasm for their work was almost infectious to the point that I wanted NEWSLETTER EDITOR immediately to practice Liszt's music, to hear it, to read about it. Fortunately, I had the Edward Rath opportunity to sit at his Chickering piano on his birthday, with him looking down from a huge 2603 Copper Tree Road oil painting hanging on the salon's wall, and play his "Consolation in D-Flat." The only word Champaign, IL 61822-7518 that came to mind: surreal! tel: (217) 377-3441 As if all this weren't enough, the evening's activities in the Academy's Grand Hall for its [email protected] reopening exceeded our greatest expectations. Earlier that morning, we had strolled past the building on our way to the Ligeti Annex to meet with Kálmán and Beáta. Liszt Square was a Submit change of address information to: beehive of activity, with workmen and security personnel preparing for what would later that MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY day be an onslaught of dignitaries and Liszt lovers from around the globe. Then, that evening, Barbara Mellon Kolb walking into the golden-hued hallways, with their statuary and wall ornamentation, and then 1136 Hog Mountain Road entering the beautiful concert hall, was a breath-taking experience. Of course, there was food Fleischmanns, NY 12430 [email protected] and drink both before and after the ceremony, but I for one was almost gleeful just to be there, and we had a great time with our previous evening's dinner companions from North America. Layout: Lawrence Keach and Edward Rath Printed by Insty-Prints of Champaign, IL Elsewhere in this issue you will find more about the opening, but for now let me say, you simply MUST go to Budapest, whether for the first or the tenth time, in order to see this This newsletter is published twice annually, with a circulation of approximately 660 per issue. magnificent facility and the Liszt Museum. An official publication of the The American Liszt Society, Inc. ED ©2014 ALS, all rights reserved.

Volume 29, Number 2 3 A Conversation with Mária Eckhardt, Former Director, Franz Liszt Memorial Museum and Research Centre

ER: Could you tell our readers about to study languages and become a for every novelty of worth. And I where you were born and something philologist) – and I successfully passed understood that to study Liszt was to about your pre-college education? the entrance examinations at the Liszt deal with a whole century in every field ME: I was born on September 26, Academy of Music in the areas of music of culture, always enthralling, never 1943 in Budapest, and I have lived education and choral conducting. boring. Now, it was a great advantage there ever since. It is in this city, the that I had no problems with the many capital of Hungary, that I went to ER: How did music shape your languages that were necessary to deal with kindergarten, attended elementary school university educational pursuits? this international and at the same time and secondary school, and studied and ME: I had very good professors at very Hungarian composer. Many years earned my diploma at the Liszt Academy the Liszt Academy, not only in choral later, I published a whole book about the (University of Music). I have always lived conducting, but also in music theory Liszt music manuscripts of the National in Buda, on the hilly side of the city, but I and music history, which interested me Széchényi Library . . . and I was never love the whole city as it is. extremely, so that I enrolled in several able to abandon Liszt throughout my classes offered by the musicology faculty, entire professional life! ER: When were you first aware of too. At the same time, I sang in several your serious interest in music? choirs (including the excellent Liszt ER: You became Director of the Liszt ME: Our family was always very much Ferenc Chamber Choir of the Academy), Museum in 1986 and retired from interested in music. Although my father and beginning in my third academic year that position about five years ago to was professor of French language and I also took over teaching at a secondary become Senior Advisor and Scientific literature at the Budapest Pázmány school, where I set up a good girls’ choir. Director. What were your professional Péter (later Eötvös Loránd) University, Since my university years I have never activities leading up to your the author of Hungarian-French and ceased to join practical music making with appointment as Director, including French-Hungarian dictionaries used for musicological work. those at the Liszt Academy per se? many decades, and also a great scholar ME: After my years at the National of old Hungarian literature, both he and ER: How did Liszt in particular enter Széchényi Library (1966-1973), I worked my mother (who had her doctoral degree into your professional and educational in the Institute of Musicology of the in German language and literature) pursuits? Hungarian Academy of Sciences at the played the piano as "good dilettanti." ME: Interestingly enough, in my Department for Hungarian Music of We regularly went to concerts, including years of study, Liszt wasn’t part of the the 19th Century under the great Liszt oratorios and chamber music, and to the music history curriculum at the Liszt scholar Dr. Dezső Legány. Although my opera. Everybody in the family learned Academy! Of course, piano students work was extended to the whole of 19th an instrument: my sister (a language learned his most important piano pieces, century music in Hungary, Liszt was my teacher and French translator) played the and some of his orchestral and choral primary focus throughout these years. violin, and my elder brother, a world- pieces, too, occurred on programs of This is why Prof. József Ujfalussy, the famous medical doctor of oncology, students’ concerts, and we followed with General Director of the Liszt Academy was an excellent pianist. But it was great interest the International Liszt in the 1980s, and someone who knew only my younger brother who became Competitions that were always going me well as his one-time pupil and also as a professional performing musician (a on in the concert halls of the Liszt his colleague in the Institute, called me cellist), and after he moved to Germany, Academy. But Liszt was for me only one to work on the preparations for the Liszt he became a media expert in classical of the many good composers, nothing Memorial Museum. This was in 1984, music. As for me, I learned piano, sang more. It was only some years later, when when it was decided to reconstruct the always with the greatest pleasure in school I worked in the Music Department of Old Academy of Music as a permanent choirs, which were almost everywhere the National Széchényi Library, that Liszt Memorial Museum in Liszt’s one- very good at that time in Hungary, but I Liszt really entered into my professional time service apartment, with the opening never thought to become a professional life. Dr. István Kecskeméti, Head of scheduled for the jubilee year of 1986. musician. the Music Department, entrusted me I accepted this task, and worked under the with the re-cataloguing of the very guidance of Prof. János Kápráti, Chief ER: Was there someone who sparked important Liszt manuscript material of Librarian, who was responsible until that professional interest? the National Library, of which several 1986 for the Liszt Memorial Room in the ME: I was 16 when we got a new pieces had not been identified at all, or central building of the Liszt Academy music teacher, Mrs. Mária Katanics, at were not properly described. So, I had to at Liszt Ferenc Place. When the Liszt the secondary school. She created, in become thoroughly engrossed in Liszt’s Memorial Museum and Research Centre addition to the 120-member school choir, music, his biographical circumstances, and was opened in September 1986 at the Old a very exquisite female chamber choir of in practically every aspect of his life. I Academy of Music on Vörösmarty Street, which I also was a founding member. She discovered in Liszt a person who deeply he offered me its directorship – which I gave me many tasks involving the choir touched me as a fantastic musician as well accepted with pleasure. and made me so enthusiastic for choral as a highly attractive human being, with music that I changed my mind (originally, extreme openness and complexity, and ER: During your more than 20 years following my parents’ example, I wanted with an extraordinary, selfless enthusiasm as Director of the Museum, what do (continued on next page)

4 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net you consider to have been some of Hamlin cabinet organ, and the Erard- album, Génie Oblige! Treasures from the your most important projects there? Alexandre "piano-orgue") were also Budapest Liszt Ferenc Memorial Museum, ME: For the opening in 1986, we played. in which we presented 121 selected published a museum catalogue in To help advance Liszt research is also documents of every kind – one page Hungarian and English versions. Also, I one of our most important tasks. In of pictures alternating with a one- published a book, an annotated catalogue addition to working up our own materials page commentary in Hungarian and in Hungarian and English, about Liszt’s in as detailed a fashion as possible, English, written by our research staff Budapest library, the book collection we have also tried to obtain copies of members Zsuzsanna Domokos, Adrienne (Franz Liszt’s Estate I, Books). Seven years original Liszt documents that are in Kaczmarczyk, Ágnes Watzatka, and later, we also published a similar book, collections elsewhere, most importantly myself. with participation of my colleagues, about music manuscripts and letters, and we As for exhibitions, my most the much larger music collection (Franz collected and developed innumerable data important goal was to provide Hungarian Liszt’s Estate II, Music). Both of these for our special Liszt database. institutions (schools, libraries, cultural books are important tools for research. We have also organized several centers, etc.) with good and authentic In addition to the permanent musicological conferences, of which material for the jubilee. This is why I exhibition (Liszt’s last Budapest flat, I recall "Franz Liszt and Advanced put together an exhibition of 16 posters with his instruments, furniture, personal Musical Education in Europe" in 2000, an about Liszt’s life and work, based on objects, etc.), we presented every year international conference on the occasion picture material found in our museum at least one temporary exhibition in of the 125th jubilee of the opening of and in other Hungarian collections. We different Liszt-related subjects, e.g., the Budapest Academy of Music. offered this poster exhibition free, with "Liszt and the Academy of Music," the only stipulation that we receive "Liszt’s Family," "Liszt’s Pupils," "Liszt ER: During the past five years, as confirmation (with a photo, if possible) Caricatures," "The Hungarian Liszt Senior Adviser and Scientific Director, that it was really used. According to our Society," "Liszt’s Pupils Play Liszt," have there been new projects that you documentation, this poster exhibition "Liszt on the Footsteps of Saint have undertaken? reached almost 1,000 institutions, and Elizabeth," etc. – but more importantly, ME: In May 2009 I passed the in many places it was complemented exhibitions that brought together Liszt directorship to my younger colleague, with concerts, competitions, and and his contemporaries (e.g., "Liszt and Dr. Zsuzsanna Domokos, who had commemorations. We published an Schubert," "Liszt and Berlioz," "Liszt worked with me from the opening of English version, too, and later also a and Grieg," "Liszt and Weber," "Liszt the Museum and was my greatest help booklet version of the same material in and the Russian Composers," "Liszt and and substitute for many years. With the Hungarian and in English, which we sell Verdi," etc.). Some of such exhibitions 2011 Liszt bicentennial year approaching, in the Museum. I was also the author were organized jointly with other I knew that it was time for me to of the traveling exhibition that the countries, e.g., "Liszt and Chopin" (with concentrate on it without being burdened Hungarian Foreign Ministry presented in the Warsaw Chopin Institute) and "Liszt with administrative duties of the many languages and in many countries in and Smetana" (with the Prague Smetana museum. Thus, I became responsible for the jubilee year. Museum), but the largest and most the publications and the larger projects I was the chief curator of the main impressive among them was "Liszt and that needed cooperation with other memorial exhibition of the jubilee year, Beethoven" (with the Beethoven Museum institutions. "Liszt and the Arts," organized jointly in Bonn, and the Goethe- und Schiller As for publications, the catalogues by the Museum of Music History of the Archives in Weimar, shown in all three of the permanent exhibition of the Institute of Musicology of the Hungarian cities). museum have been completely revised Academy of Sciences, the Liszt Academy I also think that the introduction of and updated. The English catalogue had of Music, the National Széchényi Library, the regular Saturday Matinée Concerts already been completed in 2008, and then, and the Hungarian National Gallery. was important: a musical museum always the German catalog was finished in 2011, This was the largest exhibition I have needs living music. These concerts have and the one in Hungarian in early 2012. ever made, in the wonderfully renewed been going on without interruption For the jubilee year of 2011, we had an Museum of Music History. from the very opening of the Museum. agreement with the Helikon Publishing And last but not least, in the jubilee Many artists from Hungary and from House for three books. My colleague year there were international Liszt abroad have played in the Concert Hall Ágnes Watzatka wrote a very interesting conferences everywhere. Ours was maybe of the Old Academy of Music in a very and practical tourists’ guide, Following the last one, held in November 2011, also special atmosphere, in the surroundings Franz Liszt’s Footsteps in Budapest, published on the topic "Liszt and the Arts" in the of Liszt’s apartment, for an enthusiastic separately in Hungarian and in English, building of the Institute of Musicology, audience. And on special occasions, respectively. I published an exclusive so we were able to show our international we invited the public to come over bilingual edition, Franz Liszt’s Oratorio colleagues the exhibition, too. I was the to the Museum where Liszt’s original Christus and the Budapest Academy of Music, secretary of this conference, together instruments (the composing desk piano, which included the facsimile of the piano with Mr. Péter Halász, who was essential two Chickering pianos, a Bösendorfer duet version of "Hirtengesang an der in the practical organization. The piano, piano-harmonica, Mason & Krippe." I also edited a representative proceedings are in press under publication (continued on page 6)

Volume 29, Number 2 5 A Conversation with Mária Eckhardt (continued from page 5) in Studia Musicologica Academiae Sientiarum choir of 40 members, and we have I would like to make special mention Hungaricae (http://www.akademiai.com/ members from many other professions, of the Los Angeles International Liszt content/p75488682k538485/). too, not only librarians. In earlier years, Competition, organized by American our specialty was to put new life to works Liszt Society members Geraldine Keeling ER: On the occasion of your 70th "sleeping" in manuscripts or rare editions and Judith Nesleny, both of whom are birthday, your colleagues put together at the National Library. Later, of course, my very good friends. I had been present a beautiful book summarizing your Liszt’s choral works achieved an extremely at the founding of this Competition in many activities in the Liszt Museum. important place in the repertoire. Even 1990, and I have watched its growth and I was impressed and quite touched though ours is not a professional choir, development through the Budapest Prize with the deep respect with which you we gradually learned and performed Winners who have given concerts in are held by your colleagues. almost everything of Liszt’s choral output our Saturday Matinée Series. In 2012, I ME: My relationship to my colleagues that can be sung by such a choir, from the returned to California as a jury member has always been very friendly; I always little motets to the masses and excerpts in the voice category, and I experienced appreciated my colleagues who had the from Christus. In 2010, we were part of firsthand the very high level of same interest and enthusiasm for Liszt the ensemble that first sang theGran Mass accomplishment the two co-directors have as I did. The album they put together (Vatican Version) in St. Peter’s Basilica in brought to the Competition during the for my birthday, from selected photos Rome. And in the 2011 series of "Liszt’s past years. And after the Competition, of my 27 years spent in the Museum, is Masses in Liturgy," we had the honor to I had a wonderful journey with Gerry both a precious historical document and a sing the Missa Choralis in the Inner City Keeling in the Canadian Rockies and touching memento for me of their love. Parish Church where Liszt himself so Vancouver. Thanks to her, I have had often heard and conducted the "Liszt many fantastic experiences in the USA ER: You mentioned a number of Association" Choir. National Parks, too, where we travelled recordings that you supervised/ Our most recent concert, presented together in earlier years. produced, including some that this past November 23 as part of the received the Grand Prix from the Saturday Matinée Series of the Liszt Hungarian Liszt Society. Perhaps Museum, was dedicated to St. Cecilia, (Editor's note: Mária Eckhardt is an American you could tell our readers more about patron saint of church music, and Liszt Society Medal Laureate. She received the those. consisted of religious choral works from medal from Béla Bartók, Jr., at a ceremony in ME: In this regard, there are two the 19th century. We featured works Budapest in the Liszt Centennial Year in 1986. different things. Yes, I was asked several by Liszt, Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner, A photograph of this event may be seen at the times to write commentaries for Liszt Mendelssohn, and Rheinberger. There lower left corner of the web page http://www. recordings. Among them, I can recall was a full house, and the concert was a lisztsociety.hu/photoalbum1973-1992.htm.) those I made for recordings of the piano great success. My choir is very important for me also as a community, and one of duet Egri-Pertis, and the Male Choir Saint the highlights for me in 2013 was a tour Ephraim. with them in France. The Grand Prix of the Hungarian Liszt Society is something different. This ER: And in those few moments when is a competition held regularly since 1975 you have some "free time," what for Liszt recordings of the previous year. interests or pastimes do you pursue? There were some years when I was part ME: I have to mention first of all that of the jury, but recently I had no time for I have a loving family, including five this, although I am co-president of the grandchildren, and I am with them as Hungarian Liszt Society and I am very often as possible. With my husband, active in the life of the Society – a task our favorite pastime has always been that I shall be able to continue even more travelling; even now, in spite of his intensively now that I have retired from advancing years and increased difficulties the Museum! with travelling, we don’t want to totally give up this hobby. For example, this ER: Tell us, please, something past year we spent a week in Dresden, about the choir that you founded and Germany, and another in Trondheim continue to conduct. and Bergen, Norway. Naturally we very ME: I already mentioned that active often go to concerts. And, as we are music making has always been important fond of fine arts, too, we visit the very for me. When I worked in the National fine exhibitions that we have here in Széchényi Library, I founded a chamber Budapest. The last one we saw on New choir in 1970, with members coming from Year’s Eve was a wonderful one: "Chagall among the librarians and their friends. and Ámos," on exhibition in the National This choir still exists and performs today, Gallery. Of course I try to read as much Mária Eckhardt at the 2012 Los Angeles although it has developed into a mixed as I can – at least a little every evening. International Liszt Competition.

6 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net A Conversation with Dr. Zsuzsanna Domokos, Current Director, Franz Liszt Memorial Museum and Research Centre

ER: Could you tell us about where myself for that competition as a member because I did not come from a you were born and something about a member of a group. Unfortunately, I conservatory (secondary music school), your pre-college education? remained alone in what was to be a three- but from a traditional secondary school ZsD: I was born in Budapest and had person group, so I could not go on at (gymnasium), where I had received special a very happy childhood. Because my the competition. During the time of the training in foreign languages. That’s maternal grandparents lived with our preparation, however, while reading the why I began my high school studies, family, when my parents worked, I assigned literature, doing analyses, and before entering the Academy of Music, was with grandparents who loved me listening to music, I was introduced to a at the Institute for Foreign Trade in the very much. This love gave me such a world that was mine. It was at that time English-Russian Department. After I great foundation for my whole life, and that I found my profession in musicology. had graduated from there, I was admitted helps me even now. I had an average When I presented lectures to my immediately to the Academy of Music. educational training for my age, played classmates, they enjoyed it very much, and the piano, and liked sports, too. In our they asked me to present more lectures. ER: How did Liszt in particular enter family there was no musician, although I, too, enjoyed the experience very much, into your professional and educational my father was talented in music. For and I lectured with great pleasure. pursuits? him during his childhood, unfortunately, At the same time I attended the ZsD: I always preferred 19th century it was impossible to study music. My musicology courses offered by Prof. Imre music and art. My first choice were the mother was interested much more in Földes at the Free University Lectures, Russian musicians of the 19th century. "real" subjects; she was very talented in and he also allowed me to attend his My first paper was on Mussorgsky, and chemistry, and she was the head of the academic lessons, for which I am very I graduated with my diploma based on teachers of chemistry. In my teenage grateful even to this day. It was also a research concerning Borodin’s Prince Igor, years I also was involved in sports, and great experience for me to sing in the which topic I later developed into my was told that I was talented in athletics, choir of the Matthias Church [in Buda] university doctoral dissertation. Russian but I did not want to stop my studies under the direction of László Tardy. music is researched in Hungary mostly by in piano for the sake of sports. I could Every Sunday we sang an orchestral the couple János Bojti and Márta Papp, not imagine my life without playing the mass, and during Lent we sang the music with whom I was – and remain - on good piano, albeit I never wanted to become of Palestrina and Lassus, as well as terms. They introduced me to a very a performing artist. I always preferred Gregorian chant. It was at this time that colorful and interesting world. My first to play for myself or for my parents and I became acquainted with Liszt’s church foreign language was at that time Russian, close friends. music, since I could sing his Gran Mass, and my first scholarship was gained to Coronation Mass, Missa Choralis, and Via study in Moscow and St. Petersburg. ER: When were you first aware of Crucis. I remember even now the deep Naturally I liked Liszt’s music, too, but your serious interest in music? impression that these works made on me. during my academic years I did not yet ZsD: I liked music already as a little child. know his works profoundly. In 1986, I My parents say that when I was listening ER: How did music shape your was a student at the Academy of Music to music I was very happy, and the music university educational pursuits? when the Liszt Ferenc Memorial Museum absorbed me for hours. Music was always ZsD: When I was informed that there and Research Centre was established at an integral part of my life. My favorite was a department of musicology where I the Academy of Music. Mária Eckhardt composer was Beethoven - his personality, could study music history, aesthetics, and was Director, and the Centre was looking his elevated way of thinking, and of every kind of music with such excellent for two young musicologists as research course his music. But at home, I could professors as György Kroó (head of workers. So, Györgyi Éger, a musicology listen to every kind of music, and my the department at that time), József classmate of mine, and I began to work father liked all kinds of music, too. Ujfalussy, László Somfai, László Dobszay, in the Museum in addition to our studies Tibor Tallián, András Batta, and Sándor at the Academy. From the first moment ER: Was there a single event or series Kovács, etc., I diligently prepared for the on I felt that I was working in a sanctuary, of events that captured your interest in entrance exams. It was difficult at that and I always felt honored when I entered music, or someone in particular that time, because usually new students were the Museum and guided guests there. sparked that interest? admitted only every second or third year, Mária Eckhardt’s devotion to Liszt’s ZsD: At the music school I was not and there were only about six places, and home was always a model for me. She advised to become a musician, but for me the academic and musical demands were had very strong professional relationships it was evident that I could not live without very high. Our class was relatively large, with Liszt scholars all over the world with music. When I attended secondary therefore, with eight students. whom I gradually became acquainted, too. school, the Head of the Musicology My academic years were very happy, Naturally, then, I began to learn more and Department at the Academy of Music, professionally, and I really found then more about Liszt’s life and works, and the Mr. György Kroó, organized competitions what I dreamed for in music. My more I was introduced to his world, the for groups of secondary school pupils, professors, especially Profs. Kroó, more I admired it. dealing with the lives and music of Ujfalussy, and Batta were very kind to me, At that time the Hungarian Liszt various composers. When the chosen they encouraged me, and they believed Society was very active, and they had composer was Beethoven, I prepared me. It was difficult for me at the outset, (continued on next page)

Volume 29, Number 2 7 A Conversation with Zsuzsanna Domokos (continued from page 7) very nice programs and concerts in the church music. This topic eventually all the Liszt instruments in the Museum. same building. These were led by Miklós became my Ph.D. dissertation, which I Presently, we have this available in 12 Forrai and Dr. Klára Hamburger (General defended in 2009. languages, with every language spoken by Executive Secretary). Mr. Forrai died in It was in May of that same year someone who considers that to be their 1998. Klára Hamburger is now retired, when, at the recommendation of Mária mother tongue. The recordings were but we remain on the friendliest of terms Eckhardt, who was retiring as Director, made in the Aviso Studio of the Academy with her. I was appointed as the Director of the of Music, and the audio guides have Museum and Research Centre. The become very popular. ER: You became Director of the ensuing years have been very beautiful, With the help of the German sponsor Liszt Museum about five years ago. but at the same time very busy for us. In Tonwelt, in 2010 our colleagues at the What were your professional activities 2010 it was the Erkel* Year, then the Liszt Academy of Music were able to restore leading up to your appointment as jubilee year in 2011, when the Museum Liszt’s Bösendorfer piano, which stands Director? became a central part of the musical life in the drawing room of the Museum ZsD: From the very beginning I was of the Academy of Music, and we had and again sounds very beautiful. More Mária Eckhardt’s research worker, and I many guests. Mária Eckhardt remained recently, with the help of the Swiss substituted for her when she was abroad. in the Museum as a chief counselor, sponsor Stiftung Kulturgut Orgel, our During her absences, I was responsible with the title of Research Director, but organ professor and specialist Balázs for the activities of the Museum and she was free from her previous everyday Szabó has restored Liszt’s piano-orgue. Research Centre. In effect, I was Deputy duties to be able to write her books, make On October 21 - 23, 2011, the Director from the beginning on, and only the poster exhibition, and to organize Museum organized a Liszt Birthday much later was I was officially appointed the big Liszt exhibition at the Institute Festival with 14 concerts given by to that post. I had to be in the Museum of Musicology. It remained for me to outstanding Hungarian Liszt artists, when she left, and she was able to rely organize the Erkel and Liszt exhibitions mostly professors at the Academy of on me to carry forth in her absence. in our Museum, to organize the Liszt Music. We recorded the whole festival, Sometimes, she was gone for relatively Festival, and to lead the Museum’s life. In and my dream would be to make a DVD long periods (as many as six weeks at this way we were able to divide the tasks. selection from it. It was really a great a time), and during these times I was I was also very happy to organize event at the Academy of Music, since in responsible for the "life" of the Museum. historical concerts given by Hungarian, 2011 it was only in our building, the Old So, in 2002 when I was appointed as Italian, and German students of the Liszt Academy of Music, where concerts were Deputy Director of the Museum, to me Ferenc Academy of Music, Università held because of the renovation of the it meant only a change in title, as I had Roma Sapienza, and Hochschule für large concert hall at the "new" Academy. been doing much of the work already Musik (Stuttgart), together with their Also in 2011 we placed a touch table for some time – but the official change professors. We gave concerts in Budapest, in a corner of Liszt’s study and bedroom, in title offered me an improved financial Rome, and Stuttgart with works by on which device our visitors can see and situation as well! Liszt and his Hungarian and Italian listen to programs created in relationship Looking back at that time, in all contemporary composers, friends in to the topics of the temporary honesty, the life of the Museum then his circle. In Rome, Professor Antonio exhibitions. As part of the last year’s was much "quieter" than now, as far as Rostagno (Sapienza, Roma) and I gave exhibition we made slide-show films, and I remember, and our staff was bigger. lectures about the composers and a couple of them can be seen on our We all had much more time to do pieces that were to be performed on the website among the virtual exhibitions research, too. I had two days a week for program. (http://www.lisztmuseum.hu/). my own research, preparing myself for After the success of the jubilee year, conferences, writing papers, presenting/ ER: Since becoming Director, in 2012 we were able to modernize our preparing lectures to be broadcast for what have been the most important lighting in the Museum and bring it up to the Hungarian Liszt Society, and so on. projects, changes, and additions with current code. I also could apply for scholarships, and regard to the Liszt Museum? This past year we introduced tablets now naturally on Liszt topics. One of ZsD: The first development initiated by related to the temporary exhibitions, on my earliest research trips was to Vienna, me was the audio guide service about the which visitors can find materials (texts, where I compared Liszt’s transcriptions permanent exhibitions of the Museum, illustrations, and musical examples) to of the Beethoven symphonies with the with recorded musical examples, featuring supplement the artifacts on exhibit. In Viennese tradition of transcription. ______this way, in effect, we can enlarge the From the end of the 1990s on, I went to *(Editor’s Note: Ferenc [Franz] Erkel, 1810-1893, exhibition but still work within the Rome (frequently, since I could not be is considered the founding father of Hungarian opera confines of the physical space we have away from the Museum more than two and was the composer of the Hungarian National at our disposal. Each discussion on the months) to deal with a new field: the 19th Anthem (1844). He was the first Director of tablets can be found in Hungarian and the Royal Academy of Music [1875-1887], and century reception of Palestrina in Rome, Liszt was its President. Erkel played a significant English, too, and a lot of visitors use and the influence of his music on Liszt role in the foundation of the Academy of Music in them with great delight. when Liszt was there and pursuing his Budapest, now known as the Franz Liszt Academy Meanwhile, we continue to develop own research interests in the reform of of Music.) our website, too. I am very happy that (continued on next page)

8 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net the Hungarian-English description Hungarian and also in English, are "The Night of the Museums" at the end of most of our holdings is already on now in press. At the same time we are of June. Most probably we shall begin the Museum’s website. We began this preparing the new exhibition about Liszt the new season in September 2014, program last year, and in the first half of and the painters who inspired him. The when the concert life of the Academy the current year, I should like to finish it. curator of this exhibition will be my very will begin, but this matter is still under It is a comprehensive program, and it is talented colleague, Anna Peternák, who discussion. a great help for research workers and for is herself a painter. Since this will be anybody interested in our collection. the first exhibition she has undertaken ER: And in those few moments when This year, in collaboration with artists for us, it will be a collaborative effort you have some "free time," what and teachers at the Academy of Music, involving many of the Museum staff. In interests or pastimes do you pursue? we began a very important series, the any case, I prefer to plan the Museum’s ZsD: I adore nature, tranquility, and scores of the so called "Liszt Rarities," tasks together as a team, which means harmony. So every year I need to go for which contains music of some of our everybody on the staff can add his or a little rest where I can enjoy "peace and unknown autographs in a published her ideas. We discuss them together, and quiet." I am happy that my parents are version suitable for performance. Two then choose the optimal solutions. I am relatively well, and so I spend more and of these manuscripts have just been very happy to maintain this type of work more time with them, too. During my published: Jeanne d’Arc, in a version for atmosphere, because in this way I feel that holidays I play the piano (only for myself our newly-restored piano-orgue (the everybody can do his or her best for the and for my family), and I can spend more accompaniment is also available for Museum. time with friends, read books, and go to either piano or organ, too), and Leopold We are also open to the initiatives of concerts, the theatre, and other museums. Zellner’s transcription of the "Gretchen" our colleagues at the Academy of Music Naturally I like to travel both in Hungary movement from the "Faust" Symphony). or at other institutions. For example, the and abroad, but in the last few years I We are now working on additional program of the Wagner exhibition at the have had less time for travel. I have not autographs. touch table was made by an art historian stopped my involvement with sports, but This past December we were at the Pázmány Péter University, dealing now I have, unfortunately, only little time presented with a great gift. With the with the scenery of Wagner’s opera for that, too. help of donations from the Hungarian in productions at the end of the 19th President, János Áder, and Judith century and at the beginning of the 20th ER: Anything else in conclusion? Nesleny, pianist, composer, and one century. ZsD: I am really very grateful to all those of the co-founders of the Los Angeles We should like to go on with the who love and help our Museum. We International Liszt Competition, living publications of our autographs in have a lot of visitors (this year was very in California, we were able to buy an collaboration with our artist colleagues, similar to the jubilee year in terms of original music manuscript by Liszt. This too, and at the same time make DVD attendance!), and among them there are a is the orchestral version of his "Erlkönig" recordings of the pieces with the help lot of friends of the Museum who want transcription. We are very grateful for of our professors at the Academy of to add their talent and help add to Liszt’s these generous gifts, since it has been Music. We want to make a DVD of the cult. This is always a very nice surprise a long time since we have been able to Museum available for anybody. By the for me, and I am happy to know that even purchase an autograph by Liszt. way, the CDs and publications of the now Liszt’s spirit is living, and among all Hungarian and Eschweiler Liszt Societies, generations all over the world there are ER: And in the future: are there and publications of the Liszt relics of the people who have great respect for him as projects that you hope to undertake, Hungarian National Museum, are also a personality and composer, too. Liszt’s special exhibits with regard to Liszt, available in our Museum. door at the Museum will always be open perhaps, that you could share with our Last year, because of the law, the staff for them in the future. readers? of the Museum had to be changed. All ZsD: We have a lot of plans for the colleagues who were on pension have left, future, among them international and we have new colleagues, among them collaborations, too, but at the moment persons who are interested in museum I should like to discuss only the things pedagogy. It is a new field for us, and that I hope to be able to realize in the we should also like to begin with this near future. First, we want to finish our program on our website in the next year. database describing all of our holdings on The traditional Saturday morning our website. The second thing is to save Matinées of the Museum, with our our temporary exhibitions of the past in brief introductions about the pieces to a virtual form, which will also be available be performed, go on. However, from on our website. October 2013 onward, the concerts have The most recent exhibition, "Wagner become a part of the whole concert and his Hungarian Friends," was life of the Academy of Music that is sponsored by the Peter Horvath Stiftung, controlled by the new Concert Centre. and the catalogues of that exhibition, in So, we shall finish the Matinée series with Dr. Domokos delivering a lecture.

Volume 29, Number 2 9 A Conversation with Kálmán Dráfi, Head of the Keyboard Department, Franz Liszt Academy

ER: Could you tell us about where active teacher at the Liszt Academy, I most recent concert in Budapest, in you were born and something about decided to start learning conducting. the renovated Grand Hall of the Liszt your pre-college education? Ervin Lukács was the Head of the Academy, I played "Vallée d’Obermann." KD: I was born in Budapest into a Conducting Department, the "Number family of musicians. My father was a One" conductor of Hungary at that time, jazz violinist and sax player, one of my so I asked him whether I could join his grandfathers was a contrabass player, and class. He accepted me, and I have been the other was a violinist. I joined the visiting his classes for six years. It was a percussion section of my father’s band key time period in my life. at the age of three. I started to play the piano in the music school of our district ER: Please tell our readers about when I was four. I was 10 when I was your piano studies at both the Liszt admitted to the Bartók Musical High Academy and in Russia. School (this school gives a four-year KD: In my view, in the 1970s the education, usually for pupils aged 14 - 18). Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow When I was 14, I passed the audition of was the Number One place in music the Liszt Academy of Music, being the higher education anywhere in the world. youngest ever to be admitted to Liszt The Liszt Academy of Music also Academy university-level education. represented a top quality music education. In Budapest, I learned everything I could ER: When were you first aware of about genres and stylistic studies, and your serious interest in music? Budapest was especially strong in the KD: Very early. The first thing I recall Viennese classicists. I also developed a is an invitation from the Hungarian very rich repertoire of Liszt’s and Bartók’s National Broadcasting Company to play music. In the class of Bella Davidovich (Editor's note: Georges (György) Cziffra's in a live TV program in 1960, when I was in Moscow, I enjoyed the highest level of inscription in English reads, "Many are five years old. education in the music of Chopin and the occasions when I have been able to Schumann, as Bella has always been one applaud Kálmán Dráfi’s qualities as a ER: Was there someone in particular of the greatest Chopin and Schumann performer, qualities that he employs in colorful that sparked that interest? performers ever, as well as a superb interpretations of great artistic emotion.") KD: My father brought from West interpreter of the Russian composers. Germany (where he worked at the time) ER: How would you describe your some LPs of György Cziffra, who already ER: In addition to Liszt, of course, responsibilities at the Liszt Academy? lived in France following his emigration who are your favorite composers of KD: The key objective of mine as from Hungary in 1956 after the piano literature? How did Liszt in a department head is to carry on the revolution, playing Liszt. It determined particular enter into your professional legacy of Liszt through the teaching of my pathway in music. and educational pursuits? all piano faculty members to all piano KD: Besides Liszt, I admire Chopin, students. My personal objective as a ER: How did music shape your Rachmaninov, Bartók, and Debussy. I teacher is to pass on the tradition of the university educational pursuits? Did have been deeply attached to the piano Russian schools as well, which I learned you consider fields of study other works of Liszt since 1971, when I was in Moscow, and with a goal that all of my than piano in particular, or music in 15. This was the year of the International students should be able to leave my class general? Liszt-Bartók Piano Competition in after five years of study with, as much KD: In Hungary, the music curriculum Budapest, where I was a finalist and was as possible, perfect technical skills and a of the Liszt Academy is so serious, so presented with the Special Award for profound knowledge of all musical styles rich, so specialized, and so diverse that the best Bartók interpretation. In this and genres. As the head of the top piano there is no practical way to study anything competition I played the "Mephisto" Waltz, faculty of Hungary, I also feel responsible else on a high level at the same time. It "Funérailles," "La Campanella," Hungarian for the nationwide piano education means that, besides my major lessons, Rhapsody No. 6, and, in the final round, the programs at all levels, from primary music I studied only the other music subjects Sonata in B minor and the Piano Concerto schools to the university level as well. My of solfége, music education, analysis, No. 2. Since then, these major works responsibilities also include managing etc. In my time we also had to learn of Liszt have had a profound effect all issues related to students of all the various subjects related to the communist on me, along with many of his other areas within the Keyboard Department, society, like scientific socialism, Marxism- compositions that continue to play an i.e., secondary piano, piano pedagogy, Leninism, political economics, etc. important role in my life. My first LP organ, harpsichord, accordion, cimbalom, Because I declined to study these subjects, issued in France was an all-Liszt album and harp. Taken together, these majors I was denied the opportunity to receive with an endorsement from Cziffra. My represent the biggest department of the my diploma at the appropriate time. first album in Hungary was an issue of Liszt Academy in terms of number of However, many years later when I was an Unknown Liszt Piano Pieces. In my faculty and students. (continued on next page)

10 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net A Conversation with Kálmán (continued Dráfi from page 10)

ER: How do things differ at the ER: Do you have any performances Academy now as a faculty member coming up in the next year – and what Deadline for the compared to what you remember repertoire will you perform? about the atmosphere there as a KD: I will have some concerts, some of Next Newsletter: student? them chamber music (like the Dvořák KD: I was a student at the Academy in Piano Quintet, Beethoven violin sonatas), Monday, the mid-1970s. Although at that time and some recitals as well, mainly of Liszt, Hungary was a communist country, Chopin, Rachmaninov, and Bartók works June 30, 2014 frankly speaking, the musical studies in Hungary, Japan, and likely the United and the level of the education at the States. Please send all information for the Liszt Academy were, in my opinion, not Newsletter, as well as for the website, affected at all by the political situation. ER: And in those few moments when to Edward Rath, Editor/Webmaster, at The Academy operated as a type of L’isle you have some "free time," what joyeuse, thanks to the activity of the rector [email protected]. Be sure to indicate interests or pastimes do you pursue? "ALS Newsletter" or "ALS Website" in of that time, Dénes Kovács, and the large KD: I have no real "free" time, but my number of widely renowned professors the Subject line. If sending photos, please hobby is to collect and to drive cars, and be sure that they are in .jpeg format when (e.g., my chamber music professor was to collect and restore pianos. the young György Kurtág). As of today, attaching them to e-mails!! Prior e-mail obviously thanks to the political and addresses for the editor are no longer social changes, the world has opened valid, and your communication may not up, and there are endless opportunities be published if you use an address other for students and faculty to act on the than that given above! international scene.

ER: During our conversations in Los Angeles, you mentioned to me that you would like to have stronger ties Garrick Ohlsson with American piano departments in universities and conservatories. 1. Kálmán Dráfi in a relaxed moment at the Releases a New Does the Liszt Academy already have Ligeti Annex of the Liszt Academy of Music. formalized agreements with some Liszt Album schools? KD: Yes, we have already signed a formal agreement with the Cleveland Institute of Bridge Records is pleased to present Franz Music. However we have other informal Liszt, Vol. 2, featuring keyboard titan, relationships with many others, including Garrick Ohlsson. Vol. 1 of the series but not limited to Indiana University- (BRIDGE 9337), featuring Liszt's Sonata Bloomington, Yale School of Music, The and Busoni's transcription of Liszt's "Ad Juilliard School, etc. Nos" Fantasy, received stellar reviews in the international press. Writing in Audiophile ER: How do you foresee the new Audition, Gary Lemco opined that emphasis on the Liszt Concert Centre "Ohlsson raises the level of performance as part of the Academy influencing 2. Enjoying a typical Hungarian meal. In clockwise order from lower left: Kálmán Dráfi, well above the merely virtuosic into the the students and faculty there? realm of demonized contrapuntal poetry, KD: We have been eagerly waiting for Alan Walker, Edward Rath, Lois Rath, Judith Nesleny, Bridget de Moura Castro, Luiz de one of the great Liszt statements for the the reopening of the prestigious halls as new millennium." BBC Music Magazine concert venues in the Academy building. Moura Castro, and Beáta Furka. The plan is that the students will have remarked on Ohlsson's "impressive lots of performance opportunities in display of ego-free power and virtuosity these halls, and they will be able to enjoy . . . Ohlsson delivers with an objective all the concerts held at these gorgeous immensity." venues free of charge as Liszt Academy Vol. 2 is no let down, with Ohlsson students. In addition, the most talented offering an equal measure of poetry students will receive a kind of impresario and keyboard thrills in a mixed program support through a new unit of the Liszt of Liszt's transcriptions (Bach and Academy just recently opened for their Beethoven) and favorites ("Mephisto" Waltz management. Faculty members will also No. 1, "Funérailles," and "Les jeux d’eaux be invited for concerts organized by our à la Villa d'Este"). The recording is listed Concert Centre, and departments will as BRIDGE 9409 and available from have their own series of concerts as well. 3. Liszt Memorial Museum & Research Centre. Amazon.com, iTunes, ArkivMusic, and more!

Volume 29, Number 2 11 Schedule for the 2014 ALS Conference James Madison University, June 6 - 8

REGISTRATION IS ON LINE ONLY – http://www.jmu.edu/music/lisztsociety/index.html (Unless shown otherwise, all performers are pianists. Schedule is subject to change without notice.)

Friday, June 6 9:00 Registration 9:30 Introduction and Opening Remarks: Dean George Sparks, Director Jeff Bush, ALS President Thomas Mastroianni, and Festival Director Gabriel Dobner 9:45 Concert: "Beethoven/Liszt: Legacy Through Transcription" Fantasy on the "Ruins of Athens" – Justin Kolb "Adelaide" – Gila Goldstein Symphony No. 1 – Dmitry Rachmanov 11:00 Concert: "Legacy Through Performance" Beethoven: Sonata B-Flat Major, Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier") – Kevin Sharpe 12:00 Lunch (box lunch provided as part of full registration) 1:30 Lecture: "Liszt as Cultural Ambassador" – Alan Walker 2:45 Concert: "Liszt as Missionary for His Contemporaries" Berlioz/Liszt: Harold in Italy – Katie Overfield-Zook, viola; Nate Hess, piano Liszt: "La lugubre gondola" – Carl Donakowski, cello; Lori Piitz, piano Liszt: "La Notte" – Joanna Kaczorowska, violin; Pablo Lavandera, piano 4:00 Concert: "Liszt as Missionary for the German Lied: Lieder and Lieder Transcriptions" Schubert/Liszt Transcriptions "Ständchen" – William Wellborn "Horch, Horch die Lerch" – William Wellborn "Du bist die Ruh" – Kent Cook "Auf dem Wasser zu singen" – Kent Cook "Erstarrung" – Michael Boyd "Der Lindenbaum" – Michael Boyd Schumann/Liszt Transcription "Widmung" – Nancy Harper Schubert Lieder – Kevin McMillan, baritone; Gabriel Dobner, piano "Du bist die Ruh" "Ständchen" "Erstarrung" "Der Lindenbaum" Schumann Lieder – Esther-Jane Hardenburgh, soprano; Gabriel Dobner, piano "Die Rose" "Aufträge" "Liebesleid" "Widmung" 5:30 Dinner 7:30 Concert: "One is Not Enough!" Wagner/Jason Haney (world premiere) – "Meistersinger" Overture for four pianos – Gabriel Dobner, Lori Piitz, Eric Ruple, and Paulo Steinberg Liszt – Orpheus, Symphonic Poem – Joanne Kong and Paul Hanson Liszt – Dante Symphonie ("Inferno") – Matthew Gianforte and Meeyoun Park Liszt Movie Showing: Liszt’s Dance with the Devil – Ophra Yerushalmi, director, followed by a round table discussion with the director 9:30 Reception – Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, Main Lobby

12 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net Saturday, June 7 8:30 Registration 9:00 Lecture: "A Tribute to Fernando Laires" – Nancy Lee Harper, with performances by Ms. Harper and Miguel Comapinho 10:00 Presentation: "50 Years of the American Liszt Society" 10:30 Concert: Liszt Garrison International Piano Competition Winners Perform Liszt Ballade No. 2 – Tatiana Muzanova "Oh! Quand je dors"; "Freudvoll und Leidvoll"; "Die Fischertochter" – Laura Strickling, sop, Liza Stepanova, piano Rhapsodie espagnole – Priscila Navarro 11:30 Lecture Recital: "Liszt as Liturgical Missionary" (music by Liszt and Victoria Bond) – Paul Barnes 12:15 Lunch (box lunch provided as part of full registration) 1:30 Concert: "The Legendary Liszt" Liszt: Two Legends – Daniel Horn MacDowell: First Modern Suite – Richard Fountain I. Praeludium IV. Intermezzo VI. Fugue Liszt: Christmas Tree Suite – Joseph Banowetz and Alton Chung Ming Chan "Ehemals" (Old Times) "Ungarisch" (Hungarian) "Polnisch" (Polish) Liszt: Two Episodes from Lenau's Faust – Joseph Banowetz and Alton Chung Ming Chan "The Procession by Night" "The First Mephisto Waltz" 3:00 Lecture: "Liszt and Modernism" 3:45 Concert: "Liszt and the Moderns" Liszt: "Nuages Gris"/Cage: "In a Landscape" – Alexander Djordjevic Liszt: "Bagatelle without Tonality"/Peter Lieberson: "Bagatelle" – Eric Ruple Liszt: "Sursum Corda"/Louie "Memories in an Ancient Garden" – Derek Parsons Liszt: "Angelus!"/Grossmann: "Angelus!" – Nancy Roldán Liszt: "En Rêve"/Carter Pann: "White Moon over Water" – Joel Hastings Liszt: "Csárdás Macabre"/Ligeti: "Etude" – Caroline Hong Liszt: TBA/Guinivan: title TBA (world premiere) 5:00 Dinner 7:30 Concert: "Liszt and the Etude" Six Paganini Studies – Evelyne Brancart Twelve Transcendental Studies "Preludio" – Read Gainsford Molto Vivace – Read Gainsford "Paysage" – Jay Hershberger "Mazeppa" – José R. López "Feux Follets" – Joel Hastings "Vision" – Yun-Ha Hwang "Eroica" – Dmitri Rachmanov "Wilde Jagd" – Michael Boyd "Ricordanza" – William Wellborn Allegro agitato molto – Alexander Dossin "Harmonies du soir" – Paulo Steinberg "Chasse-Niege" – Read Gainsford 9:30 Weimar Dessert: Liszt’s favorite desserts at New Leaf Pastry Shop

Sunday, June 8 9:00 Registration 9:30 Lecture: "Totentanz Revisited" – Rena Charnin Mueller 10:30 Master Class: Luiz de Moura Castro 12:30 Lunch 2:30 Lecture/Concert: Liszt: Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses – James Tocco, piano; Jonathon Kregor, lecturer 5:00 Banquet – Forbes Center for the Performing Arts (banquet ticket [$40, which includes wine with dinner] required)

Volume 29, Number 2 13 Member News

Sophia Agranovich's performance of September 15, in Sudler (Harkness) Hall. attempts of his doctor to preserve the Liszt's "Un Sospiro" was the featured The program included March, Op. 45, great man's hearing. (No working pianos Juilliard School alumni video of August No. 1 by Beethoven, played by Robyn will have been harmed in the production 2013. You may view the video at http:// Riggers and Debra Riedel, and Chopin's of this play!) www.juilliard.edu/past-alumni-videos-month?d Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9 No. 1, by Justin Kolb, well-known to audiences estination=node/25185#August. Sophia's Chopin, performed by Robyn Riggers. and the ALS membership, is making website is http://sophiagranovich.org/wp/. Madeleine herself then presented the his acting debut in the play at the Nocturne in F Major, Op. 15, No. 1, International Festival of the Voice. Carey which was followed by "Les jeux d’eau Harrison, son of Lily Palmer and Sir Joseph Banowetz is the newest member à la Villa d’Este" by Liszt, played by Rex Harrison, is a novelist, playwright, of the ALS Board of Directors. He Joseph Renouf. Jumping into the 20th actor, and director. He is the author will host the 2015 ALS festival at the and 21st centuries, Anna Kijanowska of 17 hours of Masterpiece Theater, and University of North Texas in fall 2015. offered the Piano Sonata No. 2 (1953) by his teleplays and radio plays have been At this year's ALS Festival at James Grażyna Bacewicz, followed by János broadcast in more than 30 countries. Madison University in June, he and Alton Kéry's performance of Rhapsodie No. 1: Seven Favorite Maladies of Ludwig van Chan will play a four-hand program of Hungarian Recollections, by Emerich Székely, Beethoven is his 42nd play for the stage. Liszt's own transcriptions of selections and M.F. 150413 (2013), written by from his Christmas Tree Suite, and two Anna Rutkowska-Schock and played by episodes from Lenau's Faust ("Procession Krystian Kielb. The afternoon concluded Elyse Mach, American Liszt Society by Night" and "Dance in the Village Inn," with Madeleine’s Melting Pot (2013), written Medal Laureate, was recently honored better known as the "Mephisto" Waltz by Mr. Kery and performed by him, for her music career at a special music No. 1). Anna Kijanowswka, Debra Riedel, Robyn convocation held in the Recital Hall of In 2007, he and Alton both received Riggers, and Anna Rutkowska-Schock. Northeastern Illinois University. a finalist Grammy nomination from the Before a jam-packed audience, two National Academy of Recording Arts tribute videos were shown at the start and Sciences for an album of four- Gila Goldstein invites you to visit her of the convocation. The first featured hand works by Balakirev on the Toccata redesigned website at http://gilagoldstein. quotes gathered from musical colleagues Classics label. In 2010, Joseph received a com/. throughout the world, from students past second finalist Grammy nomination from and present, and numerous quotes of the Academy for a recording on Naxos reviews received on the various books of the Paul Kletzki Piano Concerto, with John Hord presented a lecture recital she has written. The music background the Russian Philharmonic of Moscow entitled, "Gems of Piano Literature: to this first video was a recording of conducted by Thomas Sanderling. Digging Through the Treasure Chest," Elyse's performance of the MacDowell You may learn more about Joseph via for the Music Teachers Association of Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, with the his website at www.josephbanowetz.com, and Fresno, California. The event took place Netherlandische Symphony Orchestra Alton at en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alton_ October 8 at the Valley Music Center. He (NCRV Studios) when she toured in Chung_Ming_Chan. was assisted by Tina Carter and Catherina Europe a number of years ago. Murni. More recently, John presented The second video contained a short a concert of "Chamber Music and Art biography and then proceeded with video recorded tributes from noted colleagues. Luiz de Moura Castro's CD, Music of Songs" on February 1, 2014, with works Among those taking part in the tributes the Heart, a live recording of his recital by Barber, Debussy, Hummel, Berg, were ALS members Paul Barnes (and presented at the 2012 ALS festival in Falla, Bach, Verdi, Liszt, and Ginastera. dog Clara), Thomas Mastroianni, and Eugene, Oregon, is available through John's collaborators in the concert were Alan Walker, along with concert virtuosi Amazon.com, cdbaby.com, Itunes.com, etc., Pam Ellzey, flute, and Terry Estabrook, Stephen Hough, Evgeny Kissin, Garrick and also directly from Luiz through his mezzo-soprano. Ohlsson, and Andre Watts. website at http://www.luizdemouracastro. The former and current presidents com (direct cost is $17, including shipping of Northeastern Illinois University then - no credit card payments accepted). In Justin Kolb has found a new gave presentations in her honor. More addition to featuring solo piano music by calling! tributes given onstage to Elyse were a Liszt, the CD includes Bridget de Moura Seven Favorite Maladies of Ludwig van City of Chicago Council Proclamation, Castro in a fascinating performance of Beethoven is a new play by Carey Harrison and special tributes from Chicago Mayor Liszt's melodrama, "The Sad Monk." about the sublime, the ridiculous, and the Rahm Emmanuel, and Illinois Governor profoundly touching in the troubled life Pat Quinn. Several solo performances of the great composer. The play features from music faculty followed, and the Madeleine Forte was honored on Justin as Beethoven, and Carey Harrison musical portion concluded with a jazz the occasion of her 75th birthday as Dr. Antonius Strumpf. arrangement of "Für Elise" by Beethoven by some of her former students in a The play charts the hypochondria for trumpet, trombone, and piano. concert presented by the Yale University that plagued Beethoven along with his A champagne reception in the Student Department of Music on Sunday, increasing deafness, and the frantic Union followed the convocation.

14 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net The November/December issue of address music as a career, performance William Wellborn will conduct a Clavier Companion featured a cover story practices, and the art of sight-reading. "Mozart Tour of Austria, Germany, and by Elyse: "Simply Genius - An Interview Nancy is looking forward to the Italy" July 9 - 24, 2014. The tour will with Evgeny Kissin." Also included is a 50th anniversary celebration at the ALS explore the ever-fascinating genius of short, first-time ever interview given by Festival at James Madison University Mozart, including the prodigy years, his Evgeny's mother, Emilia Kissin. and the opportunity to perform two musical heritage, and his familial ties (Editor's Note: Elyse has established the versions of "Angelus!". The first one with father Leopold and sister Nannerl. Elyse J. Mach Music Scholarship to support the was written by Liszt as the opening Follow his travels in Germany and Italy, winner of a juried, annual concerto competition number of the third volume of the and visit key sites in Salzburg. For more for NEIU music students. If you would like to Years of Pilgrimage. The most recent information go to the website http:// honor Elyse by donating to this fund, please visit "Angelus!" was commissioned by the williamwellborn.com/Mozart_Tour_2014.html. www.neiu.edu/give, or call 773-442-4210 for Baltimore-Washington Chapter in 2011 Bill will be the convention artist for more information.) to celebrate Liszt’s Bicentennial and the Colorado MTA this spring, and will be fifth anniversary of the Liszt-Garrison performing with the Monterey Symphony event. The composer dedicated the work later this season. Dr. Evangelia Mitsopoulou writes to Nancy after listening to the premiere that her official website (as opposed to at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Ophra Yerushalmi's film,Liszt’s Dance her YouTube page at http://www.youtube. Similar to Liszt’s source of inspiration, with the Devil, was reviewed by critic com/user/mitsopoulouevangelia) is http:// composer Jorge Villavicencio-Grossmann Haggai Hitron in the Israeli daily, Haaretz. mitsopoulouevangelia.wix.com/pianist. is inspired by literature and the arts. Entitled "The Image of a Maligned In this case he was motivated by the Wizard," Ms. Hitron wrote, "Liszt’s poem of the same name written by the virtuosity and the hysteria surrounding In addition to her focus on Franz Liszt, Uruguayan poet, Mario Benedetti. his recitals hid his most outstanding work, manifested through her developing says the director Ophra Yerushalmi. the 2013 Liszt-Garrison Festival and Her fascinating film,Liszt’s Dance with International Piano Competition (http:// A Life of Music is a new show where the Devil, was screened on December www.lisztgarrisoncompetition.org/), Nancy Steven Spooner, concert pianist, and 12, 2013, at the Felicja Blumental Music Roldán’s 2013 - 2014 music season has Jung Suh Spooner, leading Korean- Center in Tel-Aviv. Ophra Yerushalmi, included master classes, recitals, and American piano teacher, share their Israeli pianist and student of Frank lecture-recitals at Florida International infectious passion for music! Everyone Peleg based in the U.S., has chosen to University and Ithaca College in New has an open door to view their unusual concentrate on the core – the music of York, highlighting Argentine and Latin lifestyle, unscripted and unedited. Franz Liszt. Impressive excerpts from American music for the piano. Witness their daily challenges and Liszt’s known and unknown works are Ensemble recitals have included the rewards in their Life of Music, which is heard by performers from Hungary, premiere of her 2013 transcriptions an interactive and attractive mixture of France, U.S., Lithuania, Russia, and Ms. of Astor Piazzolla’s Four Buenos Aires valuable instructional episodes, travel Yerushalmi herself. The result is an ear- Seasons (for violin/bassoon/piano documentaries, and family reality show. tempting experience making one wish to trio) for the Adalman Artist Series at This innovative program will deepen deepen the knowledge of this composer. Peabody, with violinist José Cueto and your personal connection to music An outstanding visual motif is pianists’ bassoonist Phillip Kolker, on September by providing anyone with the tools to hands; in the words of the musicologist 24; this was followed by her violin/piano reach their highest potential! You may Richard Taruskin: 'Loved the many duo transcriptions of the same pieces subscribe at https://www.xotv.me/a-life-of- wonderful hands at keyboards – all sizes premiered October 17 at Buckingham’s music. and shapes, genders, colors, all extremely Choice, Maryland. competent, some real virtuosity from Featuring works by Beethoven, people I had not encountered before, and Ginastera, Grieg, Liszt, Piazzolla, Tamás Ungár is the Executive Director of course Liszt’s hands in the fabulous Poulenc, and Turina, Roldán’s 2014 duo of the "PianoTexas International Budapest Statue.'" performances with Mr. Cueto include Academy & Festival," which in 2014 is (Editor's Note: Those who plan to attend the series Music at Notre Dame, Music celebrating "The Miracle of Mozart." the American Liszt Society festival at James at the Mansion for Concert Artists The schedule includes: Madison University in June 2014 will have of Baltimore, St. Mary’s College of the opportunity to view this film, as well as Maryland, Anne Arundel Artist Series, June 5 - 29 - Young Artists Program hear a roundtable discussion featuring director and Chamber Music on the Hill at June 12 - 22 - Amateurs Program Yerushalmi as moderator.) McDaniels College. Upcoming master June 19 - 29 - Teachers Program class/workshop engagements in March 2014 take place at PS261 Art’s Day ‘14 For more information, e-mail info- in Brooklyn and at Towson University, [email protected], or visit the website Maryland. These presentations will http://www.pianotexas.org.

Volume 29, Number 2 15 2013 Liszt-Garrison International

Competition Winners

AWARDS PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITY AWARDS

Franz Liszt Prize Tatiana Muzanova Priscila Navarro Deering Estates Piano Master Series (Fl. Chapter/ALS) Presented to a duo or individual in recognition for distinguished Buckingham’s Choice (MD) performance throughout the entire competition.

ARTIST Ages 25-40 Priscila Navarro

First Prize $1,250 UUCC Chalice Music Series (MD) Tatiana Muzanova St. Mary’s College of MD

Second Prize $400 Laura Strickling Soprano Liza Stepanova Pianist Naoki Sekino Summer Chamber Music Festival Best Interpretation Hood College, Frederick, Maryland Work by Franz Liszt $100 & & Work by a Composer from the Americas $100 Chamber Music on the Hill Tatiana Muzanova In Residence at McDaniel College

Honorable Mention Directors

Jee In Hwang Michael Adcock, Barbara Fegan, David Kreider, Noel Lester, YOUNG ARTIST Ages 18-24 José Raúl López, Ernest Ragogini, and Jeff Silberschlag

First Prize $1,000 CREDITS Priscila Navarro Hosts Second Prize $400 Shared Dr. Joan Develyn Coley President Solomon Eichner & Simon Xu Notre Dame of Maryland University

Best Interpretation His Excellency György Szapáry Ambassador of Hungary Work by Franz Liszt $100 & Mr. György Réthazi Cultural Attaché Work by a Composer from the Americas $100 Embassy of Hungary Priscila Navarro Judges

COLLABORATIVE ARTISTS Ages (pianists) 25-40 ARTIST

First Prize $2,500 Ksenia Nosikova, Gabriel Dobner, Laura Strickling Soprano Liza Stepanova Piano Thomas Mastroianni, Luiz de Moura-Castro

Second Prize $800 YOUNG ARTIST

Yoni Rose tenor Alexei Ulitin piano Gila Goldstein, Daniel Glover, José Ramos-Santana

Best Interpretation COLLABORATIVE ARTISTS Work by Franz Liszt $200 Laura Strickling Soprano Liza Stepanova Piano Hyunah Yu soprano, José Miguel Cueto violin Marian Hahn piano Work by a Composer from the Americas $200 Melissa Wimbish Soprano Ju Young Lee Piano Preliminary Auditions Nancy Roldán Chair, Ernest Ragogini Co-Chair, Honorable Mention Marc Irwin composer/pianist, Kyle Engler soprano

Melissa Wimbish Soprano Ju Young Lee Piano Laura E. Mitchell Soprano Milena Gligic Piano Coordinators Patricia Graham & Daniel Lau

COMPETITION 2013 REPRESENTATION Competition Assistants Over 100 music conservatories, universities, and teachers Lachezar Kostov, Casey Rafn, Viktor Valkov

Board Members & Volunteers Countries USA Japan Susana Cavallero, Elizabeth Hart, Republic of Korea Belarus Russia Robin Hodson Republic of Perú Bulgaria Spain Mary Ellen Crowley, Cheryl Kauffman, Republic of Serbia China Taiwan Anne Levit, Bernardo Rozencwaig, Russian Federation France Ukraine Paul Weiss, Randy Williams

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16 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net Grand Hall of Franz Liszt Academy Reopens Amidst Great Fanfare by Edward Rath the Liszt Academy and the new Academy folksong, the subject in which she majors logo on either side. Beáta Furka, Manager at the Academy. It was excellent! No In 2003, during an extended trip to of International Affairs and Development wonder that she won the Hungarian State Europe to investigate possible ties for the Liszt Academy, had arranged for Television's folk music competition in the between the University of Illinois me to receive a press kit, and that was solo and vocal category in 2012. School of Music and major European ready, too. We soon found Alan Walker, Barnabás Kelemen returned to the music schools, I ended up in Budapest. Luiz and Bridget de Moura Castro, stage with his lovely wife, the talented Although it was not my first trip to this and Judith Nesleny, who had come to violinist Katalin Kokas, to perform five beautiful city, it was the first time that Budapest for the opening, and all of us selections from Bartók's 44 Duos for I set foot in the Franz Liszt Academy enjoyed refreshments before 0the concert, Two Violins. These were high-spirited of Music. At that time, the Rector to which we were summoned shortly renditions played by two international (President) of the Academy was Sándor before 7:00 pm. prize-winning alumni who are also Falvai, and he kindly took my wife and me Our seats for the gala concert were in associate professors on the Academy through the grand old building to visit the the balcony. As we walked up the stairs, faculty. Barnabás' Bartók recording with former classroom of Leó Weiner as well I could only imagine how my mentors Zoltán Kocsis won the Gramophone as the Academy's Grand Hall. We were György Sebök and János Starker would Prize in 2013. immediately impressed with the beauty have felt if they had been able to be at Hungary has long had one of the of this concert facility, and Rector Falvai this reopening of the concert hall that strongest choral traditions of any country expressed the hope that the Hall could they had called home as young men in the in the world, much of that heritage due to be renovated to restore it to its previous 1930s and 1940s. the work of Zoltán Kodály. Thus, it was beauty. Opening speeches by Hungarian Prime particularly appropriate for a children's I am happy to report that, after Minister Viktor Orbán and Academy chorus to sing Bartok's "Letter to more than 10 years of planning and President András Batta were followed by Those at Home" and Kodaly's "Evening reconstruction, the renovated Grand Hall a contemporary work, Fanfare for the Real Song," under the masterful direction did reopen on Liszt's birthday, October Holy Trinity, by composer Lászlo Sándór, of conductor Gabriella Thész. This 22, 2013, and it was our privilege to which featured brass students of the performance elicited much praise, both attend this extraordinary event through Academy in a fitting musical prelude for in the audience's loud applause and the the invitation of Dr. András Batta, at that the evening. animated discussions throughout the hall time Rector of the Academy, and with the For me, one of the most moving at the final song's completion. kind assistance of Mária Eckhardt and moments of the entire evening came I could not help but to think again Kálmán Dráfi. when the audience stood to sing of cellist János Starker (1924 - 2013), a In 2006, we had the privilege to Hungary's National Anthem, written distinguished graduate of the Academy, attend the opening of the Franz Liszt by Ferenc Erkel and accompanied by when I heard the young cellist Gergely Kulturzentrum in Liszt's birth town of the Academy Orchestra and Chorus, Devich perform the "Prelude" from Raiding (now in Burgenland, Austria), conducted by Academy alumnus Zoltán Bach's Cello Suite in C Major. This which was a fantastic experience. But this Kocsis. Many of us did not know the 15-year old virtuoso combines solid past fall in Budapest was extraordinary words or the melody, but we participated technique, precise intonation, and mature because of the historical significance in our hearts as the pride of Hungarian musicianship beyond his years - this is of the Academy building and the sheer musical heritage was evident in the someone to watch and listen to! and stunning Hungarian Art Nouveau resonant and beautiful concert hall. The next performer immediately magnificence of the Grand Hall. I will Next came a well-known work, displayed something that I couldn't quite attempt to convey the thrill we had during Brahms' "Hungarian Dance No. 5," identify at first until I read his biography. this evening's concert and reception. played by the Academy Symphony It was that certain "something" that was Just walking in the vicinity of the Orchestra under the direction of reminiscent of György Sebök's teaching - Academy is interesting, with its famous Concertmaster Barnabás Kelemen, from and to be sure, Gergely Bogányi had been Liszt statue, fingers extended and hair whom we would hear more a bit later. a student of Sebök at Indiana University, flying. (The websitehttp://www.360cities. The passion for this music was infectious, along with László Baranyay at the Liszt net/image/statue-of-franz-liszt-budapest is and one could almost feel his feet wanting Academy and Matti Raekallio at the an amazing way to tour the area and to dance the night away. Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Bogányi's Academy.) Walking through the doors The front of the Grand Hall is performance of Liszt's Réminiscences of of what really is a hallowed place is a grandiose (pardon the pun!), with the Don Juan was breathtaking! breathtaking experience because of the facade of a magnificent organ surrounded Ernő (Ernst von) Dohnányi was sheer beauty of the foyer and stairways. by golden, green, and brown hues on a major factor in the development of We were greeted by very friendly ceiling and walls. It is not surprising, piano playing in the first half of the 20th young guides who presented us with an then, that solo singer Anna Csizmadia century in Hungary, as both a performer elegantly designed bag that included a started her performance as if the music and teacher, and for music instruction in booklet featuring the events celebrating came from nowhere. One finally could Hungarian higher education as President the reopening, as well as a gold-colored spot her downstage left in a type of of the Liszt Academy for ten years. As a memento of the event, with the facade of balcony, as she sang a plaintive Hungarian (continued on page 20)

Volume 29, Number 2 17 Chapter News

Baltimore-Washington Chapter Mr. György Rethazi, the Embassy’s Major, played with great clarity and Chapter(Nancy Roldán, News President) Cultural Attaché, and the Embassy dynamic nuances, and Chopin's Polonaise- representatives and staff for the warm Fantasie, Op. 61, and Polonaise in A-Flat welcome offered us during this special Major, Op. 53. The latter was simply 2013 celebration. breath-taking. Baltimore-Washington Chapter Mr. Congratulations György Rethazi, to the all Embassy’sthe contestants; MajorThe, played second with half great of the clarity concert and (Nancy Roldán, President) Culturalheartfelt Attaché,thanks to and the the dedicated Embassy openeddynamic with nuances, three andÉtudes-Tableaux Chopin's Polonaise- from representativesindividuals - volunteers and staff all, for whothe warm have FantasieOp. 33 ,by Op. Rachmaninov, 61, and Polonaise which in A-FlatJeremy welcomecontributed offered to the us success during ofthis each special Majorplayed, Op.with 53. great The virtuosity, latter was followed simply by 2013celebration celebration. since 2005; to the judges, breath-taking.Jeremy's own beautiful Prelude in F. Then whoseCongratulations efforts have sustainedto all the contestants;nothing cameThe two second refreshing half of numbers: the concert Jeremy's heartfeltshort of thanksa miraculous to the growthdedicated of the openedtranscription with threeof two Études-Tableaux famous songs, from one individualsFestival and -Competition: volunteers all, your who generosity have Op.by Lennon/McCartney 33 by Rachmaninov, ("Blackbird") which Jeremy For almost a decade, people have traveled contributedhas no par. to the success of each playedand the with other great by Colevirtuosity, Porter followed ("Night byand from all corners of the world to enjoy celebration Lastly, special since recognition2005; to the goesjudges, to Jeremy'sDay"). These own beautifulwere done Prelude so marvelously in F. Then the Liszt-Garrison International Piano whosepresenters, efforts contributors, have sustained the American nothing cameand showed two refreshing very delicate, numbers: intimate Jeremy's Competition and Festival, born of love, playing. Liszt's "Les Cloches de Genève" shortLiszt Societyof a miraculous Board of growth Directors, of theand all transcription of two famous songs, one maintained by hard work, and fueled by Festivalwho inspire and withCompetition: words or yourdeeds generosity making bywas Lennon/McCartney masterful, and it was ("Blackbird") followed by the Forthe poweralmost of a decade,music. peopleEvery yearhave miracles traveled haspossible no par. these many years of travel andfinal the piece, other some by Cole of Jeremy'sPorter ("Night own Wagnerand fromhappen all incorners the hearts of the of worldaudiences to enjoy and throughLastly, known special and recognition unknown goes beautiful to Day").transcriptions, These werewhich done were so incredible. marvelously themusicians. Liszt-Garrison In those International special moments, Piano presenters,dimensions. contributors, Our Chapter the looks American forward andWe wishshowed him very the bestdelicate, in his intimate career; he is a Competitionmusic links our and souls, Festival, and bornin its ofgrasp love, Lisztto upcoming Society Boardencounters of Directors, in celebration and all playing.unique talent Liszt's worth "Les hearing. Cloches de Genève" maintainedwe experience by hardjoy, tears, work, and and even fueled by whoof The inspire American with words Liszt Society’sor deeds fiftiethmaking was masterful, and it was followed by the thetransformation. power of music. Every year miracles possibleanniversary these at Jamesmany yearsMadison of travel University. finalSan Francisco piece, some Bay of Area Jeremy's own Wagner happen Our 2013in the four-day hearts of voyage, audiences "Franz and through(Editor's Note:known You and may unknown see more details beautiful about transcriptions,(William Wellborn, which werePresident) incredible. musicians.Liszt: Visionary," In those started special off moments, Wednesday, dimensions.the competition Ourwinners, Chapter etc., on looks page 16 forward of this We wish him the best in his career; he is a musicOctober links 23, our with souls, the competitionand in its grasp at toissue.) upcoming encounters in celebration unique talent worth hearing. weNotre experience Dame of joy, Maryland tears, and University, even of The American Liszt Society’s fiftieth transformation.and ended with "Evocation" at the anniversaryNew York/New at James Jersey Madison Chapter University. San Francisco Bay Area HungarianOur 2013 Embassy four-day in voyage, Washington, "Franz (Editor's(Gila Goldstein, Note: You President)may see more details about (William Wellborn, President) Liszt:D.C. Thursday’sVisionary," recitalstarted featured off Wednesday, violinist the competition winners, etc., on page 16 of this OctoberJosé Cueto 23, and with the the Liszt-Garrison competition at2011 issue.) Notrebicentennial Dame winners of Maryland Casey University, Rafn, pianist, and endedthe Lachezar with "Evocation" Kostov/Viktor at the Valkov cello-piano duo. Moderated by pianist New York/New Jersey Chapter Hungarian Embassy in Washington, (Gila Goldstein, President) D.C.Ernest Thursday’s Ragogini, recitalFriday’s featured round tableviolinist Joséon "The Cueto Art and of theCollaboration" Liszt-Garrison featured 2011 The San Francisco Bay Chapter of ALS bicentennialsoprano Phillys winners Bryn-Julson, Casey Rafn, violinist pianist, José will host the 11th annual Young Pianists andCueto, the and Lachezar pianist Kostov/Viktor Gabriel Dobner. Valkov On Play Liszt concert, which will be held cello-pianoSaturday we duo. enjoyed Moderated the final by competition pianist on Saturday April 12, 2014, at 2:00 in Ernestrounds Ragogini,and the festival Friday’s gala. round Stirring table On January 16, 2014, the NY/NJ the Recital Hall of the San Francisco oninterpretations "The Art of by Collaboration" the 2011 Competition featured Chapter hosted young, rising star pianist/ TheConservatory San Francisco of Music, Bay Chapter 50 Oak ofStreet. ALS sopranowinners andPhillys an unforgettableBryn-Julson, violinist José composer Jeremy Jordan in a concert willAdmission host the to 11th the concertannual Young is free. Pianists Cueto,performance and pianist by Luiz Gabriel de Moura Dobner. Castro On presented at the Yamaha Piano Salon. Play Liszt concert, which will be held Saturdayprompted we a memberenjoyed theof thefinal audience competition to Jeremy was introduced to the on Saturday April 12, 2014, at 2:00 in roundsdeclare andEvocation the festival Gala gala.2013 Stirring"the most AmericanOn January Liszt 16, Society 2014, in the May NY/NJ 2013 the Recital Hall of the San Francisco interpretationsmoving musical by experience the 2011 Competitionof [her] entire Chapterat the ALS hosted festival young, in San rising Francisco, star pianist/ Conservatory of Music, 50 Oak Street. winnerslife." Commissioned and an unforgettable by the Baltimore- composerwhere he stunningly Jeremy Jordan performed in a concert his Admission to the concert is free. performanceWashington Chapter, by Luiz deÉvocation Moura à Castro la Chapelle presentedown transcriptions at the Yamaha of two Piano scenes Salon. from promptedSixtine received a member its premiere of the audienceby Kostov to Wagner'sJeremy Die was Götterdämmerung introduced to .the As a result, declareand Valkov Evocation interpreting Gala 2013their "theown mostcello Americanhe was invited Liszt to Society play a infull May recital 2013 under movingand piano musical duo transcription experience of of [her] this rarelyentire atthe the sponsorship ALS festival of in the San NY/NJ Francisco, Chapter, life."heard CommissionedFranz Liszt composition. by the Baltimore- where he stunninglyshowed impressive performed mastery his and Washington Although Chapter, a meeting Évocation with the à Presidentla Chapelle ownartistry. transcriptions of two scenes from Sixtineof Hungary received precluded its premiere his presence, by Kostov Wagner's Jeremy Die opened Götterdämmerung the recital .with As a result, andGyörgy Valkov Szapáry, interpreting Hungarian their Ambassador own cello hemesmerizing was invited performance to play a full of recital the Bach- under andto the piano United duo States, transcription expressed of histhis rarely theBusoni sponsorship choral prelude, of the "NunNY/NJ komm Chapter, der support and recognition by letter shortly heiden Heiland." He continued with New logo of the Franz Liszt Academy of heard Franz Liszt composition. where he showed impressive mastery and Music in Budapest. afterAlthough the event. a meeting Our gratitude with the to President artistry.Beethoven's Sonata No. 24 in F-Sharp of Hungary precluded his presence, Jeremy opened the recital with a György Szapáry, Hungarian Ambassador mesmerizing performance of the Bach- to the United States, expressed his Busoni choral prelude, "Nun komm der New logo of the Franz Liszt Academy of support18 and recognition by letter shortly heidenThe American Heiland." Liszt Society He -continued www.americanlisztsociety.net with after the event. Our gratitude to Beethoven's Sonata No. 24 in F-Sharp Music in Budapest.

18 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net Franz Liszt - Béla Szakcsi Lakatos Jazz Concert: A Review by Noel Hart

Well-known Hungarian jazz pianist Béla Chucho Valdes? Would Liszt have "Improvisation on Liszt Themes." Szakcsi Lakatos performed an all-Liszt appreciated the iconoclastic avant-garde These were followed by a duo featuring program as part of Liszt's bicentennial dissonance of Cecil Taylor? Would Kálmán Oláh (piano) and Csaba Klenyán celebrations in Budapest. The concert he have reveled in the dense clusters (clarinet), who played two pieces together: took place at the Festival Theatre at the apparent in the pianism of McCoy Tyner? "Improvisations on Themes of Valse impressive Palace of Arts in Budapest Interesting to contemplate. Interesting Oubliée" and "Consolation" (arranged by on 17 October 2011, five days before to consider that all of the diverse Kálmán Oláh). Liszt's 200th birthday. What was truly inflections mentioned above were All amazing musicianship throughout, fascinating was that the program featured tied together by the all-encompassing and it was obviously very interesting to JAZZ VERSIONS of Liszt's classical performance of Béla Szakcsi Lakatos, hear jazz versions of Liszt's pieces played compositions! who seamlessly merged a manifold array in a variety of combos. They performed I've often wondered what Franz Liszt of genres into a cohesive whole at the for over two hours. would think of jazz. He himself was a Palace of Arts in Budapest. Now, on to the back story. It wasn't wonderful improviser, and the epitome For those who aren't familiar, Szakcsi an easy task obtaining tickets. I’d arrived of jazz is, of course, improvisation. started playing the piano at age nine, in Budapest two weeks prior, had noted Liszt was also a harmonic innovator, dreaming that he would become a famous the upcoming Szakcsi concert in an comfortably sitting at the compositional composer and an outstanding interpreter advertisement displayed at the Liszt frontier, and in the Liszt literature you'll of classical music. However, while he Museum, and naively thought I'd simply often find the quoted line regarding Liszt attended the Béla Bartók Conservatory, purchase a ticket. I headed to the nearby hurling his proverbial musical javelin into he became acquainted with jazz, and ticket office on Andrássy Utca, not far the future. this experience was profound enough from the Budapest Opera House. I was The Palace of Arts program for this to divert him from further classical disappointed when informed that the performance noted the following: "Liszt studies. He’s performed at the most concert was entirely sold out, and had was considered the finest improviser of prestigious festivals from Zurich to been for some time. The woman kindly his time. Whatever the genre, from opera Warsaw, from Nuremberg to Belgrade, suggested I attempt to buy a ticket at arias to a Hungarian melody, he was able and from North America to Asia. From the actual venue, extra tickets sometimes to instantly dazzle an audience at the piano the beginning of the 1970s he taught being available, so I immediately headed with the assurance of a virtuoso. A large in the Jazz Piano Department of the to the Palace of Arts. No luck. Sold out. part of his adaptations and paraphrasing Béla Bartók Conservatory, where he put They did take my hotel phone number, of operas are simply written records of great emphasis on blending jazz and and mentioned that they’d phone on the these improvisations. Today, jazz is the classical music. Szakcsi has recorded day of the performance if a ticket should real home of improvisation. This concert many albums, both with his own combo become available. showcases Hungary’s finest jazz pianists formats, plus collaborative efforts with I didn’t receive a phone call. Failing – Liszt’s modern-day successors – who several diverse artists. "the phone call," they’d suggested I will demonstrate that when adapted to On to "tonight’s" performance. arrive an hour early on the night of the jazz, Liszt’s favorite themes can provide Several of the pieces Szakcsi were performance, which is what I ended up an endless platform for improvisation. complemented by a second pianist, fellow doing. So, there I was, standing patiently As Liszt was open to anything, there is Hungarian Kálmán Oláh, who joined in the same position, in front of the same no doubt he would have turned his hand Szakcsi for four-handed duets. They woman, 6:15 pm, the concert beginning to jazz if he were alive today – and it is were additionally joined by members of at 7:30 pm. Once again she informed me fun to imagine how the maestro himself a quintet for several of the pieces: Zoltán that unfortunately there were no seats would have played." Gyöngyössy (flute), Béla Horvath (oboe), available, but that I certainly should stand So, what would Franz Liszt think of Csaba Klenyán (clarinet), Gábor Bizják by as the slim possibility of an available jazz? And if he appreciated the genre, (horn), and Attila Jankó (bassoon). seat may arise. I waited . . . but no tickets. as I feel he would have, who would he The concert began with Liszt’s Ballade The clock ticked. No tickets. particularly admire? Would Liszt have No. 2 in B minor, a solo piano piece played It was after 7:00 pm at this point, and related to the unrestrained fluidity to be by Benjámin Lakatos, who is a student at I started to get a little desperate. The found in the piano virtuosity of traditional the Music Academy in Budapest. This woman at the ticket office thought I jazz giants such as Oscar Peterson or Art was followed by two premieres of brilliant should maybe head upstairs and speak to Tatum? Would he have warmed to the new Lisztian-inspired compositions: the organizer of the concert, last resort. introspective ruminating in the gorgeous Kálmán Oláh’s "Reflections on a Theme So I did. I officially presented my long- piano meanderings of Bill Evans? What of Liszt's Faust Symphony," and Szakcsi’s winded spiel, barely taking a breath, phew, about the forward-thinking eclectic "Tale of Three Notes - Quintet for squeaky wheel gets the grease. Said I’d tangents found in the pulchritudal piano Woodwinds on a Theme of Liszt's journeyed all the way from Australia for playing of Gonzalo Rubalcaba? How Piano Concerto No. 1." Captivating the Liszt bicentennial celebrations, that about the merging of international jazz performances of exciting original works. I was a member of both the British and borders contained in the mind-boggling The audience was then treated to two American Liszt Societies, I’d been doing playing of Dominican Republic virtuoso new improvisations for two pianos: research work at the Liszt Museum in Michel Camilo, or Cuban piano whiz "Hommage à Liszt," plus Szakcsi's (continued on page 20)

Volume 29, Number 2 19 Lakatos Jazz Concert (continuedReview from page 19) Facts and Figures About the

Budapest, I’d love to review the show, captivating performance, in a venue Renovation of the I’d been obsessed by all things Lisztian with sensational acoustics, featuring Franz Liszt Academy for over three decades, that my wife jazz versions of Liszt’s compositions even walked down the aisle to Liszt’s and pieces inspired by Liszt’s works, "Liebestraum" (well, maybe I didn’t impeccably played, which will always be 1100 builders mention the "Liebestraum" bit). Side remembered by those fortunate enough note: Actually, true story, I married my to have experienced it, myself included. 62 coordinating engineers wife on 22 October (in 2006), Liszt’s Oh, and it was filmed. Now, if only demolition material birthday (which happened to be the date they'll release the DVD! 53,000 cu ft that we’d met), and she DID in fact walk 295,000 cu ft new concrete down the aisle to "Liebestraum" (Claudio Arrau’s recorded version, by the way)! 14,700 cu ft new wood Anyway, back to the concert. I figured Re-opening of the there would have to be at least one ticket 630 tons reinforced steel available. I was almost prepared to ask Grand Hall in the if I could place an empty cup against the Liszt Academy 82 tons hot rolled steel fittings wall and listen to the concert via that! (continued from page 17) So, in the midst of relating my sob-story 114 miles installed electrical cable piping the organizer’s assistant received a timely composition student in the class of 131 miles low-voltage cables phone call, they chatted briefly, and the Hans Koessler - with classmates Béla organizer said with a grand gesture and Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, he was in 15 miles installed heating ducts flourish (and most likely a sigh of relief almost all his music steeped in Brahmsian to be rid of me) that a ticket had been romanticism in contrast to his two 3 miles air ducts found for me downstairs! Excitement! famous classmates. A performance of I rushed back down to the ticket office the first movement from Dohnányi's 37,700 sq ft installed terrazzo floor tiling to find a woman standing there with a Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 1, by pianist single spare ticket. She said her husband Dénes Várgon and the Keller Quartet, 42,500 sq ft installed acoustical tiling couldn't venture out at the last minute was a beautiful echo of late-19th century installed parquet flooring due to extreme sciatic back pain. She romanticism. 38,800 sq ft did warn me, hesitating, that it was "an The evening's grand finale was a 30,500 sq ft restored stone facades expensive ticket, 4200 forints, because it stirring presentation of Beethoven's was a very good seat, fourth row, center, Choral Fantasy, Op. 80, performed by 4,300 sq ft covered with Zsolnay* tiling on the floor." the excellent pianist Gábor Farkas as I couldn’t believe my ears. Fantastic! soloist, with the Symphony Orchestra and 61,000 sq ft decorative painted areas Advertised tickets were 1700/2900/3700 Chorus of the Liszt Academy conducted forints, so this WAS a comparatively by Zoltán Kocsis. The rhythmic 32,600 sq ft covered wire mesh areas expensive ticket, though to me it was an precision and highest level of ensemble amazing bargain. My savior was an air playing was a delight to the ear and soul. 5,000 sq ft velvet upholstery (GH)** hostess for Hungarian airline Malev. She The response to the final work and to the 2,600 sq ft drapery (GH)** said they’d bought the tickets a couple entire concert was beyond enthusiastic. of months ago, and though her husband A short visit to the beautifully 4,000 sq ft stained glass surfaces couldn’t make it, she was very happy to be renovated Chamber Hall, named selling the seat to somebody as blatantly after distinguished Academy alumnus 44 stained glass windows ecstatic as myself. Anyway, in we went, Georg (György) Solti, provided even excellent seats, fourth row, center, just as more evidence of the significance of 1,076 new windows fitted with sound, she’d said. Need I say it was well worth the renovation project. Here one will heat, insulation, and glass the effort? be able to experience chamber opera 90 restored bronze sculptures and So, back to the primary question, performances and ensemble concerts. decorative elements would Liszt have loved jazz? I think he The evening had been a great success. would've reveled in the improvisation, Audience members and performers the amalgamation of a vast array of joined together after the concert in the *Zsolnay is a type of Hungarian ceramic that was disparate styles, the inherent virtuosity, foyers on both floors, sipping champagne used in numerous buildings especially during the the harmonic experimentation, the hurled and wine, marveling in what was for Art Nouveau movement in Hungary. javelin. Yes, Liszt would’ve loved jazz. everyone a truly great experience. As I Extending the thought, quite simply said elsewhere is this issue, you simply **GH denotes Grand Hall. I think Liszt would've loved the Béla MUST visit this fine facility, a tribute to Szakcsi Lakatos performance. It was a our namesake and a monument to what Specifications provided by the Franz Liszt most fitting tribute in the week of Liszt's dedication, devotion, and resourcefulness Academy of Music. US area/volume equivalents Bicentennial. A unique, wonderful, and can do in supporting the arts! are rounded off to the nearest hundred.

20 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net Two Rare Liszt Works Published in October 2013

Above are the covers from the first two publications by the BHKZ Academy in the series, "Liszt Rarities." The cover to the left is from Jeanne d'Arc, a beautiful score that includes an outstanding preface written by Mária Eckhardt, and that to the right from Zellner's transcription of the lovely "Gretchen" movement of the Faust Symphony, with an excellent preface by Dr. Zsuzsanna Domokos. The date for both prefaces is October 22, 2013, Liszt's 202nd birthday. (Copies of the covers are used by permission. ©Copyright 2013 Rondino Music Kft.) For more information about these publications, or about the catalog of the permanent collection of the Liszt Memorial Museum, please contact the Franz Liszt Memorial Museum and Research Center at http://www.lisztmuseum.hu/en/aboutus/ publications. For more information about Génie Oblige!, edited by Mária Eckhardt, and Following Franz Liszt's Footsteps in Budapest, by Ágnes Watzaka, please contact the publisher, Helikon Press, at helikon.hu. Using Google Chrome, this website, which is in Hungarian, can be translated into English; using Internet Explorer, the site remains in Hungarian.

Volume 29, Number 2 21 ALS Directory Updates

PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE your corrections to the Membership Concordia College OF A NEW EMAIL ADDRESS Secretary, Barbara Mellon Kolb, at Jay Hershberger Thomas Mastroianni, President of [email protected]. Thank you! [email protected] The American Liszt Society: [email protected] Iowa Ksenia Nosikova [email protected] INDIVIDUAL TO LIFE A note about ALS MEMBER: Kansas Enrico Elisi dues statements Steven Spooner 9 Smethwick Court [email protected] Pittsford, NY 14354 By now, most of you will have received your dues statements for 2014. Please [email protected] Western US Pianist note that there is no longer a charge San Francisco Bay Area for chapter dues on your annual William Wellborn dues statement. You should contact [email protected] NEW MEMBERS a chapter in your area and let the Stijn DeCock chapter president know you want to Idaho Chapter 240 Temple St #1003 be a part of that chapter. You will be Jay Mauchley Fredonia, NY 14063 billed by that chapter. To assist you [email protected] H 248-412-3761 with this endeavor, please refer to the [email protected] list of chapters, their presidents, and Oregon Pianist appropriate e-mail addresses, as shown Alexandre Dossin below. [email protected] Brian Lee Moody Bible Institute –Music Dept. Southern US 820 N. LaSalle Blvd Eastern US Rice University Chicago, IL 60610 New York/New Jersey Robert Roux W 312-329-4091 Gila Goldstein [email protected] [email protected] gilagoldstein.com/liszt/ Professor of Piano South Florida at Florida International Baltimore/Washington University Nancy Roldán José Raul López ADDRESS CORRECTIONS [email protected] [email protected] Margaret Allen 3055 N. Polar Lane University of Hartford Europe Palmer, AK 99645 Luiz de Moura Castro Italy H 907-745-2520 [email protected] Michele Campanella [email protected] Kim Pananides Pennsylvania 1751 Cougar Ridge Road Timothy Schafer Buellton, CA 93427 [email protected] Want to See Your Sandro Russo Boston/Northern New England Name in the Next 47-27 Little Neck Pkwy #2A Tish Anne Kilgore Little Neck, NY 113620 [email protected] Issue? Midwest We are always in search of news about Chicago/Midwest our members' musical, educational, and CONCERNING ADDRESS, Daniel Paul Horn scholarly activities. Even if what you are EMAIL, AND OTHER [email protected] doing does not pertain directly to Liszt, INFORMATION CHANGES: if you are a member of ALS, then your University of Nebraska-Lincoln professional and musical activities are of interest to all of us. Please help us to keep the Membership Paul Barnes Please send your information to Ed Directory up to date and accurate by [email protected] Rath at [email protected]. Please note: sending us any information about your all previous e-mail addresses no new address, e-mail, phone number, Indiana University longer function to receive submissions etc. If you notice an error, for which we Karen Shaw for the American Liszt Society apologize in advance, please send [email protected] Newsletter or the ALS website!!!

22 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net Odds and Ends

Daniel Pollock Master Classes will take The next biennial Los Angeles place in various locations in the US and International Liszt Competition Photo Credits Europe: will take place November 24 - 26, Page 2: Thomas Mastroianni 2014 (Friday, November 24, is for June 3 - 7 (dates to be confirmed - organ contestants only). This event Page 3: Robert Brown Photography please note that much of this time frame is sponsored in part by the American conflicts with the ALS festival in Virginia!) Liszt Society, and most adjudicators are Page 6: Leslie Eloed Seattle, Washington members of ALS. For more information, please visit the competition website at Page 7: La Casa Rosa Associazione July 13 - 16 http://liszt-competition.com, check the ALS Socio Culturale Madrid, Spain website at http://www.americanlisztsociety. International Academy of Music net for updates as we receive them, and Page 10: Kálmán Dráfi be sure to read the next issue of the ALS July 18 - 23 (dates to be confirmed) Newsletter! Page 11: 1. Lois Rath Imola, Italy (near Bologna) 2. Lois Rath Accademia Pianistica Internazionale 3. Franz Liszt Memorial "Incontri col Maestro" The 10th edition of the International Museum and Research Centre Franz Liszt Piano Competition will July 25 - August 8 take place at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, Page 18: Nancy Roldán Baden-Württemberg, Germany the Netherlands, from October 26 until Gila Goldstein International Summer Academy of Music November 8, 2014. Application is open William Wellborn to pianists between the ages of 17 and Franz Liszt Academy August 18 - 24 29. For more information, please see Dresden, Germany the website at http://www.liszt.nl/pages/ Page 24: 1. Franz Liszt Academy Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von reglement. 2. Lois Rath Weber 3. Edward Rath 4. Edward Rath The For more information contact: info@ Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival 5. Kata Schiller/Franz Liszt will take place July 16 - August 1 at the Academy Azaroffmktg.com, or go to Daniel's website University of South Florida in Tampa. at http://danielpollack.com/master-classes/ 6. Kata Schiller/Franz Liszt Abbey Simon will be the event's Legacy Academy Artist, and a number of faculty pianists 7. Kata Schiller/Franz Liszt include members of the American Liszt Academy Society. Tuition and dormitory housing 8. Marianna Sárközy It's Greek to Me! are free, but there is a registration fee of 9. Lois Rath $475. Application deadline is March 15, Ο ΑΓΝΩΣΤΟΣ LISZT! Sure, there 10. Peter Hermann 2014. For more information go to 11. Franz Liszt Memorial are some among our membership who http://rebeccapenneyspianofestival.org/ can immediately translate that title, but Museum and Research Centre for those who cannot, it says, "The 12. György Darabos/Franz Liszt Unknown Liszt." That was the title of a Academy concert presented on October 22, 2013, In the Next Issue 13. Personal photo collection Liszt's 202nd birthday, in Athens, Greece. Repertoire included many familiar Liszt of the Newsletter Want to read and see more about piano works, such as "Mephisto" Waltz the reconstruction of the Liszt No. 1, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, and Continuing with the theme of the 50th Academy and Liszt Museum? "Vallée d'Obermann," but in relatively Anniversary of The American Liszt rare versions for chamber ensemble, Society, our second commemorative For the Liszt Academy, go to http:// including voice. The performers included publication will focus on ALS itself, zeneakademia.hu/en/downloads/press-room as Panagiotis Tziotis, violin; Christina with conversations involving long-time your starting point. A Google search - or Kolovou, cello; Lefki Karpodini and society members. We will also wrap utilizing another search engine - using Michael Brownlee Walker, piano; and up the anniversary celebration at the key words also can take you to wonderful Eleni Panagiotopoulou, soprano, who festival in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and web pages. The easiest prompts to use notified ALS about the concert. Eleni is have a preview of the 2014 Los Angeles are "Liszt Academy renovation" or "Liszt organizing a series of mini-concerts, of International Liszt Competition. Academy reopens." You will also want Liszt's music, and the next is reported to to access the Liszt Ference Memorial feature Liszt's choral music, which Eleni Be sure to keep checking the ALS and Museum and Research Centre at http:// thinks may be the first time some of the James Madison University websites for www.lisztmuseum.hu/en/ for further works have been heard publicly in Greece! updates concerning the 2014 festival. information about its holdings and staff.

Volume 29, Number 2 23 1. Logo, new Concert Centre of the Liszt Academy.

2. Museum staff members Kitti Gosztola, Anna Peternák, and Katalin Avar; Dr. Zsuzsanna Domokos, Director; 3. Front of the Liszt Academy, Budapest. 4. Liszt birthday wreath, Budapest State Opera. Dr. Edward Rath with Liszt’s birthday wreath.

5. Grand Hall at the start of the renovation. 6. Making progress! 7. Gala Concert, with Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Franz Liszt Academy.

8. At the Gala Opening of the Liszt Grand Hall. 9. Mária Eckhardt and Edward Rath standing next to 10. Kálman Dráfi. L to R: Lois Rath, Edward Rath, Judith Nesleny. the newly-renovated piano-orgue at the Liszt Museum.

12. Georg Solti Chamber Hall, Liszt Academy 13. Mária Eckhardt with the Choir of the National Széchényi 11. Dr. Domokos greets Lady Valerie Solti of Music. Library in the Liszt Concert Hall of the Old Academy of Music. at the Liszt Museum, as Dr. András Batta looks on.

24 The American Liszt Society - www.americanlisztsociety.net