Photo credit: Tony Powell
“Passion: It’s in our DNA,” Hungarian-born Aniko Gaal Schott told Hollywood on the Potomac at a Valentine’s Day celebration at the St. Regis Hotel in honor of the Budapest Festival Orchestra and legendary Maestro Iván Fischer. “Hungarians think with their heart and their head. It’s a good combination.”
Hungarians grow up on Faust and Verdi; on culture and symphonies and orchestras; so it’s no wonder that the evening was a love fest for Maestro Fischer who single-highhandedly took a handful of musicians 33 years ago and made them into one of the top ten best orchestras in the world. “I’m full of love for Iván Fischer,” she added. The evening was hosted by Aniko, Jane Cafritz, Manuel Martinez and Karon Cullen.
Jane Cafritz with former First lady of Bolivia Ximena Sanchez de Losada, former President of Bolivia Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada & Aniko Gaal Schott
We asked Aniko to give us a for a little personal History #101 on the Hungarian Revolution and the survival of the arts: “Our property was confiscated, so we grew up on stories. Sunday lunches at home were stories about how our parents entertained and what they did; and in fact, it was partly musical because my father, after dinner and lunch, used to sing certain parts of an aria and we had to guess whether it was Faust, Puccini or Verde. I was ten years old when I saw Tosca for the first time. Then of course I wanted to be an opera singer. Under Communism, there was one thing that was quite amazing: They did promote culture and they did promote classical music. There was a certain mystery about it though. Those who played the instruments had to be approved by the party to play at the time. Many people – opera singers for example – didn’t really have a good voice because they had to belong to the party. If you didn’t belong to the party, you would not be allowed to sing. I think the arts are part of our upbringing and it has always been true, before and after the revolution. The good thing now is that we have as much warmth as we used to have in 40’s.”
Manuel Martinez
Manuel Martinez is the regional manager of the St. Regis Hotel. “We are very pleased to honor another glorious institution – The Budapest Festival Orchestra – and its beloved maestro Iván Fischer. Tonight you’re standing in the heart of our grand hotel celebrating its nineteenth anniversary. We are proud to honor the institution here, an orchestra that has captured the hearts of an international devoted following. On behalf of all of us at The St. Regis, may I say that we are very pleased to welcome all your distinguished guests and musicians. We are deeply honored to have the Budapest Festival Orchestra in our ballroom tonight. I’m very happy that we can share this occasion with our friends in Washington.”
Ann and Lloyd Hand
“It’s a wonderful locale and we’re so delighted to be here,” said Jane Cafritz. “Yes, it’s cold out so we’re glad you came in to snuggle with us. I want to thank some very special friends, The Ambassador of Japan, Ambassador Sasae and his wife Nobuko. I want to thank The Ambassador of Monaco, Ambassador Doyle; The Ambassador of Greece, Ambassador Christos Panagopoulus; The Ambassador of Panama, Ambassador González-Revilla; and the Ambassador from Brazil, Ambassador Costa. Unfortunately, the Hungarian Ambassador could not be with us, but she did send some words that I would like to read to you this evening from my iPhone.” ‘[It is]with deep regret that due to the foreign ministers trip to Texas I cannot be with you personally today. Let me send my very best wishes to all of you wholeheartedly, on this truly special evening when we welcome one of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, also Hungary’s finest musical ambassador, the Budapest Festival Orchestra in Washington DC, led by the fantastic Maestro Iván Fischer. They give you the best and finest of Hungary’s rich cultural life; their performances are so deeply touch their audiences’ hearts everywhere in the world and I am most confident that after listening to their fantastic performance everyone of you will take a little piece of love of Hungary in your hearts with you. Wishing you a fantastic evening of friendship and love and music, and an unforgettable evening. Best regards, Réka Szemerkényi.’
Jane Cafritz
Maestro Fischer was introduced by Aniko Gaal Schott as the principal guest conductor of the National Symphony for a year “who then took a little sabbatical and then came back for another two years as principal conductor; and sadly the Washingtonians were not able to convince him to stay and take the helm of the NSO. He went back to his beloved Budapest Festival Orchestra, of which he’s of course the founder, the music director and conductor. He’s also the conductor of the Concert House Orchestra, Berlin, and that’s when he’s not conducting all over the world with various important orchestras. One would assume that he conducts none stop, but in fact he doesn’t. He is a composer, an opera director and producer, a writer, he’s a cellist, pianist, violinist, trumpist. He just recently, I read, purchased a Scottish bagpipe to master that, and yesterday I read that he actually won a chess championship in Holland. Anyway. without further ado, I’d like to introduce Hungary’s treasure, and in fact everyone’s treasure, a man whose dream was to create a world renowned orchestra in Budapest. Not only did his dream come true, but he exceeded that by in fact having this orchestra be nominated as one of the ten best orchestras of the world.”
Photo credit: Janet Donovan
Click here to listen to the Budapest Festival Orchestra
“First of all I have a bagpipe, but I don’t know how to play it,” responded Fischer. “I’m starting lessons now on the Scottish bagpipe and I hope that when I come back to Washington I can swing, but at the moment I’m not fit, not fit for it. I have to say that for me to come back to Washington is a very emotional occasion because I spent a few wonderful years here. and I must say you have a great orchestra. The National Symphony is a wonderful orchestra and I enjoyed every minute of what time I spent with this great orchestra. Yes, it is true that the Budapest Festival Orchestra is now the big hype, it’s celebrated all over the world. In fact, we are very proud that we were chosen as one of the best orchestras in the world, which I believe is true because we worked very, very hard and it’s a dream which has come true. I founded this orchestra say now thirty-four years ago, and that was the time of communism in Hungary. Now just imagine starting a new private orchestra under communism in Hungary. It was a completely crazy thing to do. Somehow we managed to survive. The regime changed, we stayed, and the orchestra has become since then a dream which has come true, really true.”
Maestro Fischer (center)
“Now that I can bring these musicians to my beloved Washington, I’m very moved about it,” said Fischer. “When I will look down from the stage of The Kennedy Center tomorrow, I will see many, many familiar faces in the audience. Of course we will do our best, we will try to make a great evening; but for me, it will be a reunion with the Washington community and I’m extremely, extremely happy to be here and bring my Hungarian baby here tomorrow. So this is really the appeal for me. Now just for your information, the Budapest Festival Orchestra is a private organization, a little bit like an American model. I learned the system in the United States – how to organize an orchestra which is a private foundation. It’s not state controlled, like most European orchestras, but it’s a foundation, like the American symphony orchestras. To adapt that system into Eastern Europe is something I don’t want to suggest you to try. It’s not an easy thing to do, but it’s possible. We are still alive, we have a board of directors, we have a wonderful circle of friends in the United States and we have an emerging excellent network of friends in different countries, also in various European countries. It’s a worldwide global family which keeps this orchestra alive, and it’s wonderful to see friends all over the world, but the American friends stick out as the most faithful, most enthusiastic group. We will do our best to make good music for you. Maybe there will be a little, music tonight, but especially tomorrow in the big hall. It’s wonderful to be here. You will hear a little bit of music, a few of our Hungarian musicians are here and they will perform you something so you get a taste of it.”
The Ambassador of Japan and Mrs. Sasae
“Sometimes I get this question: What is the secret of the Budapest Festival? And I think it’s the choice of the people who play. What kind of musicians should we chose for an orchestra? I’ve seen all over the world the selection process of choosing the musicians that do very well,; they fit in and follow the instructions precisely of the conductor. And I thought, ‘this will never make a great orchestra. So…….we have a selection of completely bloody minded individuals and they have a lot of great personal character and they form a wonderful team. So, it’s a team of fantastically indiviualistic musicians and that is what you have seen on this stage. Now, you have a choice. You choose what you want to hear……either a Rhumba or a Tango.” Tango, Tango, Tango!!! “Thank you, so here is a Tango for you.” Michael Chertoff got to chose the next piece: It was his birthday. Brazilian, Brazilian, Brazilian!!!”
So how do you get young people interested in classical music we wanted to know? “We are now starting midnight concerts,” Maestro Fischer replied. “with the simple trick that we tell the young people we play to you at the time that you are awake and your parents are asleep and they flood to the concerts.” Game on.
“It’s hard to think of an orchestra that can stir greater thrills than the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer,” wrote the New York Classical Review.
