Hungarian Violinists ∙ Legendary Hubay Pupils ∙ Virovai ∙ Gertler ∙ Vegh ∙ 2CD

Jenő Hubay’s career as a violinist, composer, and teacher established him as one of the most prominent figures in the European music scene of the previous century. Among his numerous celebrated students were André Gertler and Sándor Végh, yet one pupil remained largely unnoticed: Róbert Virovai, whose playing was one of the last sounds that Hubay was to enjoy. Two days before he died, he heard his pupil and mentioned this pleasure to a friend, “Young Virovai was here today! He played so beautifully that astonished even me. He’s absolutely exceptional, and never before have I had a pupil so greatly talented.” After winning the ninth prize at the Eugéne Ysaÿe Concours and the first prize at the Vienna violinists’ contest, both in 1937, Virovai embarked on a significant concert tour in the United States. He performed with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by John Barbirolli, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, led by Fritz Reiner, and the Ford Symphony Orchestra, under Eugene Ormandy. After World War II, Virovai participated in the Long-Thibaud Competition twice, but received the third prize once and later the fourth prize. This outcome caused great frustration for him until the end of his life and displayed all the elements of a tragic tale. His career rose meteorically only to decline within 15 years. Subsequently, he assumed the role of concertmaster in orchestras across Tunisia, Algeria, France, Denmark, and Switzerland, culminating in his appointment as the section leader of the second violins in the Winterthur Orchestra. Despite the absence of any commercial recordings, these surviving radio recordings provide a glimpse into the artistry of a violinist who was once predicted by Hubay to become one of the greatest in the world.