Tamás Vásáry led an extraordinary life. Displaying prodigious talent from an early age, he rose to fame as a pianist: he was reportedly gifted a Steinway from the composer Zoltán Kodály, following his Franz Liszt competition win just aged 14. However, his early conducting ambitions were put on hold, having fled his native Hungary in 1956.
As a pianist, Vásáry became one of the leading interpreters of the music of Chopin and Liszt, and later carved a formidable reputation as a conductor in the UK. First, with the Northern Sinfonia (now Royal Northern Sinfonia) before taking the baton as Principal Conductor with Bournemouth Sinfonietta in 1989. Audiences in the South West were fortunate to not only experience his insightful conducting but also hear him play. He returned to direct from the keyboard throughout his time at the helm of the Sinfonietta.
In his opening season, Vásáry directed performances at Bristol’s St George’s Hall (28 Sept 1989) and the Civic Hall in Didcot, two days later. The programme included Schumann’s Piano Concerto, which he played, before Martinů’s Toccata e Due Canzoni – and Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony. He also conducted Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in his opening season – a month later, in Poole, Bristol and Exeter – in a programme of Kodály, Mozart and Dvořák.
Vásáry’s music-making with Bournemouth Sinfonietta is immortalised on several recordings from the period. During his time at the helm, he recorded music by Bohuslav Martinů [Chandos] – featuring the Sinfonietta Giocosa, Sinfonietta La Jolla and Toccata e Due Canzoni – with pianist Julian Jacobson, in Poole. Vásáry and the Sinfonietta also recorded music by Arthur Honegger [Chandos] the following year. A recording of works by Mozart, on which Vásáry directed the Piano Concerto No. 21 In C Major K.467 from the keyboard, was to become one of the final recording projects for the ensemble before it disbanded in November 1999. The recording captured solos from the Sinfonietta’s principal flute Howard Nelson and former leader Richard Studt.
Anthony Brown, former Concerts Director at the Sinfonietta, recalls happy memories working with Tamás in the early 1990s: “I am so privileged to have worked with such a musical genius. Apart from being one of the greatest pianists I’ve witnessed, he was also just such a kind and generous person. Watching Tamás directing Mozart piano concertos from the keyboard was just heavenly.”
Read a full obituary on The Daily Telegraph. Slipped Disc has also included links to Vásáry’s performances on YouTube.