Magyar Herald, 1989 (1-3. szám)
1989 / 2. szám
Rev.Dr .Francis Vitéz 493 Amboy Ave. Perth Amboy,NJ 08861 Kondorossy’s musical experience, filtering through in complex and sophisticated situation and conditions. Kondorossy himselt in one of many interviews elaborated it thus: ‘We Hungarians cannot resist the characteristic rhythm, the accelerating tempo, and the passionate gift for song found in our native music.’ Oh yes, George Barati. the very talented Hungarian composer and conductor of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra said this, and I agree with him.” Then he added very convincingly: “My works represent my philosophy of life in the relationship between human and human, not the philosophy I learned in school and books but what I acquired by naked life itself. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing expresses the same belief in his melodrama: ‘It matters not if a person is Mohammedan, Jew, Christian, white, black, Indian, what his religion or race may be, but the human quality of the individual that is the true measure of human society.’ One of Kondorossy’s memorable compositions is the “Ode to the Loyalty of First” presented locally here at the 80th Anniversary of the First Hungarian Reformed Church, which has a very special meaning here at the present just a little more than a year before the great Centennial. Music, the only universal language, brought together Hungarian-born Leslie Kondorossy and Elizabeth Davis, who happens to be The Secretary of our Cleveland Magyar Club, who is of Scotch-Irish descent, as a husband-wife team whose compositions are played across the world. His auburn-haired wife, whose pen name is Shawn Hall, was the lyricist for many of his works. They have traveled through the world to arrange for and hear their compositions performed. She herself revised seven of his opera texts and wrote the words to about 50 of his 100 songs. Fortunately her schooling has helped Leslie Kondorossy tremendously, she herself being an Oberlin graduate with Music and English major. She is retired teacher of Sunbeam School and still active organist of First Church. Leslie Kondorossy was honored by the Magyar Club of Cleveland for his contribution to the cultural life of the Hungarian Community in Cleveland. On December 13, 1988 a large number of our Club members attended the peerage j O ur Eiirtti-comjng^eFitSL The Annual Hurka-Kölbász Dinner" formance of “The Son of Jesse” in Judson Manor Ballroom, which was an unforgettable experience for those present. Most unfortunately Kondorossy himself was unable to attend, but video-taped account of the performance was shown to him in his hospital bed. Beethoven wrote music for instruments not yet invented. Leslie Kondorossy has done the same, maybe even for instruments that never will be invented! His music indeed is the music of the spheres. In that lies his real greatness, which will be more appreciated in the future than it is in the present. His music is universal and knows no border-lines, yet it is in every tone genuinely Magyar. Just as real as the old Hungarian folk-song: „ Kondorossy csárda mellett, gulya, ménes ott delelget. " Through his music he even succeeded to make his Scotch-Irish wife a true Hungarian in spirit. Writer of these treatise wholeheartedly believes to tell the life stories of those, whose names appear in the “Who is Who?” Volumes, before all of us will enter into the volume entitled: “Who was Who?” Reports on recently passed events of the Club The Annual ‘Hungarian Village’ Ham-Bean Soup Dinner, a hagyományos Bab-leves Ebéd was held on the 18th of February in the West Side Hungarian Reformed Church. James Hudák was chairman of the successful annual get-together. Rev. Aaron Elek opened the event with invocation. Mrs. Ernie Hudak and her sister prepared again the delicious dinner for those, who attended. Music, singing and fellowship was enjoyed by all till the late hours of the night. * Meeting of the Board was held on March 30 at the PEMCO building. Bill Köteles being again the gracious host. Theodore Toth presided over the meeting that had only one item on the Agenda: the revision of our Club’s Constitution and By-laws. The final text was prepared and will be presented to the Annual Business Meeting for discussion and final approval. will be held on Saturday, April 15 at St. Emeric Church. Bar at 6.00 p.m. — Dinner at 7.00 p.m. $10.00 per person. — It is also an annual tradition like the ‘Bableves’ and has been continued already for 65 years since the establishment of the Cleveland Magyar Club. Music will be performed by the Steve Pál orchestra from Akron. Reservations through President Ted Toth (467-8912) or Jim Hudák (842-7373). Important notice! This will be also the annual time for the nominations of new officers. Let us all attend! * The May Event — as every year — will be our Mothers’ Day Dinner to be held on Friday, May 12 at Gilmore Academy in style as always. Bar at 6.00 p.m. and Dinner at 7.00 p.m. at the Norman-French atmosphere of the gorgious Dining-Hall. Frank Dobos will be the Master of Ceremonies for this Gala-Occasion. The Hungarian Mothers of this year will be: Edna Juhász (Rev. Emery Juhász’s wife) and Dorothy Bolla (Mr. Ted Bolla’s wife) both to be honored for their relentless contributions to the life of the Hungarian Lutheran churches of East and West in particular and for their participations in our Cleveland Activities in general. Election of officers will also take place at his meating! — Hungarian Mothers of TheYear Honored by The Cleveland Magyar Club in The Past Four Years Former Hungarian Mothers of the year were: Mrs. Kenny King (1985), Mrs. Margaret Bodnár Novotny and Mrs. John Palasics (1986), Mrs. N. Haraszti, Kati Kapossy (1987), and Mrs. Stephen Körmendy (1988). MAGYAR HERALD Published by The Magyar Club of Cleveland, Ohio President: THEODORE TOTH Quarterly Review for members of Magyar Club Editor: DR. STEPHEN SZABO Correspondence Address: 415 Steven Blvd. Richmond Hts., Ohio 44143 Telephone: 481-3648 Printed by Classic Priming Corp. 9527 Madison Ave.. Cleveland, Ohio 44102
