Magyar News, 1994. szeptember-1995. augusztus (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1995-07-01 / 11-12. szám
ÁN AFTERNOON OF VIENNESE/HUNGARIAN MUSIC AN UNEXPECTED GREETING FROM A QUEEN For more than 15 years, I have often driven to Boston from Connecticut to visit my younger son and his family. The ride is a very easy one, all on superhighways and depending on my time of departure, I would usually want to stop for a simple lunch. I had practically made a habit of stopping at the Roy Roger's Restaurant off Exit 1 in Massachusetts. I had passed on these trips a sign, near Union, Connecticut, the last town going north on 184, which was large enough to be seen from the highway. The sign was next to an attractive large yellow house and it said, “Food and Books.” Of course, I was curious about the connection and drove by wondering and saying to myself, “Ort'e day I’ll stop to look into it.” That day finally arrived last fall. The restaurant, called the Traveller Restaurant, at Exit 74 of Route 84, served fullfare meals, specializing in turkey but with a wide choice of many delicious-sounding meals. It had been started by a gentleman who was an avid book collector, and when he finally had accumulated more books than his home could hold, he conceived the idea of starting a restaurant, installing his thousands of books and offering a free book to every patron who ate there. My turn had finally come! I ate a delicious lunch of home-baked beans, hot dogs and homemade bread and when I finished I began wandering around perusing the bookcases and shelves where the free books were located. There was also high on the wall of the entire large dining room a plate-rail where books were standing facing front. My eyes travelled half the room when I caught sight of a book with an attractively illustrated dust cover so I reached for it and saw the name “Elizabeth’s Greeting.” I was more interested then because my mother’s name had been Elizabeth and the illustration on the jacket showed medieval scenes and a picture of a queen. I quickly glanced through it, long enough to see that it was a novel about the entire life of Princess Elizabeth of Hungary who had been betrothed to Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and sent there to live with his family when she was four years old. Naturally, I chose this as my free book, left the restaurant, continued my ride and subsequently read the entire book. It was an informative biographical novel written in 1968 by Rosemary Houghton, an English author of adult and children's books, about the Elizabeth of Hungary who by all-embracing power of her faith was eventually declared a Saint. How fate leads us in directions we could never imagine! There I had found a book which gave the inspiring account of the great Hungarian Queen Elizabeth—Saint Elizabeth— and made me feel ever closer to my own dear Mother Elizabeth—Imri Erzsi of Felső Kelecsény, Borsod Megye, Hungary— who died at age 95 in Bridgeport, Connecticut— Elizabeth Standish. Bette Standish Johnson The restaurant and the bookshelves. Because love of music is deeply ingrained in Magyar blood, history has made Hungarians travel many roads—some long and rough, some bright and beautiful, but music has been there to fill the Magyar souls. Local talent was sought and six people agreed eagerly to be part of the afternoon's entertainment as a benefit for the Hungarian Scholarship program in May. The Stratford Library agreed to co-sponsor the event and offered the use of the beautiful Lovell Room. A number of area Hungarians contributed to the Patrons' list and approximately 100 people filled the Lovell Room to capacity. The performers were Kristina Béres, currently a Nursing Student at St. Vincent's College who despite some slight problems with her throat sang “Nagy Isten” and “Autumn Leaves.” During her school years in Fairfield, she was very active in the Fairfield High School’s Concert Choir, in Connecticut All-State Chorus and in her Calvin United Church, services and special patriotic and religious holidays and programs. Her devoted Hungarian family has sent her to Hungary twice which helped develop her abilities in spoken Hungarian which she studied locally with Sári Balogh. Aside from her talent with her native soprano voice, she has studied piano for 8 years, and who knows?—she may later use her music abilities in caring for patients when she becomes an R.N.Ü! Rose Deutsch —“Rozsika”— what can one say about someone of renown whose reputation has made her an “institution” in the music world in the northeast? Many may not know that though Rozsika was born in Hungary, her family emigrated to Cuba where she was schooled and trained in her violin studies. As a young woman, she went to New York, drawn to the musical mecca, where she met and married the young, able, handsome pianist, László Deutsch, forming a musical duo and life partnership which spawned two fine sons. They brought their sparkling talent to Bridgeport where for many decades they played their repertoire of continental music and had a weekly Hungarian radio program. Despite the loss of her beloved partner a few years ago, and recent serious surgery requiring long hospitalization, she continues to solo with her violin. Her two selections, “Dance Tziganes” and “Air Tziganes” were wonderful examples of Magyar melodies and rhythms as well as showcases for Rozsika’s expert fingering and feeling. page 4
