Carl Flesch by José Sánchez-Penzo

8 Mosonmagyaróvár

8.1 Mosonmagyaróvár's location

Freehand sketch of the region around Carl Flesch's birthplace

The Hungarian town Mosonmagyaróvár has 31.700 inhabitants. It is located in the region, where the three countries Hungary, Austria and Slovakia meet, 80 Km from Vienna and 30 Km from Bratislava. Originally Flesch's birthplace Moson, Magyaróvár and Lucsony were three different towns. They were combined to Mosonmagyaróvár in 1939. More about its history, economy and interesting buildings can be found in Hungarian or German in the site Mosonmagyaróvár.

Several other prominent musicians were born in this region: Haydn in Rohrau, Liszt in Raiding, v. Dohnányi in Bratislava, Joachim in Kittsee, Nickisch in Lébényi, Hans Richter in Györ.

8.2 The International Carl Flesch Violin Competition in Mosonmagyaróvár
Excerpt from the 1999 programme:
'The Mrs Fejes Music Foundation was established upon private initiative by the Municipality of Mosonmagyaróvár in 1990 to foster the memory of the town's native, Carl Flesch (1873 - 1944), the world famous violinist and music educator. He was born in the same region of Hungary where the life of Liszt, Nikisch, Richter, Joachim began. He had not even turned 5 when he started his schools, and at the age of 16 he passed the final examination. First he learned in Vienna, then came Paris, Berlin, Bucharest. From the Rumanian royal court he left for the Netherlands, and then for America. He settled in Berlin, the location where the public had taken him to its heart. He had to escape from fascism. First he came to Budapest, then moved to Switzerland, and so here is where he died. From Luzern, his ashes were taken home by the Foundation at the 50^th anniversary of his death.
The pourpose of the three-round international violin competition is to find, support the talented young musicians of Hungary and the neighbouring countries.'

(Click on the image to view it enlarged.)
Programme of the Carl Flesch Violin Competition 1999 in Mosonmagyaróvár
Courtesy of the Board of the Mrs Fejes Music Foundation

8.3 Pictures

Flesch's burial place
Photo by Bert Greiner
Courteously scanned by Norbert Winter

Left: Plaque unveiled during the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Flesch's death at the front of his birth house.
Right: Partial view of the participants of the unveiling ceremony. Notice Ida Haendel among them.
Photos by Bert Greiner. Courteously scanned by Norbert Winter

Inside view of the Flesch Károly Cultural Centre
Photo by Géza Moldoványi
Courtesy of the Board of the Mrs Fejes Music Foundation
(Click on the image to view it enlarged.)

Outdoors view of the Flesch Károly Cultural Centre
Photo by Géza Moldoványi
Courtesy of the Board of the Mrs Fejes Music Foundation
(Click on the image to view it enlarged.)