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Gyorgy Pauk

Kirsty Young's castaway is the violinist Gyorgy Pauk.

Kirsty Young's castaway is the violinist Gyorgy Pauk.

In a career spanning fifty years, he has played with all the best orchestras and continues to teach masterclasses around the world.

He grew up in Hungary and, after both his parents were taken to labour camps, he was brought up by his grandmother. His parents died during the war and it was, says Gyorgy, a miracle that he and his grandmother survived in the Budapest ghetto. For years afterwards, he says, he would carry food with him because he was so scarred by the hunger he'd felt.

His musical talent was his passport to the West and, when he was 22 years old, he fled first to France, then to Holland and finally to Britain where he has lived for nearly fifty years. Of his early years, he says: "There were times when you were punished if you were listening to the radio. That's when it started to get to me - realising that I was not free. Music is international, it has to be worldwide."

Record: Bach's Andante from the Second Sonata in A Minor
Book: How To Be An Alien by George Mikes
Luxury: A N'espresso machine

Producer: Leanne Buckle.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 4 Jun 2010 09:00
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Johann Sebastian Bach

      The Andante from Second Sonata in A Minor

      Soloist: Julia Fischer

      • Wigmore Hall Concert, 13 February 2010 – RADIO 3 SOUND ARCHIVE.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    The opening of St Matthew Passion

    Orchestra: The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Conductor: Simon Rattle

    • Sound Archive From Radio 3.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Serenade No. 10 in B flat major for 13 Wind Instruments - 3rd movement

    Soloist: Alexander Schneider Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe

    • Mozart: Serenade No.10 for Thirteen Wind Instruments ….
    • ASV.

  • Béla Bartók

    Door Six (from Bluebeard's Castle)

    Soloist: Kolos Kovats, Sylvia Sass Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Sir Georg Solti

    • Bluebeard’s Castle.
    • Decca.

  • Diana Krall

    East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)

    • The Very Best of Diana Krall.
    • Verve.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Otello

    Orchestra: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan & Chorus Conductor: Carlos Kleiber

    • Otello.
    • Music and Arts.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Soave sia il vento (from Cosi fan tutte)

    Soloist: Miah Persson, Anke Vondung, Nicholas Rivenq Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Conductor: Ivan Fisher

    • Così Fan Tutte performed at Glyndebourne.
    • Opus Arte.

  • Béla Bartók

    The Third movement of the Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta

    Orchestra: Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra, Budapest Conductor: János Rolla

    • Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta….
    • Hungaroton.

  • Book Choice

    • How to be an Alien - George Mikes

  • Luxury Choice

    • Espresso machine

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest György Pauk

Broadcasts

  • Sun 30 May 2010 10:00
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4 LW
  • Sun 30 May 2010 11:15
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4 FM
  • Fri 4 Jun 2010 09:00
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4

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