Richard Pulham (BFC Bass) writes
“Thursday, 17th December marks the first anniversary of the death of Laszlo Heltay, BFC’s founder and music director for 27 years. Many tributes were of course paid at the time but earlier this year Giles Dawson, who had sung with Laszlo in the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chorus, got in touch with contacts in Laszlo’s other choirs inviting contributions for a collation of reminiscences, anecdotes and photos as a fitting retrospective of the man who had had such an impact on our lives. The document is now ready – in a 13-page, 11,000 word PDF – and the attached note from Giles explains how to get hold of one. It is well worth the modest outlay, (indeed I would urge more for the reasons given), and I can promise you many happy memories, lots of laughs and perhaps the odd tear or two as well.”
Giles Dawson writes
‘Laszlo Heltay Remembered’ is the title of a new collection of reminiscences, quotations and photographs about the remarkable Hungarian who did so much to influence choral singing and standards in Britain and across Europe.
Lively and informative contributions have come from those who sang under and were befriended by Laszlo, particularly members of Collegium Musicum Oxoniense, Brighton Festival Chorus, Collegium Musicum of London and Chorus of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Especially affectionate and insightful are tributes by Sylvia Coward, Johan Duijck and Roger Walkinton
I, who sang under Laszlo in the Chorus of ASMF, have compiled this collection. I could have simply cut and pasted the various contributions together; but I felt strongly that Laszlo, and this memoir and homage to him, deserved better than that.
So this document has been professionally designed, at a cost in the low hundreds of pounds, a worthwhile outlay. If I might ask you, please, to transfer a sum of not less than £5 / 6 Euros to
G V Dawson 30-92-89 31471568
and confirm by email to gilesvdawson@gmail.com and I will send you your own copy of ‘Laszlo Heltay Remembered’. If you can, please add a donation of whatever size you can afford as a tribute to Laszlo. My plan is to forward the surplus (or ‘net’) proceeds to the charity HELP MUSICIANS UK. This gift will be designated ‘In Memoriam Laszlo Heltay – from his friends and singers over many decades’.
If the surplus is significant, I shall ask Help Musicians to consider setting up a scheme bearing his name, with this surplus from the sale of ‘Laszlo Heltay Remembered’ as the initial donation. Laszlo gave so much pleasure to so many thousands of singers and their audiences, in concert halls and on recordings, that it would be wonderful to give something back to the music profession in his name.
Giles Dawson
12th December 2020