Hungaroton Fan Club

Started by Dry Brett Kavanaugh, May 07, 2022, 08:50:54 AM

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Symphonic Addict

The discs devoted to Lajtha definitely are some of my favorites:


+ the next three discs of his string quartets.

And this:

Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Irons

Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on November 30, 2022, 04:39:23 PMI checked the album via Youtube, and it is a very likable recording!



Gave it a spin today to refresh my memory. With the exception of Children's Dances (1945) all items from the first quarter of 20c and yet sound so modern. I am blown away by Dances of Marosszék which is more monumental then the title suggests. Later, Kodaly was to orchestrate the work of which Dorati recorded with Musica Hungarica on Mercury. 
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

#42
Kodaly: The Peacock/ Bartok: Dance Suite. György Lehel, Symphony Orchestra of the Hungarian Radio and Television. It appears that the recording was re-issued from DG later.






Irons

Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on February 14, 2023, 06:40:34 AMKodaly: The Peacock/ Bartok: Dance Suite. György Lehel, Symphony Orchestra of the Hungarian Radio and Television. It appears that the recording was re-issued from DG later.







Great covers.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Bartok and J.S. Bach piano concertos. Hungarian State Orchestra · János Ferencsik · Tibor Wehner.



Irons

Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on February 01, 2024, 10:30:59 AMBartok and J.S. Bach piano concertos. Hungarian State Orchestra · János Ferencsik · Tibor Wehner.




I would guess by colour and style both covers from same period.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Quote from: Irons on February 07, 2024, 12:14:40 AMI would guess by colour and style both covers from same period.

Yes, they look like they are from same period. Some tracks could be the same recordings. I guess last name comes first followed by the first name in Hungarian (just like Japanese).

Irons

Miklos Perényi, a fine cellist, made many recordings over a long period for Hungaroton - unlike in the West artists were not given much opportunity to switch labels.

You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Pohjolas Daughter

Question for you all:  What is (was) the difference between Hungaroton and Qualiton?  Here in the States, I used to order CDs from Qualiton [which sadly closed up shop].  Did it have to do with which market the recordings were sold in?  Qualiton also sold other labels here.

Looking at Wiki, it seems that it was called Hungaroton back when it was state owned and then changed names?

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Irons

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on February 08, 2024, 04:56:13 AMQuestion for you all:  What is (was) the difference between Hungaroton and Qualiton?  Here in the States, I used to order CDs from Qualiton [which sadly closed up shop].  Did it have to do with which market the recordings were sold in?  Qualiton also sold other labels here.

Looking at Wiki, it seems that it was called Hungaroton back when it was state owned and then changed names?

PD

As always, rhyme and reason has no place as far as record labels are concerned. Qualiton and Hungaroton are essentially the same animal with both sporting a yellow label on LP records. The Bartok String Quartet recorded the complete Beethoven string quartets on three LP boxes an example.

Box 1- Early Quartets, Qualiton LPX 11423-25
Box 2- Middle Quartets, Hungaroton LPX 11470-72
Box 3- Late Quartets, Hungaroton SLPX 11673-76
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Irons on February 08, 2024, 07:09:47 AMAs always, rhyme and reason has no place as far as record labels are concerned. Qualiton and Hungaroton are essentially the same animal with both sporting a yellow label on LP records. The Bartok String Quartet recorded the complete Beethoven string quartets on three LP boxes an example.

Box 1- Early Quartets, Qualiton LPX 11423-25
Box 2- Middle Quartets, Hungaroton LPX 11470-72
Box 3- Late Quartets, Hungaroton SLPX 11673-76
Oh, why don't they make things easy!   :(

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

springrite

For some reason, when I think of Hungaroton, the first artist's name that comes to mind is Sylvia Sass. Then I remembered the first Hungaroton CD I bought was one of her singing Verdi arias. (The copy of Schwann catalog I received from the guy at Tower Records contained several pages of Hungaroton ads, resulting in me getting familiar with the label and making some purchases. That's in the mid-80's.)
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: springrite on February 08, 2024, 08:10:53 AMFor some reason, when I think of Hungaroton, the first artist's name that comes to mind is Sylvia Sass. Then I remembered the first Hungaroton CD I bought was one of her singing Verdi arias. (The copy of Schwann catalog I received from the guy at Tower Records contained several pages of Hungaroton ads, resulting in me getting familiar with the label and making some purchases. That's in the mid-80's.)
I don't recall hearing of her before now.  How did you like the Verdi disc?

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

springrite

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on February 08, 2024, 10:34:46 AMI don't recall hearing of her before now.  How did you like the Verdi disc?

PD
She's dramatic and very much into the character (in a similar like Callas) but occasionally may be screechy (for opera it's not always a bad thing, really). She's also beautiful.
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Explanation from Wikipedia:


Hungaroton is the oldest record and music publisher company in Hungary.

Hungaroton was founded in 1951, when its only competitors in the Hungarian music market were record labels like Melodiya, Supraphon and Eterna [de] from other socialist countries. Previously called Qualiton, its name was changed to Hungaroton in the mid-1960s, though the Qualiton brand remained as a label for operetta and gypsy music releases. Also new popular music, rock and jazz labels (Pepita, Bravó, and Krém) were founded.

In the early 1990s the massive import of foreign records caused a serious decrease in Hungaroton's sales. Although the original company went into liquidation, new and smaller companies arose on the ruins of Hungaroton. The Hungaroton Gong and Hungaroton Classic companies went private in 1995, and were reunited in 1998 under the name Hungaroton Records Publisher Ltd.

Nowadays it publishes approximately 150 new records per year, half of it classical and half of it popular music.

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on February 08, 2024, 11:01:22 AMExplanation from Wikipedia:


Hungaroton is the oldest record and music publisher company in Hungary.

Hungaroton was founded in 1951, when its only competitors in the Hungarian music market were record labels like Melodiya, Supraphon and Eterna [de] from other socialist countries. Previously called Qualiton, its name was changed to Hungaroton in the mid-1960s, though the Qualiton brand remained as a label for operetta and gypsy music releases. Also new popular music, rock and jazz labels (Pepita, Bravó, and Krém) were founded.

In the early 1990s the massive import of foreign records caused a serious decrease in Hungaroton's sales. Although the original company went into liquidation, new and smaller companies arose on the ruins of Hungaroton. The Hungaroton Gong and Hungaroton Classic companies went private in 1995, and were reunited in 1998 under the name Hungaroton Records Publisher Ltd.

Nowadays it publishes approximately 150 new records per year, half of it classical and half of it popular music.
I'm still rather confused as I just found the history of Hungaroton on their website (glad that they are still around!).  It's here:  https://hungarotonmusic.com/our-history

From it: 

"Hungarian Record Productions (MHV), the predecessor of Hungaroton, was founded in 1951 by the Hungarian state. It followed private-owned publishers previously owned by Hungarian, later by international companies, as a monopoly. From that time on almost only socialist countries brands (first of all Melodia, Supraphon and Eterna) meant competition for the Hungarian company for almost four decades long in Hungary. As a result of MHV's market position the whole Hungarian classical and pop music, even the best actors made their records at MHV. The archive counted a valuable set of ten thousand records.

Export started to grow stronger from the mid-60s, the brand name Qualiton was changed to Hungaroton. Qualiton remained the brand name for Hungarian music, Gipsy music and operetta. Later from the 1970s in terms of some internal commercialization individual pop music brands (Pepita, Bravó, Krém) were set up within the company. The 1970s and 1980s meant the Golden Age. The most popular pop singers and pop groups easily reached the then awarded Gold Record after one hundred thousand records were sold. Classical records were sold all over the world in large numbers thanks to their excellent art and technical qualities and their relatively low price."

So, where did "the brand name Qualiton" come from and when?

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

DavidW

Quote from: springrite on February 08, 2024, 08:10:53 AMFor some reason, when I think of Hungaroton, the first artist's name that comes to mind is Sylvia Sass.

For me it is Tatrai Haydn that always springs to mind:


Dry Brett Kavanaugh

I don't know the recordings, but Mr. Hurwitz likes them.




DavidW

Oh actually it is not that I love the recordings, but it is that was my introduction to the label.

My favorite Hungaroton is the Annie Fischer Beethoven sonatas set.

Irons

Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on February 08, 2024, 11:01:22 AMExplanation from Wikipedia:


Hungaroton is the oldest record and music publisher company in Hungary.

Hungaroton was founded in 1951, when its only competitors in the Hungarian music market were record labels like Melodiya, Supraphon and Eterna [de] from other socialist countries. Previously called Qualiton, its name was changed to Hungaroton in the mid-1960s, though the Qualiton brand remained as a label for operetta and gypsy music releases. Also new popular music, rock and jazz labels (Pepita, Bravó, and Krém) were founded.

In the early 1990s the massive import of foreign records caused a serious decrease in Hungaroton's sales. Although the original company went into liquidation, new and smaller companies arose on the ruins of Hungaroton. The Hungaroton Gong and Hungaroton Classic companies went private in 1995, and were reunited in 1998 under the name Hungaroton Records Publisher Ltd.

Nowadays it publishes approximately 150 new records per year, half of it classical and half of it popular music.

Not to argue with Wikipedia but not as straight forward as that. The Beethoven set I mentioned was recorded in 1973 and released on Qualiton.

https://www.discogs.com/release/10205117-Bart%C3%B3k-Quartet-Beethoven-String-Quartets-Op-18-Nos-1-6

You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.