A soloist remembers Bela Dekany

The British-Hungarian violinist György Pauk remembers his close friend, the BBC Symphony Orchestra leader Bela Dekany, who died this week:

I never heard of Bela until I met him in Holland in 1960. He left Hungary by the time I was about 10 years old. Soon after our meeting, the Dekany Quartet was born and he moved to Holland with his wife. That is when our close friendship started. After several years of success and the recording all the Haydn quartets he moved to London and became the leader of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

That is when we “met” musically as well, when I appeared often as soloist with the Orchestra. His wonderful cellist wife Dorothy became one of the best friends of my wife too. Whenever together, we talked a lot about music as well as soccer, though we supported different
teams. His long life was rich fulfilled through music and friends. We will miss him very much.

pictured: Bela, between his son and daughter.