Hungarian friends fled to the Netherlands

The Leo Smit Stichting produced two CDs with music of Hungarian-Dutch friends Hermann and Frid.

In 2009, Corrie Hermann contacted the Leo Smit Stichting. She had in her possession a duo for violin and cello, composed by her father. Paul Hermann performed it during a recital at the London Wigmore Hall with his friend Zoltán Székely on 13 March 1930. She asked whether this might be something to perform at our Uilenburg Concert Series. On 18 January 2010 Hermann's Duo for violin and cello premiered again, performed by Ursula Schoch (violin) and Stephan Heber (cello). In 2017 a CD was released with chamber music of Paul Hermann at Et’cetera Records.

Arthur Frid has promoted Géza Frid's music for years with an elaborate website about his father. Although composer Géza Frid had a glorious career after the war, his music went 'out of fashion' in the final years of his life. Frid couldn't be bothered: 'Quality will survive. Time will tell.' He is proven right posthumously. In 2018 the Leo Smit Stichting, together with Arthur’s Géza Frid Foundation, released a CD with historical recordings of some of Frid's works for orchestra - also with Et’cetera Records.

Corrie Hermann and pianist Ádám Menyhei in front of the Budapest Conservatory, where Ádám gave a presentation on Paul Hermann.

Corrie Hermann and Arthur Frid are unstoppable champions when it comes to the promotion of their fathers' music. Often they lecture about their music, in the Netherlands as well as abroad and at the invitation of partners of the Leo Smit Stichting. Corrie spoke about her father at the launch of our website Forbidden Music Regained. Watch the video (in English).

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