GEORGE CZIFFRA - AUTOGRAPH 1969 CO-SIGNED BY: THE VEGH STRING QUARTET , THE VEGH QUARTET (SANDOR VEGH), THE VEGH QUARTET (GEORGES JANZER), THE VEGH QUARTET (PAUL SZABO) - HFSID 112253

GEORGES CZIFFRA and THE VEGH STRING QUARTET
The gifted musicians pens their names on this pink album leaf
Signatures: “G Cziffra/1969”, in black marking pen, and The Végh String Quartet: “Sándor Végh”, “Georges Janzer”, “Paul Szabo” and one additional signer who is difficult to decipher, all in blue ink, 5½x3¼. Georges Cziffra (1921-1994), born Cziffra György, was a Hungarian composer and pianist who became a French citizen in 1968. Cziffra's recordings of Franz Liszt's virtuoso works had received extremely high praise from critics. He is well remembered for making recordings of a considerable number of pieces by composers Chopin and Schumann. Many music scholars have described Cziffra as possessing one of the most refined techniques of all the 20th century pianists. Cziffra began to learn the piano by watching one of his older sisters practice. When he was only five years old he was hired as the star attraction of a travelling circus. At the age of 9, he became the youngest student to ever gain admission to the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. Cziffra served in World War II, and spent time in labor camps from 1950 to 1953. He eventually escaped to Vienna in 1956 where he gave a recital at the Brahms Saal. Cziffra went on to perform internationally to widespread acclaim. He also penned an autobiography Cannons and Flowers, which recounts his life story up until 1977. THE VÉGH QUARTET was a Hungarian string quartet led by violinist Sándor Végh. The quartet was founded in 1940 and their home base was Budapest until the group left Hungary in 1946. Well known for recording notable Beethoven works, the quartet toured extensively before disbanding in 1980. Final signer on verso merits further research. Left edge irregular from being neatly torn from album. Otherwise, fine condition.