Andor Földes facts for kids

Andor Földes (born December 21, 1913 – died February 9, 1992) was a famous pianist from Hungary. He was known all over the world for his amazing piano playing. Later in his life, he became a citizen of the United States.

Andor Földes's Musical Journey

Andor Földes started learning piano from his mother, Valerie Ipolye, and another teacher named Tibor Szatmari. He was very talented! When he was just 8 years old (in 1921), he played a Mozart piano piece with the Budapest Philharmonic orchestra. This was his first public performance.

In 1922, he joined the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. He studied with important musicians like Ernő Dohnányi until 1932. He also learned from the famous composer Béla Bartók starting in 1929.

Andor Földes first played in America on the radio in 1940. His first concert in New York City was in 1941. A very special moment happened on November 3, 1947. He performed Béla Bartók's difficult Second Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This was the first time this piece was played in New York.

His recording of Bartók's Second Piano Concerto from 1948 is still highly valued by music fans. He also recorded many other works by Bartók for Deutsche Grammophon. These recordings won important awards, like the Grand Prix du Disque.

Andor Földes met his wife, Lili Rendy, who was a Hungarian journalist, in New York. They both became U.S. citizens. You can read about their life in Lili's book, "Two on the Continent."

Because he had more concerts in Europe, he and his wife moved to Switzerland in 1961. Andor Földes recorded many pieces by famous composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms. He also wrote books, including "Keys to the Keyboard" (1948) and his autobiography "70 Years on Music's Magic Carpet" (published in 2004). He also wrote articles for magazines.

Andor Földes received several awards. Germany gave him the Grand Cross of Merit in 1959. This was for his help in raising money to rebuild the Beethoven Halle in Bonn. In 1969, he received the Silver Medal of the City of Paris.

Andor Földes passed away at his home in Herrliberg, Switzerland, on February 9, 1992. He was 78 years old. He was getting ready to teach a special music class when he died.

Awards and Honors

Andor Földes received many awards for his contributions to music:

• For helping to rebuild the Beethovenhalle in Bonn, Germany, he was given the Grand Service Cross of the German Bundesrepublik in 1964. He gave concerts in many cities to raise money for this project.
• In France, in 1968, he was honored with the "Commandeur du Mérite Artistique et Culturel." This award recognized his excellent playing of Debussy's music.
• For his recordings of Bartók's piano works, he received the German Schallplattenpreis 1982. This award was in the "Historic Recording" category.

Books and Articles by Andor Földes

Andor Földes was not only a great pianist but also a writer. Here are some of his notable works:

• Keys to the Keyboard: A Book for Pianists, with Explanatory Music. This book helps pianists learn more about playing. It was first published in 1948.
• "Impressions of a Musical Journey to Africa". An article published in Etude Magazine (USA) in December 1953.
• "Beethoven's Kiss". An article published in Readers Digest in November 1986.
• Erinnerungen. (Memoirs). Published in 1993.
• "Seventy Years on Music's Magic Carpet". His autobiography, published in 2004.