George Feyer (pianist)

195:. (Feyer's mother lived for another forty years in New York, dying at the age of 102, in 1987.) The family arrived and settled in New York in January, 1951, changing the spelling of the name to Feyer almost immediately, as his brother Paul had done, to make it easier to pronounce, and to get work. George's family became U.S. citizens in 1956 after the requisite five-year waiting period. Feyer lived there for the rest of his life. (Feyer's drummer and his wife were also able to come to the United States, but they did not continue to work together in New York.) 241:, who to get as a replacement. They said, ‘Get Bobby Short.’ I did my best to make those two weeks as successful as anything I’d done, and when Feyer’s contract ran out they offered me half a year. Feyer found a better deal elsewhere, and I work there now eight months of the year." The management had changed, and the move turned out to be permanent. Short was to remain at The Carlyle for a fabled uninterrupted run until 2004, the year before his death. 131:

Feyer returned to Budapest, and in late 1945 married Judith Hoffman, whom he had met during the war. The couple had a son (Robert, b. Budapest, November 1946), and Feyer continued his musical career, playing in the Allied Officers' Club in Budapest (there was four-power nominal occupation in all the

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had truly dropped and Feyer and his drummer (also named George) decided not to return to Hungary, fearing persecution based on their contact with Western powers. They stayed in Switzerland, gaining popularity through successive jobs at the big hotels. By 1950, when Hungary revolted, Switzerland

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Feyer retired in December 1982, after the death of his wife. In 1985 he remarried the former Marta Kleyman (a cousin of his brother Paul's first wife), and continued to appear at private parties and occasional hotel engagements, mostly as favours to friends, particularly in

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full-time. It is ironic that he became a pianist after having been a student of composition and conducting, whereas his classmate Georg Solti, a piano prodigy, became one of the world's most acclaimed conductors.

314:, was a huge hit, leading to 12 others. The music consisted of popular songs and melodies, played by Feyer on the piano in his own inimitable arrangements, with light guitar and rhythm accompaniment. 388:

part throughout. In addition, various other tracks on the original LP had contained briefer cello parts, and these sections of those tracks were also all cut from the CD issue. The cello player was

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in January 1948, where he had found a job playing at a resort hotel. He persuaded the owners to allow him to bring his family. At the time he played in a duo with a drummer, whose wife came too.

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Feyer joked that he had "taken the most expensive vacation of them all," and his son later said that he never set foot in The Carlyle again. However he soon found work in the

221:. He performed there for 13 years in a room specially set up for him, with decor provided by a Hungarian interior designer. In August 1968, when he took his usual vacation on 183:, where he settled with the existing Hungarian community. He quickly married a young woman from within that community, and thereby got permanent U.S. residency and later 121:, so Feyer and his drummer drew straws to decide which of them would have to learn to play it. The drummer lost, and Feyer was able to continue playing the piano. 927: 102:, but he soon moved to night clubs, and it was not long before he and his drummer began working around Europe. His first trip away from Budapest was in 1934, to 55:

Feyer remembered as a young boy hating his piano practice so much that his mother, a piano teacher, had to tie his legs to the piano stool. He studied at the

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Within a few months of arrival he made his New York debut at the famous Gogi's La Rue, in The Plush Room. From 1951 to 1954 Feyer had a regular spot in

248:'s Rembrandt Room. Feyer remained there for 12 years, until 1980. He spent his remaining two years of active performing at the Hideaway Room in the 261: 213:

A handful more such records appeared in the next couple of years, and in 1955 Feyer signed a contract with New York's luxurious boutique hotel

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In 1939 Feyer returned to Hungary to be with his family, but was moved to German factories in a forced labour brigade. He was imprisoned in

191:, and Paul had brought their mother to the U.S. in 1947. Having two immediate family members in the U.S. helped George Feyer to obtain a 117:, who had abdicated the throne of England in December 1936, and who lived in France from 1937 to 1939). The Duke particularly liked the 396:

since 1967. She has said that she knows nothing about why her parts were comprehensively edited out of the CD issue of the recording.

728: 114: 110: 260:, where his second wife owned a home. For many years, until no longer physically able to do so (in 1999), he played weekly at the 125: 229:

was hired to cover for him. In Short's words, "He took off two weeks that summer, and Peter Sharp, who owns The Carlyle, asked

384:. However the issue of the Jerome Kern CD is missing the six tracks from the original LP which had contained an integral 418: 56: 814: 774: 917: 830: 744: 533:

King & I 10" missing “Something Wonderful” (from 12"); Carousel 10" missing “Soliloquy” and “Reprise” (from 12")

873: 380:(1978). These three double-albums are the only of Feyer's recordings subsequently to have been officially issued on 210:

in 1953. (Although Feyer made his recordings with light accompaniment, all his hotel and nightclub shows were solo.)

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introduction to eight VOX Echoes LPs: Italy, Vienna, Christmas, Paris, Spain, Latin America, Budapest, Childhood

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who turned to 'light' music upon graduating, and released a series of top-selling "Echoes of..." records on

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10" and 12" are different performances. 10" has two tracks not on 12"; 12" has two tracks not on 10"

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CD issue is missing the six tracks on the LP which had contained a continuous cello part.

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In 1957 Feyer released his only two records with orchestra: one each of the songs of

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dedicated a "George and Judith Feyer Practice Room" to their memory on 2 June 2003.

788:'Pianist at Staid Carlyle Spoofs Politics; George Feyer Mixes Barbs and Chopin' in 348: 159: 141: 99: 409: 376: 369: 322: 318: 303: 226: 184: 152: 133: 42:

is thus the equivalent of the antiquated spelling of the English name "Whyte".)

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would not allow them to become permanent residents on old Hungarian passports.

34:. Feyer was born György Fejér, but westernised his name after leaving Europe. ( 413: 326: 283:), three grandsons, and second wife (who died within the year after he died). 188: 128:

in the last year of the war, from where he was rescued in 1945 by the Allies.

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For the next five years he toured Europe. In Paris a great fan was the exiled

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Feyer graduated, aged 23, in 1932 and caused a minor scandal by turning to

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Feyer’s younger brother Paul had left Europe before the war, and went to

60: 26:, 27 October 1908 – New York, 21 October 2001) was a classically trained 887: 176: 84: 27: 23: 422:(published 1956). Tiffany calls it the “Best light record ever made.” 340:

From the early 1960s onwards Feyer recorded a series of albums for

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10" has two tracks not on 12"; 12" has three tracks not on 10"

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10" has no tracks not on 12"; 12" has three tracks not on 10"

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10" has no tracks not on 12"; 12" has four tracks not on 10"

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10" has no tracks not on 12"; 12" has four tracks not on 10"

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