Hungarian violin makers - The Legacy of the Reményi Family

Exhibition in the 5th room of the Museum of Music History

Curator: Anna BARANYI

The exhibition is open: From 19 April 2018 to 24 November 2019

The exhibition presents the life’s work of three generations of the violin-making Reményi family: Mihály Reményi (1867 Pest – 1939 Budapest) violin maker and expert, his sons László Reményi (1895 Budapest – 1964 Budapest) and Zoltán Reményi (1900 Budapest – 1973 Toronto), and his grandson Michael Reményi. Mihály Reményi set up his workshop and business in 1890; it operated from the beginning of the 20th century at 58–60 Király Street. His son Zoltán opened the Reményi House of Music in Queen Street in 1959, which Michael Reményi moved to Bloor Street and further developed.

Among the craftsmen who worked at the Reményi workshop were Dezső Bárány, András Bergmann, Kálmán Cseri, Miksa Frirsz, János Michelberger, István Muntyán, Sándor Papp, József Mirth, Pál Damm, Pál Sáránszky and Ernő Szép, whose works can be seen at the exhibition. Most of the 24 master crafted instruments on display are the property of Michael Reményi of Toronto, while the rest come from the collections of the Museum of Music History, Róbert Baki, Bence Holló and Semmelweis Tibor. Additionally, thanks to the Szentes family we can present a range of books and documents connected with violin making.

Curator: BARANYI Anna
Contributors: BLASZAUER Róbert, BORZ Zsófia, GOMBOS László
Exhibition layout: VÁRNAGY Ildikó
Execution: GERŐ Péter, HAJSZ Viktor
Instrument repairer: BAKI Róbert
On loan from: Michael REMÉNYI, BAKI Róbert, HOLLÓ Bence, SEMMELWEIS Tibor, SZENTES family

Pictures of theopening ceremony:

Pictures of the conference: