Zoltán Délczeg

Besides my studies at the Tamási Primary School I started to play a musical instrument (a lower flugel horn) at the local youth wind orchestra at age of nine. At the Bartók Secondary School of Music in Budapest Antal Falvay, then Antal Avar taught me how to play the trombone which was my main subject. They prepared me for the entrance exams to the Academy of Music successfully. I graduated from the Academy of Music as an artist-teacher in 1989.

I think I started to deal with the problematic question of the ’identification-recognition’ of musical instruments and the question of originality at a fortunate moment, as at the beginning of the 90s a good number of original Italian and French instruments were accessible even in Hungary. Later this number dramatically decreased.

In regard of the world market value of special instruments – especially Italian ones –the identification of the real maker, the origin of an instrument is extremely important. In the past 20 years I have managed to build contacts with leading European, British, German, French, Austrian experts. Thus in disputed cases mistakes can be avoided more easily with the posibility of suitable professional consultation.

From the beginning I greatly emphasize advising. My work is continuously recognized and appreciated by the customers, private persons, orchestra leaders, instrument collectors who turn to me. Expert opinions that I issue are accepted not only in Hungary but in other countries as well.

Right after graduation, with an advanced language exam in French, a good command of English, exellent univesity results and good reference from my teacher I received a national scholarship to France which, due to ’administrative reasons’, did not come about.

The editor of the world famous The Strad magazine asked me to present an instrument made by J. B. Schweitzer and the article was published in the magazine in 2005.

Publications, Portrait

In 2009 News TV made a portrait film of me and my business for their programme called ’Faces in the lift’. The film and my thesis paper on making musical instruments can be seen on our home page.

Trombone

I turned towards stringed instruments at the time of the political and economical changes of 1989. Between 1989 and 1992 as a co-partner of Karát Art and Trade Ltd, then since 1993 as the founder and owner of Darius Music Ltd I have dedicated all my time and energy to stringed instruments. After a musician’s life this meant a completely new challenge for me.

In our shop in the past years several excellent instruments, escorted by my certificate
and expert opinion, have found a new, really pleased owner, for example:

The activities of the musical instrument shop, regarding the demands appearing in the inner town of Budapest, are really branching out. Besides the business experience I have already acquired I have started a professional work that needs a longer period of time. An important step towards this was the Musical Instrument Maker and Repairer Trainig School under the aegis of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest which I did as an adult.

The cover of the issue in question of 'The Strad'

Italian: C. G. Testore, G. Tononi, R. A. Gagliano, G. Gagliano, A. Bellosio, M. Deconet, A. Pollastri, R. Antoniazzi, L.Carcassi,A. Monzino, G.B.Genova,

I founded the Dárius Musical Instrument Shop with the aim of collecting those instruments made by old Hungarian, Italian, German, French masters which are irreplaceable in the acquisition of the knowledge of the history of musical instruments. The unique stylistic marks, the building

French: P. Serdet, P. S. Bernardel, H. Silvestre,

German: L. Widhalm,M.Stoss, A. Engleder,

Austrian: A. Thir, J.G.Thir,J.I.Stadlmann,

The signboard of the shop

Or made by Hungarian masters, several J.G.Leeb,Michelberger János, Bergmann András,Brandl Károly, Braun Mihály,Reményi Mihály, Reményi László, Frirsz Miksa, Bárány Dezső, Nemessányi Sámuel, Szepessy Béla,J. B. Schweitzer,Spiegel János,Laumann Róbert,Damm Pál,Elek Sándor, Pilát Pál, Cigl Jeromos,Aloys Engleder,Farkas Béla, Várady Gyula,Zach Thomas,Zimmer K.Otto,Hidy László,Horváth István,Kabay Imre, Josef Mönnig,Racsinszky got to their satisfied owners.

peculiarities characteristic of given masters form the basis of the identification of the instruments of higher value which are to be considered as rarities.

The study of instruments both at home and abroad means a lot of travelling even today. Without grabbing the opportunities of seeing foreign exhibitions, auctions, state and private collections it is almost impossible to gain the necessary knowledge.