György Keszler - obituary

György Keszler earned his degree at the Teacher Training College of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music and then he was active as the tutor at the Conservatory of Performing Arts in Pécs and as the first chair bassoonist of the Hungarian State Opera. From 1987, he was member of the academic staff at the Teacher Training College of the Liszt Academy, and then from 2007, at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. He was conferred a number of awards, such as the Bartók–Pásztory Prize and the Artisjus Music Foundation Prize.

On behalf of the Liszt Academy, the Head of the Woodwind and Brass Department, György Lakatos is bidding him final farewell:

Last bus, last service.
A stop, the final one … no ticket, no pass is needed.
There is no control, only the terminal high above.

He gets off, the sun is shining, there is a high wall and a large gate, and though it’s quite old, it’s not squeaking…it is always is use…
Some cedar trees, sun, blue sky, no clouds.
The old gatekeeper has a big white beard and is mumbling something, perhaps it’s Peter…
– Hello.
– Hello.
– You?
– Yes, it’s me…I’m now here – said with a bit of hesitation.
– Would you have stayed?
– Yes, I would have stayed a little longer.
– How many years was it again?
– ... 81.
– That’s not bad, and did you enjoy it, life?
– It was fantastic. The best… I had everything: Musettes, the musical Hair, the Hohner 120 Accordion…And the reeds, mate, adjusting them! And then the bassoon, Pécs, then the Opera, but what I loved most was the students: Edina, Ági, Horváth, Kristóf, Szabi, Harti, and hundreds of others…and  Jóska too. He is already here, you know. I should go in…is there no return bus? Because it is always forgotten: do it orderly!!! Tra-tra-taram…, don’t hurry, take your time, sing it, taram-taram…taram-taram…don’t let it go, go on, go on…all right now, take a deep breath, and then go at it again.
Bayern München, Barcelona ...and just missed it, I can’t believe it!...the Opel, the motorway, a huge Wiener Schnitzel, sometimes a gin and tonic  and mum’s home dishes – mum is Éva, my wife...
She was the best part, and of course, Little Éva too, and Krizsa and my naughty grandchildren…

Peter is in great trouble where to put all this energy. Inside there are lots of white-washed houses, with neat gardens. Each one of them has a different sign on: Fathers, Bassoonists, Accordion-players…, but finally, he picks one on a hill: it might be the best, has some space left, and it has a blue sign saying: Teachers and Humans