Planctus et consolationes

When I met Pál Fejős, in 1932, he was already a world-famous film director.

At that time, I was sometimes hired as a pianist for recordings. I was here when Fejős recorded in Budapest the music for his film “Marie, légende hongroise” (Tavaszi Zápor). Respighi was Fejős favourite composer. He was told that a musician in the orchestra had studied with Respighi in Rome. Fejős asked to see the “guy”; after I played him something he declared he would make his next film with me : “The Verdict of Balaton” (Itél a Balaton).

I composed for him the music for 7 films and 25 short movies he had realized during his expeditions to Madagascar and the Seychelles islands. We became very good friends.

Pál Fejős died on 25 April 1963. To honor his memory, I composed in 1965 “Planctus et consolations” for orchestra in which I quoted a theme from Respighi’s “Fountains of Rome”. that he was so fond of.

— Ferenc Farkas