Jelly d'Arányi

Who was Jelly d'Arányi?

Jelly d'Aranyi, fully Jelly Aranyi de Hunyadvár was a Hungarian violinist who made her home in London.

She was born in Budapest, the grand-niece of Joseph Joachim, and sister of the violinist Adila Fachiri. She began her studies as a pianist, but switched to violin at the Music Academy in Budapest when Jenő Hubay accepted her as a student. After concert tours of Europe and America as a soloist and chamber musician she settled in London. On memorable occasions, she and Béla Bartók gave sonata recitals together in London and Paris. His sonatas were dedicated to her sister Adila, but Jelly and Bartók presented them in London in March 1922 (No. 1) and May 1923 (No. 2).

She was an excellent interpreter of Classical, Romantic and modern music. After d'Aranyi had, at his request, played "gypsy" violin music to him one evening, Maurice Ravel dedicated his popular violin-and-piano composition Tzigane to her. Ralph Vaughan Williams dedicated his Concerto Academico to her. Gustav Holst's Double Concerto for Two Violins was written for Jelly and Adila. The D'Aranyi String Quartet is named after her.