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Film performances/recording fragments（1929-46)

Nyiregyházi did not leave any studio recording during this "slum" period, although several documents suggest that he became more matured artistically without losing technical competence. These small fragments, extracted from films and a promotional LP, are all of his performances that remain from this period.

1. The Lost Zeppelin(1929) directed by Edward Sloman

His performances can be heard from 8:24 to 9:06(Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No.12), from 9:18 to 10:20 (Liszt, Liebestrame No.3), from 10:20 to 10:53, (Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No.12)、and from 1:01:04 to 1:01:25. (Liszt, Liebestrame No.3).
Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No.12

Liszt, Liebestrame No.3

2. Soul of a Monster (1944) directed by Will Jason


He briefly appeared as a pianist "Ervin" in this 1944 film. His magnificent performances of "Spanish Rhapsody" and Mephisto Waltz" can be heard. His dialogue ("Perhaps, it would") is also included.

SEE FILM VERSION

3. The Beast with Five Fingers (1946) (NOT Nyiregyházi's hand!)


The Beast with Five Fingers (1946) is a cult classic horror film, which was planned by a legendary film director Luis Buñuel. It was widely believed that the disembodied left hand playing splendid Bach's Chaconne on the keyboard was played by Nyiregyházi; however, it turns out that the hand was of American Pianist Victor Aller, who left a number of acclaimed recordings with the Hollywood String Quartet for Capitol Records and also worked for Warner Studios. Judith Aller confirmed her father's involvement in this sequence in her memoir entitled The Beast with Five Fingers: The Unseen Man in Hollywood, which was written in 2012. Kevin Bazzana's conclusion that Nyiregyházi was NOT involved in The Beast with Five Fingers was made after Lost Genius was published in 2007. While the English & German editions still include a paragraph about the film, it was removed from the Japanese edition published in 2010.

4. Federal music project promotional LP (1936)

From 1935, Nyiregyházi frequently performed in Federal music project (FMP), which was a part of the US new deal program. A promotional LP includes the recording fragments of Before the dawn (Cameron O'Day MacPherson) played by Nyiregyházi with the Federal symphony under Altschuler's baton.