Philharmonia Hungarica Orchestra, Antal Dorati

The Philharmonia Hungarica has a unique history emerging from one of the darkest weeks of the Cold War. After World War II, Hungary, a country that had allied itself with Nazi Germany, was occupied by Red Army troops, who backed a Communist party that seized control of the country. In 1956, a popular movement for freedom arose and ousted the Communists. Unable to tolerate this, the Soviet Union in October launched a massive tank attack on Hungary and after a few days of resistance, their overwhelming strength destroyed the fledgling free government's forces. Tens of thousands ...