Darvas and 'Attila's Mother'

B+ Magazine

Perhaps many of you already know him as 'The King of Violins' and 'Fiddler of Kings'. These nicknames were given to the Hungarian violin virtuoso by the American press due to his numerous concerts to dignitaries such as Roosevelt,Churchill, Mussolini etc.He is believed to be discovered by the founder of Turkey Ataturk, through his power of art. It's also said that the Prime Minister of this period, Ismet Inonu, had given him a Turkish citizenship. Beside all these rumours the only thing for sure that I know is that he had to run away from Hungary in the Second World War because he was Jewish. And the only thing he brought with him was his precious violin. When he arrives in Turkey he changes his religion and takes the name, Halil.

The first time I came across this name was 6-7 months ago. The time when I was working on a historical exhibition of a district called Levent. It was 2015 early spring days, I asked the inhabitants of the neighbourhood for a Sunday gathering. On the day I had my map with a list of all inhabitants that lived between 1950-80 in Levent, and as they were controlling all owners' names of the houses and the list individually, I started telling them about my plans for the exhibition design. The gallery consisted of a long narrow corridor. In the beginning I was planning to tell the story of the district by photo-realistic drawings that I created. Each were representing features of the neighbourhood; people, shopkeepers, childhood memories... As you follow the corridor and come across with personal belongings you were meant to come across the owners; Reşat Nuri Güntekin, Aziz Nesin, Hüseyin Katırcıoğlu, Göksel Arsoy etc... (all well known artists and intellectuals of the period).

Finally, I had a room with a huge wall of the map, an album of 400 photographic

archive and another wall consisting of 100 celebrity portraits and biographies that lived in the neighbourhood. I even arranged a cinema room for a short documentary film.

The most symbolic thing that I cannot forget from own childhood was the wooden window shutters of my Grandmother's house. Somehow, every time I think about those day I envision that green lizard which would come out of the shutter and surprise me. Therefore, no matter what I had to have a window shutter and no matter what, it had to be from the neighbourhood. The houses today are all rebuilt in new style of architecture, but I was lucky there was only one house left, untouched from those days. Even though I had permission from the owner, my first attempt turned into a nightmare by the homeless who locked me in the garden. I suppose he found me a threat for his comfy broken home. How could he have known, I was just a crazy artist who was desperately in need of red shutters to hang on a wall...

One night, with flashlights and tools in my heroic students hands, we managed to get the shutters. To be honest I had no idea what to do with them but at least I had them...

"How could you do such a thing on your own?!" said the elders of Levent. "Next time you should call us in these matters, we will be there for you." To change the subject, I asked "Well, what music shall we play at the opening night?". What would be the sound of my neighborhood? A classical Turkish music from the resident Zeki Muren, or Refik Fersan? A western classic music, perhaps opera?.. Haldun, whom head digged in and clearly studying the map suddenly turned to me and said "No doubt, Halil Darvas!".

I had no idea whom he was talking about. "Hungarian violin virtuoso. He used to play tango and gypsy music. Every morning he would practice in front of his window and our streets used to fill with the sound of his violin." I was impressed. Flowing sound of the violin on the streets ... no doubt, Darvas had to be Levent's voice! Even tango perfectly represents 1950's Turkey. Immediately I opened the music from my mobile phone and began to listen. Haldun began to tell me more about Darvas. "But really he has a very sad story," he said. “He lost his young wife, after the birth of his son. His son Attila ..." For some reasons I was devastated. After a few sleepless nights I decided... I had to find Attila.

ATTİLA'S MOTHER

Dear Atilla,

I believe I am not mistaking for thinking you are Halil Darvas's son Atilla. I am an artist working on an exhibition about the neighbourhood you were born to, Levent. Due to the fact the location being the first contemporary project of republic of Turkey I have named it "The Ideal City" and trying to bring out the all qualities of the republicans in the early years of 1950 and 1970's. So cut a long story short, I was having a meeting with some of the neighbours and I asked about the music. There are good number of musicians in the neighbourhood but I asked them who could represent my "ideal city". One of them said "with no doubt Halil Darvas". Sorry for my ignorance, it was the first time I heard the name. They kept on telling how he used to play his violin in the mornings at the window. Everyone were mentioning the same way. And how I loved the image... With a big enthusiasm I decided to play his music on my exhibition. Then they said "well he has a sad story". Strangely the story started getting very personal to me. While hearing it I started listening to your dad's music. His tangos...

Well, my grandmother also died while giving birth to my uncle Atilla. My mother doesn't remember her mum well but all she remembers how her father on accordion and his nephew on the violin used to play tangos for months in the mourning process. So I decided to write to you.

I know you haven't lived long enough in the neighbourhood to have a story to help me out on my project but at least I can inform you of such an event - which will take place on 23 of April - and maybe ask you if you have any photographs you can share with me of your dad and your mum or anything else comes into your mind. But most of all I can carry some messages from the neighbourhood. One of your mum's best friend (by the she is on Facebook "Nazan Sirman") wanted me to tell you that she has never forgot you and her best friend. And if you ever wonder about your mum she wants you to know that she was the most loving and beautiful woman on the planet. Last of all I would be delighted if you can join us at the opening but I know it wouldn't be possible as you are living far away but if you ever do come to Turkey one day, I want you to know that you have a big number of people from the neighbourhood who would like to meet you.

With all my sincerity...

İrem

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Dear Irem,

Wow wow wow........you made me cry!

This is like a thunderbolt from a clear sky! You have no idea how much this means to me.

My parents are a mystery to me. I know very little about them and I almost gave up hope to find out more as their contemporaries are either very old or dead.

Last year I found an article about the Marmaris Music Society's planning to commemorate the 30th anniversary of my father's passing. They actually found his grave in Marmaris. It broke my heart, but I could not manage to go on such a short notice.

Turkey has been calling me I want to find out as much as I can about my parents. I will do my very best to come and talk to the neighbors and attend the opening.

I'm so glad you found me! Sorry if I sound emotional but I have to process all this.

Best regards

Attila Darvas

Halil Darvas was born in 1912. After graduating from the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest, Hungary, he worked in the Hungarian Royal Orchestra and was greatly appreciated by with Budapest Trio, and won the top prizes at festivals.

After settling in Turkey during the Second World War, Darvas worked in the Presidential Symphony Orchestra for many years and gave concerts on television and radio. In 1965 he was not young enough to take care his son alone, therefore Attila and the grandmother went back to their hometown, Hungary.

Meanwhile father Darvas certainly would visit them, but due to his serious character, just as the neighbours describes, Attila grows up a kind, respectful but highly shy child toward his father. Even though they both lived apart from each other, Attila subconsciously walked in his fathers steps.

At age 20, just as he hears the news of his father's death he was graduating from the Béla Bartók Conservatory in Budapest and ready to move to another country, Canada. This move followed his shining music career. Maybe he wasn't playing to the Kings like his father, but he played with musicians such as Dame Shirley Bassey as well as other great artists. He also played at Montreal and Toronto Jazz Festival and worldwide.

One morning, I saw Aunt Nazan - who is now eighty years old, but highly friendly with technology- and Attila's messages to one another on Facebook. I was used to seeing aunt Nazan's "Good Morning" messages with heart shaped emoji on my wall but this time she was writing on Attila’s wall... "My Son! I cannot believe it! You have grown into a handsome man!". Of course, loosing a daughter wasn't easy for the grandmother therefore for a while Attila was the neighbours' baby. That's why Aunt Nazan was calling him 'My Son'. Their beautiful and beloved friend Elizabet's baby, even for a few months, was like their own.

While I was continuing my preparation for the exhibition, I was sharing

every detail I discovered with Attila about his childhood and family. In the meantime, he began sending me photos and footages of his parents. I mean - like many of the coincidences wasn't enough - in one one of the videos I found out father Darvas was coming out of his house's red shutters, playing his violin?! Finally! My red shutters had found their place in my exhibition.

Halil Darvas, not only with music, but with a large display of this footage in between the shutters to place perfectly at my exhibiton.

The last weeks before the openning our mail subject with Attile turned heading countdowns. After the first weeks hanging out like a zombie, '-10' titled emails turned into 'flying butterflies in our stomach'.

Attila grew up knowing his aunt as his mother. "It all happened one morning," he said. "I was staying at my Grandmother's. I was only 12 years old. I woke up that morning and saw her looking at the photo of her late daughter. From the second look, it struck me "Is my mother your first daughter Elizabet?”

Whom all this time was kept covered up…

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Attila,

Well... After seeing my grandmother and your mum both were born 4 days between each other and died on 14 August I had no choice but to find your mum.

After a sleepless night and an adventurous morning I did...

Here's; "Atilla'nın annesi (Atilla's mother)"

Elizabet Darvas

Levent Neighbours (from left to right); Haldun Tüzel, Attila Darvas, Tunç Sirman, Dr. Ahmet Çekici, Nazan Sirman, Tümay Giray Çekici, Irem Ela Yıldızeli