What connects one of Hungary’s most magnificent Baroque palaces, the legendary composer Joseph Haydn and the Hollywood music industry? American producer Ray Brown explores these unexpected connections in a new Magyar Minute video filmed at Esterházy Palace in Fertőd.
Often described as the Hungarian Versailles, Esterházy Palace is famous for its magnificent interiors, extraordinary gardens and rich musical heritage. But beyond the chandeliers and gilded halls lies a fascinating story of aristocratic ambition, wartime destruction and remarkable restoration.
In his latest video for Magyar Minute, American producer Ray Brown visits the palace alongside Alpár Kató, founder of Daily News Hungary, where they are welcomed by Csilla Sütő, managing director of the Eszterháza Center.
During the visit, Brown discovers the remarkable legacy of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy (Esterházy I. (Fényes) Miklós herceg), the palace’s connections to Joseph Haydn and the history behind the composer’s famous Farewell Symphony.
The visit also has a personal dimension. Brown, whose father Harold Brown was a founding member of the legendary American band WAR, reflects on the universal power of music and imagines the palace as a spectacular venue for international concerts and film productions.
The four-minute video also reveals lesser-known details of the palace’s turbulent twentieth-century history, including traces of its Soviet-era past.
Watch the video: Inside Hungary’s Versailles
From its magnificent halls to its nearly 8,000 rose bushes, Esterházy Palace offers plenty of surprises. Discover why this extraordinary destination deserves a place on every visitor’s Hungarian itinerary.
Video: Ray Brown / Magyar Minute – The video is available with English subtitles and additional language options. For more information and behind-the-scenes material, visit Magyar Minute.
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