Zoltán Kocsis died on 6 November 2016 at the age of 64, after inscribing his name in the most glorious annals of Hungary's musical history as a pianist, composer, teacher and conductor alike. In 1997, after a long and illustrious career as a pianist, he took over the helm of the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, which under his leadership embarked… more
Non-season ticket concert / 3
Friday, 6 November 2020, 7:30 pm
Memorial Concert
In Memoriam Zoltán Kocsis
Ludwig van Beethoven: Egmont Overture, op. 84
Gyula Bánkövi: Fénykráter (Light Crater) – world première
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Franz Liszt: Ave Maria (The Bells of Rome)
Franz Liszt – Zoltán Kocsis: Ave MariaWolfgang Amadeus MozartRequiem, K. 626
József Balog piano
Beatrix Fodor – soprano
Atala Schöck – alto
Tibor Szappanos – tenor
Krisztián Cser– bass
Hungarian National Choir (choirmaster: Csaba Somos)
Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Ádám Cser (opening piece), János Kovács
Zoltán Kocsis died on 6 November 2016 at the age of 64, after inscribing his name in the most glorious annals of Hungary's musical history as a pianist, composer, teacher and conductor alike. In 1997, after a long and illustrious career as a pianist, he took over the helm of the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, which under his leadership embarked on a great journey: renamed the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, it would evolve into a world-class ensemble. Each piece in our concert refers to a different chapter in the story of the great artist's activities.
The programme will be bookended by works by Beethoven in the year of the 250th anniversary of his birth. Kicking off the concert will be the Egmont Overture, performed under the baton of Ádám Cser; its revolutionary tone is suited to Kocsis's memory, as the audience first encountered the young pianist as a genuine musical rebel during the '70s. As a fine couplet, we will also get to hear Liszt's Ave Maria twice, first in the original version and then as transcribed by Kocsis, as a reminder that Kocsis the composer transcribed works by his great predecessors Bartók, Kodály, Debussy and Rachmaninoff. And of course, contemporary music also has to be a part of the event. Receiving its world première will be the new work Fénykráter ("Light Crater") by 54-year-old composer Gyula Bánkövi, whose music is always rich in colours. Listening to it, we may recall that Kocsis the former member of the New Music Studio was always interested in contemporary Hungarian music and, as a conductor, paved the way for works by both Hungarian and international composers to reach the audience by presenting them.
Béla Bartók died on 26 September 1945, in New York City. The night…
