Concert 2017.10.20. 19:30
Concert in Commemoration of the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867

Ticket prices

3.500 HUF; 2.500 HUF

“The nation’s outstanding ‘poet of music’ Ödön Mihalovich is currently working on a larger-scale orchestra piece entitled ‘Memorial of Mourning’, which evokes and praises the memory of [Hungarian statesman] Ferenc Deák

This great music composer will certainly produce an exceptional piece befitting the theme of the composition, and we hope to hear this new musical piece at a philharmonic concert during this winter season”, writes a newspaper article printed in 1876, which year marks the death of remarkable Hungarian statesman Ferenc Deák, also called the ‘Wise Man of the Nation’, who represented Hungary in the negotiations leading to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which took place exactly 150 years ago. This special program evokes the spirit of this age, spicing up the musical experience by staging currently seldom heard compositions by those Hungarian music composers who were quite celebrated 150 years ago. The program includes an overture composed by Ferenc Erkel in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the National Theatre, which, according to music historian Zoltán Farkas, – hand in hand with Béni Egressy’s Szózat [Appeal] and some of the motives of the Hungarian National Anthem – offers a summary of the most decisive events, struggles, heroic sentiments and dispositions that characterised the period extending over the said 50 years. Apart from Mihály Mosonyi’s musical piece of mourning composed in 1860, Franz Liszt’s popular concerto will also be played, with the participation of the winner of the 14th Franz Liszt International Piano Competition, young Japanese pianist Tomoki Sakata. The final piece featured by the concert is the symphonic poem entitled Hungaria, which constitutes a further musical development composed on the basis of Franz Liszt’s piano piece entitled Heroic March in the Hungarian Style. In fact, this latter piece was Franz Liszt’s (“this world’s renowned composer’s”) answer to Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty’s ode praising Franz Liszt’s talent. An article describing the 1856 world premiere describes this symphonic poem as follows: “This is a musical creation in a completely novel style. It presents immense musical beauty, and requires great efforts not only as far as its creation but also as far as its artistic execution are concerned. Nonetheless, Hungarian motifs appear in it in a subtly concealed manner.”

Program:

Ferenc Erkel: Festival Overture

Ödön Mihalovich: Funeral Music in Memory of Ferenc Deák

Franz Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Flat Major

Mihály Mosonyi: Funeral Tones on Széchenyi’s Death

Franz Liszt: Hungaria – Symphonic Poem

With:

Tomoki Sakata: piano

Conductor: Csaba Somos

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Event location

Ceremonial Hall The stunningly beautiful Ceremonial Hall situated on Pesti Vigadó’s second floor is an excellent venue for concerts, cultural events, conferences, standing and seated receptions, gala dinners and other similar events. Read more about this location