This evening performance will feature works by Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Franz Liszt’s symphonic poem entitled “Les Préludes” and Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. II” are not only played often in concert halls but also surface as wonderful melodies in feature films’ soundtracks.

The text of Schubert’s piece entitled “Shepherd on the Rock” is partly borrowed from Wilhelm Müller’s poem entitled Der Berghirt (The Mountain Shepherd). Wilhelm Müller is the literary figure whose poems Schubert used to compose his famous song cycle “Winter Journey (Winterreise)”. “Shepherd on the Rock” tells about the beauty and solitude of mountain life. In Schubert’s last work, in addition to singing, a solo clarinet features as an echo.

A cliff situated at the River Rhine inspired German poet Heine’s verse. The poem is in fact a ballad. The author evokes the legend of Loreley and presents it in a strange and sad musical mood. Fairy Loreley sits on a protruding rock at the River Rhine combing her beautiful hair and enchanting sailors with her song, as sirens once enchanted Greeks seamen. The sailors are captivated by Loreley’s song, and are eventually swept away by the dangerous eddies of the river. This old tale inspired Franz Liszt to write a song about this theme.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian pianist Rachmaninoff attracted worldwide attention for his fiery, romantic, imaginative and extraordinarily skilled piano play. Later, having been a student of Taneyev and Arensky, Rachmaninoff also garnered attention for his genuine performing talents and for his uniquely voiced compositions. Of his symphonic works, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, composed in 1901, quickly became his most popular piece: the composition features Russian folk music and reflects Russian spirituality. This Piano Concerto also established Rachmaninoff’s worldwide reputation.

Programme:

Franz SCHUBERT: Overture in the Italian Style, D.591

Franz SCHUBERT: Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, D.965 (Carl Reinecke’s instrumentation)

LISZT Ferenc: Die Lorelei

LISZT Ferenc: Les préludes – symphonic poem

Sergei RACHMANINOFF: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18

(I Moderato; II Adagio sostenuto; III Allegro scherzando)

With:

Zita Patak – voice

István LAJKÓ – piano

Conductor: Gergely Ménesi

For further information, please visit: Zuglo Philharmonics Budapest