The Hungarian National Male Choir prepares a special concert for Palm Sunday, marking the start of Easter, in collaboration with the Óbuda Danubia Symphony Orchestra, where they will delve into the mystery of peace, life, and death.

In the first half of the concert, the sacred music of prominent 20th-century composers – Ambrož Čopi, Francis Poulenc, and Arvo Pärt – will be performed. After a glorifying Marian hymn, the life-filled prayers of St. Francis of Assisi will invoke the saint's simplicity and love for life, praying for peace and mercy.

Following this, two remarkable pieces from the Anglo-Saxon war music repertoire will be presented: Samuel Barber's composition primarily reports from the frontlines, while Benjamin Britten’s adaptation of a classic ballad tells of betrayal, love, and fate, and can also be interpreted in a wartime context.

In the second half of the concert, two contemporary Hungarian composers, Ilona Dobszay-Meskó and Márton Levente Horváth, both of whom are recipients of the Erkel Prize, will have their works performed with the Óbuda Danubia Symphony Orchestra.

A common thread between these composers is that the pieces being performed were written in 2022, specifically for the Hungarian National Male Choir, in remembrance of our great poets, Sándor Petőfi and János Pilinszky.

During the evening, the world premiere of Ilona Dobszay-Meskó's Egyenes labirintus (Straight Labyrinth), based on a poem by Pilinszky, will be presented. This work captures the poet’s inner tension and metaphysical depth, showing the straight path through the labyrinth, balancing between fate and transcendence.

Another highlight of the concert is Dobszay-Meskó Ilona’s monumental oratorio Missa “Da Pacem” (Mass for Peace), with the male choir section being performed for the first time with a full orchestral accompaniment after its earlier organ version.

The Hungarian National Male Choir views the nurturing of contemporary music as part of its mission, specifically the public performance of contemporary Hungarian works written for them. In a world filled with loud events, the choir believes it is their fundamental duty to stand up for artistic and human values.

Performers:

(Soprano), András Decsi (Tenor), Soloists of the Hungarian National Male Choir, László Adrián Nagy (Piano, Organ), Óbuda Danubia Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Richárd Riederauer
Host: Erzsébet Jeney

Program:

Ambrož Čopi: Totus tuus
Francis Poulenc: Quatre petites prières de Saint François d’Assise
Arvo Pärt: De profundis
Samuel Barber: A Stopwatch and an Ordnance Map
Benjamin Britten: The Ballad of Little Mustgrave and Lady Barnard

Intermission

Márton Levente Horváth: Mielőtt
Ilona Dobszay-Meskó: Egyenes labirintus (World Premiere)
Ilona Dobszay-Meskó: Missa “Da Pacem” – Graduale
Ilona Dobszay-Meskó: Missa “Da Pacem” – Agnus Dei
Ilona Dobszay-Meskó: A Magyarok Istene

Design Photos: Zsófia Raffay