A Magyar Rádió Énekkara / CAFe Budapest 2015

Arvo Pärt’s art, wrote Hungarian composer Péter Zombola, who is particularly knowledgeable about the oeuvre of his Estonian colleague, stems from “Gregorian chants, early polyphony, Renaissance sacred music, and gothic architecture.”

Arvo Pärt described his own attitude thus: “I discovered it was enough to sound a single note beautifully. This single note, or a quiet beat, or a moment of silence, is comforting. I work with very few elements. One note, two notes... I build from simple materials.” In many ways, this simple and comforting music, which appeals to the listener who harks within, is the opposite of all that the past four hundred years of musical history has left to us. With great recent concerts, Zoltán Pad has proved to be very familiar with this unusual, and at the same time self-evidently clear, musical language.

Program:

Arvo Pärt: Two Slavic Psalms (Zwei slawische Psalmen)

Arvo Pärt: Most Holy Mother of God

Péter Zombola: Our Father (Ocse nás)

Arvo Pärt: Für Alina – for the piano

Arvo Pärt: Nunc dimittis

Arvo Pärt: Dopo la vittoria

Bartók: Four Hungarian Folk Songs – for mixed choir

Bartók: Two Romanian Folk Songs – for women’s choir

Ligeti: Pápainé – for mixed choir

Bartók: Six dances in Bulgarian rhythm – piano series

Bartók: Szekler Folk Songs – for men’s choir

Bartók: Four Slovak Folk Songs – for mixed choir and piano

Featuring: Balázs Réti – piano

Conductor: Zoltán Pad

Ticket prices: HUF 1500