Gyöngyösi Levente: Karácsonyi oratórium

CONTEMPORARY. BETHLEHEM. ASSOCIATIONS.

Levente Gyöngyösi’s Christmas Oratorio, written in 2013 and sung in Latin, is based – following the fashion of musical pieces by the composer’s great role model Bach – on an exciting libretto, and draws on a variety of textual sources, primarily the Gospel of Luke. At certain points in the narrative, possible conceptual associations of thought are conveyed through contemplative arias based on the Old Testament and other texts. Towards the end of the piece, the composer uses an unusual addition: the Latin translation of Hungarian poet Attila József’s poem entitled ‘The Kings of Bethlehem’. This composition presents the singing soloists with a demanding and ambitious task. Two of these are particularly notable: the soprano personifies the Virgin Mary and the angel, while the tenor – partly recalling the Passions – is given the role of the Evangelist, but – unlike in the Passions – this time he also sings an aria.

Program
Mozart: La clemenza di Tito – Overture, K. 621
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
Levente Gyöngyösi: Christmas Oratorio

Conductor
György Vashegyi

Artists
Mihály Berecz (piano)
Eszter Zemlényi (soprano)
Tamás Ress (tenor)

Chorus Solos
Péter Molnár (Gaspar)
Balázs Orosz (1st Shepherd)
Norbert Antóni (2nd Shepherd)
Zsolt Lettner (3rd Shepherd)
Róbert Rezsnyák (Melchior)
Péter Cser (Balthazar)
Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir

Photo: Levente Gyöngyösi  ©Zsófia Raffay