On the 140th
anniversary of the birth of composer Béla Bartók, Müpa has compiled recordings
of four live performances of his works, interpreted by some of Hungary's finest
musicians. Rhapsody No.1 by László Fenyő and chamber musicians from 2014 provides
a glimpse into the composer's later period, underscored by Hungarian peasant
music, while Kossuth (played by János Kovács and the Hungarian Radio Symphony
Orchestra) and the youthful Violin Concerto No.1 (interpreted by Kristóf Baráti
and the Zugló Philharmonic-Saint Stephen Symphony Orchestra under the baton of
Gábor Horváth) are two significant pieces closer to the beginning of Bartók’s
career. His Kossuth from 1903 was influenced by Ein Heldenleben by Richard
Strauss, while the muse for his violin concerto was wunderkind Hungarian violinist
Stefi Geyer. The second part of the broadcast focuses on the 2015 concert by
the famed Muzsikás folk ensemble whose Bartók album evokes the traditional melodies
the composer discovered on his Transylvanian travels. The performance will
be broadcasted on the Müpa Home website and YouTube channel.
