MAHLER & TCHAIKOVSKY - Elisabeth Leonskaja, Róbert Farkas and the MAV Symphony Orchestra SZ/2

The names of Mussorgsky and Ravel became intertwined through the orchestral version of Pictures at an Exhibition. Although thousands of kilometres and decades separated them, due to their elegance and expressiveness, it is no far-fetched to consider them distant relatives. Between the enchanting soundscapes of Mother Goose and Musorgsky's stirring, moving tableaux, Ravel's "two-handed" Piano Concerto in G major, born exactly 150 years ago to the day, is performed by one of the composer's most unique and esteemed interpreters, the two-time Kossuth and Franz Liszt Prize winner Dezső Ránki. Our orchestra is conducted by Maxim Rysanov, a violist of the highest reputation, who steps on the conductor's baton ever more often.

The figure of Coriolanus, the tragically doomed Roman general, must have impressed Beethoven, who saw himself as a similarly lonely hero. Although the Austrian play that inspired the composer has not stood the test of time (at best we hear of Shakespeare's drama of the same title), Beethoven's Overture to Coriolanus is eternal. As is Symphony No. 8, a masterpiece of serenity reflecting Haydn, premiered in 1814, and a secret favourite of the composer because of its light, playful tone. 'My little F major', he referred to it in one of his notes. Gábor Takács-Nagy is one of the most innovative Beethoven conductors of our time; he can show something new with even a well-known piece like Symphony No. 5, which is now forever stamped with the adjective "fate", arbitrarily chosen by the composer's secretary.

From virtuoso pianist, Franz Liszt became an accomplished composer, and his much-loved symphonic poem Les Préludes is a testament to his mature voice. Nevertheless, his Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major is also a masterpiece, this time featuring Canadian solo pianist Kevin Chen. The soloist won first prize at the 2021 Franz Liszt International Piano Competition in Budapest and was previously the winner of the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv. The cantatas by two esteemed composers, János Vajda and György Orbán, were commissioned by the Honvéd Ensemble on the centenary of the Great War as a warning against all wars of all times, as a joint "artistic ritual" for humanity and peace.