MÁV Erdélyi/4. Zeneakadémia 21-22

Since the beginning of time, birdsong has been a source of inspiration for all musicians. In our youth concert, we first hear the cello duet of József Sándor Nagy and Illés Sütő in Vivaldi's deep, moving and beautiful Concerto for two cellos in G minor. The two young players are students of Krisztina Dávid, the cellist of our orchestra. Afterwards, the audience will hear a special suite by the neoclassical Italian composer Ottorino Respighi, written in 1928 following the tradition of the works of 18th century composers. The brilliant work, which features the sounds of swans, hens, nightingales and cuckoos, is performed by Szabolcs Medveczky and proves to be intriguing not only for ornithologists but for every music enthusiasts.

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.

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.