Miklós Perényi & Budapest Strings A Zeneakadémia saját szervezésű programja

Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven – the immortal trio. Three classical composers whose works represent eternal truths, and who speak to audiences of any period through their purity of purpose, naturalness, elemental force and fundamental humanity. The contemporary audiences of these three greats did not even know the concepts of ‘classical’ and ‘pop’ music; thus we find classical elements even in such open-air entertainment as Cassation, which flowed from the pen of a 13-year-old Mozart. Similarly, Haydn’s violoncello concerto, which was composed for the court of Prince Esterházy, was written with the aim of providing its audiences with food for thought. The mainly lyrical, though in some parts somewhat ‘heavy’ piece, was composed for the cellist, who later became close to Beethoven and who was also the member of, for example, the orchestra that debuted the Eroica Symphony. We hear the Haydn masterpiece from the instrument of Hungary’s current number one cellist. The Septet of the third First Viennese School master, which was originally scored for strings and wind instruments, was written in a similarly light-hearted vein; it was considered one of the most popular of the composer’s works at the time of its genesis. Numerous contemporary transcriptions were made from it, though the one we hear tonight is considerably later and associated with Arturo Toscanini. This programme of superb music is performed by the Budapest Strings, who have for decades nurtured the memory of Haydn at Eszterháza. The concert is led by internationally renowned violinist-conductor Péter Csaba, music director of the MÁV Symphony Orchestra.