Izabella Simon & Dénes Várjon Presented by Liszt Academy

Perfect harmony. This is how the play of Izabella Simon and Dénes Várjon comes across to audiences. Through their sensitive interpretations, the artist couple represent that musical concept placing full emphasis on the power of chamber music to shape people and communities, the bases for which they received from musicians such as György Kurtág, Ferenc Rados, András Schiff and Sándor Végh. This recital by Izabella Simon and Dénes Várjon opens with the six pieces for pedal piano written by Schumann, which the composer and his wife put together in the course of combined counterpoint studies for the unusual instrument developed for practicing organ works. Later on, Debussy prepared an arrangement allowing the work to be performed in concert halls in double piano form. Then there is a real curiosity in this concert with Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in the four-hand arrangement by Bruno Walter who had a close personal relationship with the composer. It evokes the orchestral parts and reveals a new side to the work.