Programme
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Nuages gris
Ballade Nr. 2 h-moll S 171
Sursum corda S 163/7
Les jeux d’eaux à la Villa d’Este
– break –
György Ligeti (1923-2006)
Musica ricercata: III-XI
György Orbán (1947*)
French suite
Liszt and Ligeti in Laufen – piano concert with Prof Judit Gábos at Gutshof Güntert
‘Musica pura’ is the name of the new concert series founded by the musician Zsófia Csákány, who is well known in the region, and the musicologist and literary scholar Dr Edda Güntert. The concept also includes exciting juxtapositions that invite you to question the usual listening canon.
In her programme, piano professor Judit Gábos, who works at the Eszterházy University of Music in Eger, combines two of Hungary’s most important composers, who are not only linked by their synaesthetic perception of sound and their experimental boundary shifting, but also met in Stanley Kubrick’s film music: Franz Liszt and György Ligeti.
It becomes audible how advanced and far-reaching Liszt’s piano work was, for example in the late ‘Nuages gris’ and – despite all the astonishing virtuosity, for example in the ‘Jeux d’eaux à la Villa d’Este’ – cannot be reduced to pure ‘keyboard lionism’. Works such as ‘Musica ricercata’, on the other hand, demonstrate against the backdrop of Liszt’s tonal language rooted in the 19th century that breaking with tradition is also a dialogue with tradition. A demanding, appealing and moving musical dialogue – with an introduction by Dr Edda Güntert.
Judit Gábos is a Hungarian concert pianist and a piano professor at the Music Institute of Eszterházy Károly Catholic University of Eger. In 2003 received DMA in piano performance from the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and in 2012 obtained a habilitation also in piano performance from the Liszt Academy.
In 2000-2006 played numerous live solo and chamber music recitals at the Hungarian Radio, also performing regularly at the Liszt Museum in Budapest, played at the Spring Festival of Budapest, Pecs and Eger.
In Europe gave solo and chamber music concerts in Belgium, Finland, Serbia, Spain. In Romania has been frequently soloist of the State Philharmonics of Targu-Mures. In the United States played Bartók (Concerto no.3 for piano and orchestra, the Sonata for two pianos and percussions) and also all-Bartók recitals in New York (2013, 2015), Canada (Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver).
In 2011, as a Fulbright grantee, played concerts and recitals honouring the Liszt bicentenary.
As a pianist and professor, also visited other countries, as Indonesia (2013), Brazil (2014, 2017), India (2016, 2019), New Zealand (2018), Argentina (2022), Chile (2024).
In Spring 2019, collaborated with the dance company of Eger (Gárdonyi Géza Dance ensemble) in the dance phantasy “Hungarian Rhapsody”, playing Liszt works as live performances in Eger and Budapest.
Outside Europe and the North American continent, also toured Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, India, New Zealand.
Zsófia Csákány, piano
Dr. Edda Güntert, moderation
Poetic narrative art
The opening evening of the new ‘musica pura’ series offers a special concert experience: The founder of the new concert series, the musician Zsófia Csákány, who is well known in the region, will perform her own works for piano in the historic hall of Gutshof Güntert in Laufen. With ‘reFLEXIONS’, she follows in the tradition of the great piano cycles of the 19th century, especially those of Robert Schumann: Like Schumann, Csákány emphasises poetically dense storytelling over pure virtuosity. Csákány’s subtle atmospheric images and delicate depictions of nature depict inner and outer experiences and derive their unique tone from the composer’s Hungarian roots. The evening will open with an introduction by musica pura co-founder Dr Edda Güntert. Conversations over wine and sparkling wine will provide an enjoyable conclusion to the concert.