years of the BUDAPEST PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Dear Audience,

The 160 years of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra embrace the longest period in Hungarian musical history. During these decades, Erkel, Liszt, Bartók, Kodály and Dohnányi – just to name the most illustrious examples, all of whom are connected to our orchestra in a thousand ways – were all actively composing. While 160 years is not the usual round number for a jubilee, it is nevertheless a key number, since it is twice the 80th that was celebrated under the direction of Ernő Dohnányi with the world première of Zoltán Kodály’s work, Dances of Galánta. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the piece will also be played at this current jubilee concert, in the company of works by Bartók and Mahler chosen because their fi rst performances are likewise connected to the Budapest Philharmonic.

For today’s concert marking the 160th anniversary of the Orchestra’s founoundation – which as a symbolic gesture I am conducting jointly with the Orchechestra’s next chairman-conductor – as well as all of the other concerts in thisis festival season, I wish you blissfull relaxation and wonderful musical enjoymement. DR. GYÖRGY GYÔRIVÁNYI RÁTH Photo: Attila Juhász

Dr. Györgyyörgy GyőrivGyőriványi Ráth

They say that music is the food of the soul. If this is true, thent the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra has nourisheded many souls by pperforming the greatest musical works over the last 160 years.ears. Throughout ththese rich decades, the orchestra has inspired the fi nestt of of composers composers to to w write masterpieces, and thus the ensemble can boast numerousmerous world premièpremières, not to mention a history of musical direction which includesncludes some of ththe world’s most renowned conductors. As the new chairman-conductor of the Budapest Philharmonic, it is my express aim to bring back to this orchestra,orc which once played a signifi cant cultural olerole at at a aEuropean European lev level, the standing that it deserves.

Pinchas Steinberg

PINCHAS STEINBERG

3 A CONCERT BY THE BUDAPEST PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (28 OCTOBER 2011) – Photo: Attila Juhász Contents

Programme notes 6 Endre Tóth Béla Bartók (1881–1945): Dance Suite 6 I. Moderato II. Allegro molto III. Allegro vivace IV. Molto tranquillo V. Comodo VI. Finale – Allegro years of Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967): Dances of Galántaa 8 Gustav Mahler (1860–1911): Symphony No.o. 1 in D major, “Titan” 10 the BUDAPEST PHILHARMONIC I. Langsam, schleppend. Im Anfang sehrseh gemächlich. II. Kräftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnchnell. ORCHESTRA III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohnee zuz schleppen. IV. Stürmisch bewegt. Failure in Budapest, or a composermposer striving to plplease? 12 Dr. György Győriványi Ráth Gala concert at the Hungarian State Opera Furtwängler and the Budapestdapest Philharmonic Orchestra 16 Monday, 18 November 2013, 7.30 pm Zoltán Rockenbauer Music and the humann mind 20 József Hámori To an orchestra 23 Zsófi a Balla The Budapestest Philharmonic Society 2004-2013 24 Anna Scholz PROGRAMME:

Béla Bartókk X Dance Suite Zoltán Kodály X Dances of Galánta

Publisher: Szilveszter Ókovács, general director of the Opera House Editor: Anna Scholz CONDUCTOR – DR. GYÖRGY GYŐRIVÁNYI RÁTH Photo editor: Jozefa Iványi English translation: Adrian Courage X Photos: Szilvia Csibi, Pál Csillag, Vera Éder, Péter Herman, Attila Juhász, Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 1 in D major, “Titan” Béla Mezey, Attila Nagy, Tomas Opitz, Mario Pertorini Typographyy and design: Mátai és Végh Kreatív Műhely CONDUCTOR – PINCHAS STEINBERG Programme notes Endre Tóth

In 1923, there was a movement to almost as war criminals for several years. off ered by folk dance: and it was into this celebrate the 50th anniversary of the The composers – particularly Bartók andnd that Bartók placed his new message: the unifi cation of Pest, Buda and Óbuda, Kodály – performed the requestst iin a fantasy image of the happy meeting of which eventually did not compare to unique manner, similarly to howw theth poet peoples.” the scale of the Hungarian Millennium. János Arany reacted to the celebrationce of Before the première, the composer spoke Fortunately – at least from the point Franz Josef in his poem,m, TThe Welsh Bards. of his new composition with customary of view of musical history – one highly Kodály reaped enormomous success with the terseness: “My dance suite is one of signifi cant event did take place: ag ala 55th Psalm, todayy betterbe known as Psalmusus my newest works. I wrote it during the concert by the Philharmonic Society’s Hungaricus, whose text by 16th centucentury summer. It consists of fi ve parts, which Orchestra was held in the Vigadó poet Mihályály Vég Kecskeméti shouldshou be come one after the other without a pause, Concert Hall on 19 November 1923. read betweenetween the lines. For eexample, as attaccas. All fi ve dances are original, and have a folk-like, but not folk, character, and in place of pauses, I have employed a little ritornello, an orchestral interlude, A GREETING FROMM BÉLA BARTÓK TO TTHE HONORARY MEMBERS (1933) between the various dances. These Philharmonic Society Archive ritornelli are situated between the fi r st placed side by side, andd in such a way attempting to identify its origin. The and second movements, between the that the diff erent partsts of the work showsho second movement is Hungarian in second and the third, and between the defi ned types. Thehe peasantpeasant musicmusic of all character, and the third is Hungarian in fourth and fi f th. There is also an attacca- kinds of nationalitiesnalities served as ththe model: places and Romanian in others.” section after the fifth movement or Hungarian,n, Romanian, SlovaSlovak, and even The Budapest Philharmonic Society’s REMIÈ dance, in a fi nale-like section, in which Arab, andnd there is also the cross-breeding concert of exactly 90 years ago was all the themes that have emerged are of theseese types. So, for example,ex the melody greeted with extraordinary acclaim. István repeated.” In his essay, The Eff ect of Folk in the fi rst theme of the fi rst movement Péterfi , in the next day’s Világ, stressed, with Music on Modern Art Music, Bartók set is reminiscent of tthe most primitive Arab regard to the Dance Suite, “how new andd down on paper more of his analyticall folk music, whilewh its rhythm belongs to surprising the composer’s twists and turnns Bartók (1881–1945): Dance Suite Dance (1881–1945): Bartók thoughts on the Dance Suite in 1931, butbu Eastern Euroopean folk music. The theme were, and how rich his poetic imaginatioon removed these from the fi nal versionon. In of the foururth movement is an imitation was”. Shortly after the première, seveeral

POSTER FOR THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF DANCE SUITE (1923) SocietyPhilharmonic Archive the crossed-out lines, new materialal by the of morere complicated Arab music. The European orchestras included Barttók’s

Béla Bartók (188 Molto IV. vivace Allegro III. molto Allegro II. Moderato I. – Allegro Finale VI. Comodo V. tranquillo On the occasionccasion of this festivefestiv event, one section reads, “the entire city is full composer can be read regardingg thet “aim” themee of the ritornello is such a faithful new work in their programmes. Inn 1925 the city’s’s leadership asked BéBéla Bartók, of rage”. Bartók, meanwhile, encoded of the work, which was no lessle than “a replilica of certain types of Hungarian it was played at the Prague Festitival, of Zoltán Kodály and Ernő DohnányiDoh (who into his Dance Suite, “the notion of the kind of ideally conceived pepeasant music, sonongs that even the most seasoned which the Italian composer Alfredodo Casella was also both conductor aand soloist for brotherhood of the peoples”, to which I would say: composed peaeasant melodies ethnomusicologiste maybe fooled into wrote in his column, Il Pianofortete, “bathed the evening) to compose new works. In a political message could be ascribed a in fantasy, rich in colour, likike certain BÉLA BARTÓK’S WORDSS OF GREETINGS IN TTHE GUEST BOOK OF THE PHILHARMONIC thee time of the short-livedshort-l Hungarian mere few years after the Trianon peace Philharmonic Society Archiveve magnifi cent Hungarian mbroideries,emb it Sovietoviet Republic, BartóBartók and Kodály had treaty. As Tibor Tallián writes of the work is music of astonishing tecechnicality, but both been membersmembe of the musical in his book on Bartók, “Bartók […] sought in addition to this it is off a cunning and directorate under thhe leadership of Béla out those musical layers – with political spontaneous poetic nature that makesmake Reinitz, and the commissionsc for the consciousness – in which ethnic and one gape. In recent years only rarely has new works were inintended as a symbolic democratic integration could become anything appearedd with such beautybeaut and gesture of friendndly reconciliation with reality. Just as in Viennese classicism, the with such perfection,tion, both intellectualintellec and the composers,, who had been treated purest opportunity for integration was technical.”

7 because, from a statement he made appreciation for the new Kodály in the 20 October 1933 Evening News composition playedd at tthe jubilee daily newspaper, it emerged that this concert eightyhty yeyears ago – which was had been the fi rst “orchestra” he had conducteducted by Ernő Dohnányi on 23 ever heard in his life. The composer OctoberOcto 1933 – along with, naturally, also noted that in Vienna around 1800, its interpretation. The critic from the several notebooks worth of Hungarian Budapesti Hírlap wrote that the piece dance music had been published, “brings to life the fi re and radiance and the music of the Galánta gypsieses of old Hungarian life, with its many had served as the source for onene of magnificent, warm colours”, while them. The composer was alertedaler to Viktor Lányi dubbed Zoltán Kodály’s the existence of the publiblications by creation as “a masterfully realised new ZOLTÁN KODÁLY musical historian Dr ErvinErv Major, who work constructed on a grand scale and had discovered themem in the library of infl uenced yb the new, the great and “No Musicians get the Verbunkos the National Musicusic School. The songs the enduring”. Aladár Tóth devoted dance going with their feet like the in the collectionction had an inspirationalinspiratio many lines in Pesti Napló to expressing Galánta Gypsies,” wrote the Kolozsvár effect onn Kodály, and he selectedsel his view that Kodály “was leading us (Cluj-Napoca)(Cluj-Na linguist and medical from amongmong them when composingco off to the true fairyland of his people”. doctor SámuelSá Gyarmathi in his 1794 his 1933 orchestral piece, written for Later, he continued, “Kodály’s tone work, HungarianH Grammar Taught thehe 80th anniversary of the Budapest poem evokes the fi gures of a long-lost Rationonallyy, which Zoltán Kodály also Philharmonic SocietySociety’s foundation. Hungarian world. At the same time, quoteduoted in 1964 in his notes to his In terms of form,, tthe piece is a rondo, however, we clearly sense […] that these already more than 30-year-old piecepiece, since – in the wordsw of music historian same fi gures are only now, in the tone Dances of Galánta. The composer, in his János Kovácscs – “this is the most natural poem, beginning to live their true lives.” 1934 foreword to the score, reminminisced unifi er ndand framework for the songs, The Philharmonic Society had given of the years of his childhoodd spent in off eringg all kinds of opportunities for its very fi rst concert under the baton the community (1885-189892) as “the elaboration.”oration.” A main song, the rondoro of Ferenc Erkel, and in memory of this, most beautiful seven yearsy of his theme,eme, repeatedly returns between theth the jubilee concert of Kodály’s time childhood”, and of the ffamous Galánta various episodes, and then a sweeping featured the orchestra founder’s Festive Band, then led by thee “Primás” – or lead coda, noteworthyworthy alsalso for its range, Overture, as well as Beethoven’s 1st fi ddler – Mihók. Thishis bandband mustmust havehave closes thee Galánta Dances. Symphonyy and Liszt’s Hungarian Fantasyy,

n Kodály (1882–1967): Dances of Galánta of Dances (1882–1967): n Kodály had special signifinifi cance for KodályKodály, The contemcontemporary press showed with Dohnányi as the soloist. Also airedd at this concert was Béla Bartók’s workork, Five Hungarian Folk Songs, also arrangnged for the occasion, as well ass Ernő

Zoltán Kodály (1 Dohnányi’s composition, Symymphonic Minutes. The festival conncert was attended by the regent aand his wife, as well as by Crown Prinnce József and his family. Vikor Lányiyi declared in his critique of the ensemmble labelled “the PROGRAMME SHEET FOR THE 80TH JUBILEE CONCERT ON 23 OOCTOBER 1933 most outstanding Hungarian orchestra” Philharmononic Society Archive by Magyar Hírlap reporter István Nádas,Náda that it had “withh utter distinction anda highest artistic standard conductor through to the endnd requires no enthusiastic andnd selfl ess work broubrought Ernő Dohnányi’s grand musical explanation of the artistic signifi cancance Hungarian innovative works to a visions.” And, finally, Aladár Tóth of the Hungarian Philharmonic, aand its ZOLTÁN KODDÁLY’S GREETINGS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 80TH JUBILEE OF THE triumphant victory […] the orchorchestra wrote of the orchestra, “Anyone who cultural functionn for the entire country PHILLHARMONIC, WITH A QUOTE FROM THE DANCES OF GALÁNTA (1933) Philharmonic Society Archive realised withth careful teamwork of the has listened to this beautiful concert and the world.”.”

9 movement, which had previously its unusual proportions (overly lolong trio form usual in symphonies. The GUSGGU TAVV MAHLELER Opepep ra Houses borne the title Funeraleral MarchM in the introduction and developmentment section). beginning of the third movement, CommemoraativveeC Collo ectc ionn Manner of Callotlot. ThisT same movement Here we can quote Adorno, accordinording theth funeral march, also starts with an can alsolso beb connected to the parody to whom, “It is not only the individuall inteterval of a fourth: over the ostinato of illustrationillus from a children’s book, parts within the movements that are the kettleke drum unfolds, in a grotesque, The Hunter’s Funeral, in which the irreconcilable with the traditional minor key, the familiar canon Frère animals of the forest accompany the interpretation of the structures. The Jacques. In the quotations of popular

MORITZ VON SCHWIND: HOW THE ANIMALS BURY THE HUNTER (1850) The Philharmonic Society premièrepremièred and Humoreskeke, while Mahler drew deceased on its procession. The fi nale musical thread itself is alsoo contradictory music of the second episode, even Gustav Mahler’s 1st Symphonyy, whicich at ideas from thhe writer’s novels Titan and D’all Inferno al Paradiso (From Hell to to the schematic understandingderstanding of ththe among music critics, nearly everyone the time still bore the title “Sympmphonic Siebenkäss. Titan relates to the path to Paradise) in all likelihood refers to Dante. category of forms,s, particularly the sonatas hears different influences: some Poem in Two Parts”, on 20 NovemberNo adulthoodood of the protagonist, Albano In 1896, the Mahler opus appeared in form, with whichich Mahler even in his later hearing Jewish music, others Hungarian 1889 in Pest’s Vigadó Concecert Hall (for de Cesara, whom we watch, overove the a concert programme in Berlin in the period neverver broke completecompletely. It follows music, but always an everyday musical a deeper look into the cicircumstances courseourse of nearly 900 pages, grow from form Symphony in D Major for Large from thishis that music stustudents seeking theme from Mahler’s homeland, both surrounding the Budapapest première, a passionate youth to a maturema man Orchestra, and in 1900 was premièred pre-existing-existing structurestructures perceive chaos in the wider and narrower sense: the read Dr. György GyGyőrivány Ráth’s who winds up on theth throne of the as his Symphony No. 1. But these were andnd nothing else. GGyörgy Ligeti’s essay Austro-Hungarian Empire. With respect piece on page 12).). The première was small principalityncipality oof Pestitz. In depicting only the broader strokes, since there Spatial Eff ects in Mahler’sM Music describes to the entire extent of the symphony,y,

hony No. 1 in D major, “Titan” “Titan” 1 in D major, No. hony conducted by thehe composer himselhimself, the main ccharacters, the author is not enough space here for all of thee the well-knowown, quite long musical however, in the longest movement, thehe and the other parts of the programmeprogram criticisesiticises vvarious ideas and viewpoints, composer’s revisions and reworkinggs, material unranravelling over the harmonic 20-minute fi nale, with its tempestuouous by Sándor Erkel.rkel. At the time, the work from idealist philosophy to political since, to quote the music histororian pedal poinint, “through the harmonics, the start, the fanfares of the fi rst movemeent, ustav Mahler (1860–1911): (1860–1911): Mahler ustav still consistedsted of five movemmovements, calcalculation to religious fanaticism. Lóránt Péteri, “the piece’s philoloology is positionn becomes somehow alienated: built from fourths, blare out at the leleast

Gustav Mahler Gustav 1 No. Symphony nicht Kräftig doch bewegt, • II. gemächlich. sehr Anfang Im schleppend. Langsam, I. bewegt. Stürmisch • IV. schleppen. zu ohne gemessen, und Feierlich • III. schnell. zu with threeee movements in tthe first FollowingF the 1889 première, Mahler’s one of the hornet’s nests off musical the orchestraor is at once as if it were expected moment. This movemement part andd two in the second,second with its work, after undergoing major revision history.” But let us add here ththat Mahler soununding through the fog. In his book is also in sonata form, but likkewise structureure employing a ssignificantly and now bearing the title Titan, a later left out the Bluminee movement onn Mahler, Adorno puts it very nicely not in the usual manner (as shown smallerler orchestra, and withwi no poetic Symphonic Poem in Symphonic Form, that had originally bebeen inserted whenw he writes of this moment as if it for example by the quote takaken from programmegramme added by theth composer. was again presented for the stage on between what are noow the fi rst and were an old steam engine hissing.” the fi rst movement), but itis i perhaps Creditedit is owed to a GermanGe romantic 27 October 1893, in Hamburg. Mahler’s second movements, anda also discarded Despite the unusual forms he precisely in this unfamiliaarity, in this poet whose life straddledstradd the 18th and friend Ferdinand Pfohl assisted with the Titan subtitle. implements, we feel that the unusual mixture of the traraditional and 19th centuries, JohannJoha Paul Friedrich composing the poetic programme. The fi rst movement,ent, properly properly speaking speaking, relationships of the movements to the modern that the thrillhrill of Mahler’s Richter, or, as hee is better known Aside from the above-mentioned Jean could be called a sonata form, althoualthough each other is also planned, since, for music can be explained,ned, or, to quotquote “Jean Paul”, for beeing the stimulating Paul novels, his narrative also refers the composerr in no way follows the example, the fourth intervals often Adorno again, “hiss music first aand force behind seveveral musical works: to E.T.A. Hoffmann, whose writings didactic sonataata formula specifi eed by appearing in the fi rst movement are foremost grips thehe listener by aalways Robert Schumaann found in his novel Fantasy Pieces in the Manner of Callot Adolph Bernhardnhard Marx, and thuthus the also present in the second movement continuing in a way that is ddiff erent Flegeljahre inspiiration to write Papillons inspired the then fourth, today’s third première’s critics also took nnote of – the movement otherwise is of the from what theyey are expectinexpecting.”

11 I have spent a long time studying the Your sincerely most devoted believer, Inn contrast to this, Sándor Erkel was What is the reality, then? In order to opera in the way that Mozart intended origins of Mahler’s First Symphonyy, and Gustav Mahler” applauded almost pointedlpointedly when he understand the situation, we must be it to be heard, they must travel to through analysing the manuscripts One does not write such a letter retook the stage,tage, so grateful was the aware of the fact that the Hungariagarian Budapest,B in order to experience of the piece before being able to simply out of courtesy, and there was audiencece forfo a conductor who does not Royal Opera fi rst opened its doors on 277 Mahahler’s conducting.” Most critics of reconstruct the original version, which every indication that the piece and composecom music.” September 1884. When Mahler arrived the eraer also lauded Mahler’s work as the Budapest Philharmonic Society its performance would have been This failure, however, could still not in Budapest as the opera’s director in a conductor, but as an opera director

Dr. GyörgyDr. Győriványi Ráth premièred under the composer’s baton pleasing to Mahler. The enthusiasm in have been completely unambiguous, 1888, the Opera House was in a state of he was subject to continual attacks. on 20 November 1889 in the Vigadó his tone indicates, in my opinion, that because Mahler’s supporter József moral, artistic and fi nancial crisis. Within They threw in his face the fact that he Concert Hall. In 2012, with the same he was expecting a huge, explosiveve Keszler, for example, wrote an two years, however, Mahler succeeded is a foreigner, and that he directed too ensemble, I performed the work again success at the concert. The surprrprise enthusiastic report, but we must treat in leading the theatre out of this crisis. many foreign works at the expense of – for the second time in the history must have been all the greateater when his writing with reservation, to say the Brahms, for example, wrote forthrightly Hungarian operas, including those of of the piece, in Budapest – which this the piece visibly failed. One critic, for least, since in a contemporary cartoon, of the performance of Don Giovanni Ferenc Erkel. Later, upon the resignation time was met with the thunderous example, described thehe concert with it we has he who in Mahler’s orchestra he had personally heard in Hungary, of the government commissioner enthusiasm of those present. On this the following ironicc wwords: beat a bass drum labelled “hype”. that “if anyone should like to hear the and intendant Ferenc Beniczky, who basis, I feel it safe to state that the “It is with sorroww that I must say that the had been the one to invite Mahler Symphonic Poem in Two Parts (this was expectations attached to the compositioncompositi to Budapest, Mahler saw fi t to move the title of the original version of the have not been fulfi lled. If we did know on. He signed a contract to work in First SymphonySymp y) was even in its original of Mahler’shler’s brilliant achievemachievements as Hamburg. form an extraordinary creative work: a conductor,onductor, or that he is a sensitive Wee must also attach some importaimportance Mahlerr wasw composing a new type of musician gifted with mulmultifaceted tastes, to the concert life in which Mahler, form-sm-shattering music, but still within and the most thoroughthorou knowledge of not yet thirty,th had appeared with his thee existing frameworks. the masterworkss of all artistic styles, fi rrst st composition. The most legendary We should note that Mahler must havhave then we wouldd nnot know this from this composers of the time were Brahms, been satisfi ed with his work, becacause symphony. AfterAf the symphonic poem Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Dvořák and Verdi, just in his letter to the Philharmonic SocietyS title, andd based on the well-known to name a few. Budapest kept in step Orchestra, after the dress rehehearsal, he attractiontion the most avant-garde with Europe’s musical life, and Brahms, writes: neo-romanticism-romanticism has for our ingeningenious Liszt and Dvořák themselves played and director,rector, we had prepared for the mostmo conducted in Budapest. In comparison “Most Honoured Gentlemmen, variegated extravagances, whilew at the to this, it is no wonder that Mahler’s fi rst At this moment, still underu the eff ect of same time we also wouwould have expected large-scale orchestral work shocked the today’s dress rehearsal,arsal, I feel motivated somethingng interesinteresting and meaningful Budapest audience. According to onee to express my thanks to you andan in his directiondirection. Instead of this, we heard account, a lady dropped her reticule aat re in Budapest, or a composer striving to please? striving please? to a composer or in Budapest, re everyone involvedved in the production for musicusic thathat, disregarding a few bizarre the start of the fi fth movement. But thhis your dedicateded work, conducted withw a elements,elemen in every respect – the melodies, was exactly the eff ect that Mahler hadh genuinely artistic spirit, with whichwhi you thehe harmonies, and the instrumentation been seeking to achieve here, and evene

Failure in Budap Failure have assistedsted in the realisationrealisatio of my – in even the best case did not exceed the later on he never made any changges to modest work.w standard of what is customary. the beginning of this movementnt. Alreadyy today at the dress rehrehearsal, I was If we were to summarise the overall In any case, the failure must havave been convincedinced that I will never aagain have the impression, we could say that Mahler, with extremely painful to the coomposer, opportunityportunity to hear my wwork performed his outstanding conducting ability, is not because years later he rereminisced withth such perfection. only deserving of being listed among the about the period of thee Budapest I feel myself lucky to beb able to stand at very greatest of his profession, but that première: “…friends wouldd clear out my the helm of such a group,g which, with he also, like them, is not a composer of path in alarm; not one of them dared complete selflessneess and pushing all symphonies. speak to me of the performance and personal matters intoi the background, The new symphony, which the composer my art, and I went about like a plagplague works in the servvice of art, and I want himself coached and conducted, garnered carrier or an accursedsed pariah. And, as for for you to remainn as good to me as I am scant appreciation, and at the end even how the critics were behaving, you can grateful and commmitted to you. some slight opposition could be detected. GUSTAV MAHLER’SAHLER’S LETTER TO THETH PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY, 19 NOVEMBER 1889 guess from theseese circumstances.”circumstan Philharmonic SocietyS Archive 13 instrumentation,nstrumentation, and he could thus despite reporting in a previous letterlet orchestra. The slow movement, a role première a symphonyny that would be to Richard Strauss of his intentntent to slim that the Blumine movement had fi l ed elevated aboveove ththe everyday crop of it down. At any rate, it is certain thathat, earlier,ea is also missing. mediocrecre wworks.” at its Berlin performance on 16 Marchh Wee cannot know, therefore, whether Nevertheless,Nev the next two revised 1896, under the title Symphony in D MahlerMahle reworked the 1st Symphony so versions of the work would also fail in Major for Large Orchestra, the piece was many times as an eff ect of the failure Hamburg and Weimar, respectively. successful, and the abovementioned and the critics, out of a desire to please, Ernst Otto Nodnagel, writing in Nodnagel even praised Mahler. No or if he wished to rather improve it as the Berliner Tageblatt objected further amendment was made to the a result of his inner drive. In any case, to the titles and the programme, piece. after the piece took on its fi nal form, the and at the same time declared the The 1st Symphonyy in its final form audience responded to it diff erently: piece’s instrumentation confused strongly shows the markings of the Richard Strauss’s symphonic poems and unintelligent, and the Blumine original Budapest version, as well as of had already quite altered the image of movement trivial. It is striking that it the revisions and patches. For example, how an orchestra should sound, while, was immediately afterwards that the the fi nal version, despite being written at the time of its première, Mahler’s composer abandoned the off ending for a large ensemble, retains in the fi rst Symphonic Poem had far overstepped Blumine movement, and also rescored and third movements a chamber-music the boundaries of both the listeners’ the piece for a much larger orchestra, quality that points to the earlier, smaller expectationsns and the ggenre.

BUST OF GUSTAV MAHLER IN THE HUNGARIAN STATE OPERA HOUSE (BY(B JÁNOS KRASZNAI, ERECTEDTED IN 2010 BY THE HUNGARIAN GUSTAV MAHLEMAHLER SOCIETY ON THE OCCASIONASION OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSATY OF THE COMPOSER’SCO BIRTH) Photo: Béla Mezey I am probably notot incorrect to surmissurmise 4th MovemeMovement: Stranded. A funeral that the voicess of the critics presentedpresent marchrch in the manner of Callot. above playedd a major role in the pipiece’s 5th Movement:Mo Dall’inferno al Paradiso. reworking. It is an interesting fafact that Thehe Budapest critics likewise found several of the Budapest critics wwho were faultf with the work’s fi nale – and it is present quite precisely paraphrasedparaph the probably no accident that Mahler later programmeamme to the piece (the(t original drastically revised this movement. versionon did not include these) – and “In declaring it a failure, we mean it was in the work’s follfollowing version only the work’s second half. It is an thatat Mahler himself pprovided it with enormous aberration on the part of programmatic subjectsubjec titles: an ingenious mind. But the fi rst half Part I: From the days of youth - Flowers, deserves to remain unmarked by fruits and thornn pieces failure. If the composer were to write 1st Movement – SpringSp and no end a fi tting fi nale for his work’s fi rst three 2nd Movement – Flowerine Chapter movements, his calling has been 3rd Movement – Set with full sails demonstrated especially by the lovely PLACARD FOROR THE BUDAPEST PHIPHILHARMONIC SOCIETY’S FIRST CONCERT (20 NOVEMBER 1853) Part II: Commeddia umana thematic development and the bright Philharmonic SocietyS Archive

15 broken with the practice when here the music’s structure with sharp plasticplasticity, melodic image of a tree, towering and Furtwängler and the Budapest in Hungary, and thiss year, lilike the last, like Toscanini or his studentdent Failoni. erect. And another time he stretched out gave his concertncert with the Hungarian Furtwängler’s hand, vibrating restlesslessly, hishi arms in beatitude, evangelically, as if Philharmonic Orchestra Philharmonrmonic ensemble,” wrote Péterfi on nearly drunkenly, as if he were attempting createating the world, and yet another time 25 NovemberN 1939. “It is a distinction and to eradicate all that, as if he wanted to when his commander’s arm summoned Zoltán Rockenbauer mark of respect of great value, and the erase the bar lines themselves. These the river of din of the corresponding Philharmonic Society once again proved movements drive the orchestra to the chords and notes, that once Moses was as the permanent guest conductor. He itself fully worthy of the confidence point of intoxication: with ecstatic zeal, able to bring forth a spring from the rock also gave these two March concerts – his placed in it. It truly excelled.” they compel the orchestra’s musicians, with his magical staff .” ninth and tenth appearances in Hungungary Furtwängler’s invitation was by every for the music to rise beyond every worldly The picture we gain from the surviving – with the Viennese orchestra. Itt wasw also indication the brainchild of Ernő and rational tether. This type of conductor recordings, however, is even more true- an unusual developmentt ththat he only Dohnányi, then filling the post of has no time for an orchestra of ‘offi cials’. To to-life than any written description. favoured us with the Berlinrliners for the fi rst chairman-conductor. Dohnányi, who comprehend his intentions and to follow Although the rudimentary technical two pairs of concertsts ((in May of 1925 and himself also appeared frequently abroad, his visionary gestures is only possible with conditions in Hungary at the time 1926), and afterwardswards never returned to partly out of necessity, and partly in order a heightened power of imagination.” unfortunately did not allow for recording Budapest withth tthem. to ensure the orchestra’s international Furtwängler’s appearance and the concerts, seven recordings of the He nearly always played it safe here,her and standing, regularly invited guest conducting style truly, even in and Haydn Variations and no fewer than did nott really experiment with Pepping conductors, including such giants as Felix of themselves, offered a unique sight 13 recordingsngs of the 5th Symphonyhony WILHELM FURTWÄNGLERWÄNGLER CONDUCONDUCTS THE PHILHARMONIC or Heinz Schubert, or evenev his own Weingartner, Erich Kleiber, Bruno Walter, to behold, of which – beyond the conductednducted by Furtwängler hhave SOCIETY ORCHESTRAHESTRA (1937-1938) Philharmonic SocSociety Archive symphony,ymphony, as he did elselsewhere at that Richard Strauss, Hans Knappertsbusch contemporary film footage – Dezső remained: the earliest from 1926, and the “In hisis mind,m masculinity never equated to time, nor did he even push Bruckner or and Willem Mengelberg. Szomory, a writer who regularly publisheblished last fromom theth year of his death, 1954. When coarseness,oarseness, nor emotion to sentimentality, Pfi tzner, whomhe he held in high esteem. Furtwängler’s concerts took place in three music criticism in Theatrical Life, along discussingdisc the conductor’s performance but in his entire being there exists ththe Mostly he brougught what could be called subsequent years. On the fi rst occasion, with other work, paintedd a vivid picture style, it is a general practice to distinguish harmony that sounds in his orchesestra. a traditionall GGerman repertoire, pieces on 15 December 1937, he arrived at the in his report from twowo years previouspreviously: between the romantic period before the To his magnificent vigour, ththere is well knownwn by the Hungarian audience. Opera House with a plan for an inimitably “This, as a sight to witness, at the fore Second World War, the wartime ecstatic always a brake, and on his unbebelievably He primarilymarily made his selections from the German programme, which included of a blaring orchestra, as a sight,sig it was period, and the mature period after rich scale, from the hardly perceptiblep orchestralestral works of Beethoven, Brahms,Bra Beethoven’sSymphony No. 5 and Brahms’s of the fi rstt order! order! It It was was so so a astonishing, the ban. We also, as it happens, have pianissimo to the poundining, convulsive Schuberthubert and Schumann, the overtureovertures Haydn Variations. In order to create a so entrancingrancing and fascifascinating, and so a recording of the 5th Symphonyy from fortissimo, there existss eevery colour, in of Weber and Wagner, anand Richard picture of the passion surrounding the artistictic as well, that I hadh to smile… He 1937 as well, but the studio recording amazingly varied rhyththms, every device Strauss’s symphonicmphonic ppoems. Although event, it is telling to quote the appreciative crouchedrouched down, almostalm to his knees, and probably does not really relay the for producing eff ect,”ct,” wrote music critic he upon occasion cconducted works from report of Aladár Tóth, who wrote, among then straighteninstraightening out, lanky and reedy, atmosphere of the Budapest concert.t. István Péterfi of Furtwängler’sFurtwängler’s 1818 MarcMarch contemporaryemporary Hungarian composers – his other comments, in Pesti Napló, “inn the way God madem him, he projected the Furtwängler’s live recordings nearlyly 1930 Budapest concertc in Magyar HírHírlap. nameame is atattached to the world première Furtwängler, however, a conductor hasha Nothing bettertter shows FurtwängFurtwängler’s of Bartók’sBar Piano Concerto No. 1 – in now taken the helm of our orchestraa wwho internationalal prestige than the factfac that a HungaryHun the extent of this was his once is fully a musician of extremes, of ppassion few years previously he had still possessedp placing Kodály’s Peacock Variations on the and ecstasy. One who disdainss thet score the title of chief conductor tto a trio of programme (in 1943). and the instruments, who pracactically cuts star orchestras:chestras: the Berlin and Vienna We cannot say, either, that he was not out of the music all that iss moderation Philharmonicsarmonics and Leipzig’s Gewandhaus attempting to cater to the tastes of the and all that might be ddelimited. He Orchestra.hestra. Only his predecessorpred Arthur local public, since he did conduct — in himself said, ‘Toscanini is proud to direct Nikischkisch had been capable of such bravura. three guest appearances – fi ve Budapest what is in the score,e, but I am proud After 1930, however, the director, who had Philharmonic Society Orchestra concerts, that I conduct whatat is not in the score.’ been known for his frefrequent appearances which was viewed as a special honour Truly, it is suffi cientnt for us simply to paypa abroad, kept only thehe Berlin Philharmonic by the ensemble and the audience alike. attention to Furtwängler’stwängler’s motions: thist for himself, while iin the case of Vienna “Furtwängler, who always plays with his conductor doeses not beat out the timet satisfying himselelf to function, as the own orchestras, the Berlin and Vienna with steady calm, like [Hans] RichtRichter or WILHELM FURTWÄNGLER CONDUCTS AT THE MUSICUSIC ACADEMY ((1937-38) director of the Musikverein,M in essence Philharmonics, even when abroad, has his student Kerner, does not dradraw out Philharmonic Socociety Archive

17 always succeeded more impressively, the Meistersinger overture. Based on composer, hitherto unknown in Hungary,Hunga ensemble during the war years, although as though the presence of the audience Furtwängler’s later opera recordings did not make a deeper impression he did appear in Budapest with the Vienna and the unrepeatability of the moment from Bayreuth, we can rest assured that as part of the excellent performancance. PhilharmonicP on four occasions. The inspired him more than the security of Aladár Tóth indeed accurately sensed Eclectic music put together with muchh collallaboration with him was nevertheless the studio. From Aladár Tóth’s review, the unique individual characteristics of knowledge and skill at instrumentation, still vevery advantageous for the orchestra, we can much better understand the conductor’s interpretation, although but with little individual invention,” andd produced unforgettable moments for the characteristics of Furtwängler’s it is a diff erent question as to whether pouted Péterfi . the Budapest audience. After the war, for “wartime period” than the somewhat it is just this basic dramatic element Perhaps it was exactly this unknown reasons that were in substance trumped dry performance style that can be heard that has captivated to this day both thehe work that inspired the anecdote that up, he was not able to take the podium from the His Master’s Voice records: “(…) German musician’s camp of admirersers anda was long shared among musicians of the anywhere at all for two years. There exists this wonderful pathos, this dark and wild collectors of his recordings, in theiheir never- opera house: “The world-famous German today a library full of literature on the passion, here too directs Beethoven’s diminishing numbers. conductor, Furtwängler, was not known “denazifi cation procedure” conducted WILHELM FURTWÄNGLER struggle more to the bottomless Furtwängler himselff hadh planned for his clear, straight and unambiguous against him: the Ronald Harwood play maelstrom of pessimism than to the the concert as thee startings point for timekeeping. On one occasion, when Taking Sides (1995) and its 2001 film heights of heroic tragedy. And when partnering withh Budapest musicians, Yet another year later, in 1939, he gave he was rehearsing in the Opera House, adaption of the same name by director Beethoven’s triumphant fanfares blare which is confi rmed on the signed portraitport a triple concert with the Hungarian there was in the piece a passage where István Szabó are based on reports of this out, the redemptive joy following the he dedicatedted to the orchestra in hish own orchestra. Between 24 and 26 November, the musicians could not manage to fi nd process. Although he could conduct catharsis seems to be lacking more than hand: “To the Hungarian PhilhPhilharmonic, a concert was added to the programme of the moment to come in. Contrabassist again by Aprilpril of 1947 and resumed his ever. At thhe same time, we feel only the an orchestra of complete earnestness,ea as each of the three advertised subscription Lajos Montag was deeply upset about extensivetensive travel all over Europe, he nevern monumementality of grim power, although a memento of our fi rst collaboration,c 15 series: the Philharmonic, the Youth and the the matter. Finally he could not stop and again received an invitation to perform this, it is true, we feel in all its terrifying December 1937, WilheWilhelm Furtwängler.” Workers’’. On this occasion, Furtwängler – back then still not yet a section leaderlead in anyy of thet countries that were by then greaeatness.” The second occascasion did not require broke with his previous practice in several – publicly and loudly asked the master, behindbeh the Iron Curtain. Also played at the concert were RicharRichard a long wait, sinince scarcely a year had respects: on the one hand, he took the ‘Please, give me a “one”’.”’. Furtwängler Strauss’s symphonic poem, Deathh and passed beforore he was again in front of podium with the same programme on said nothing, and called for a breabreak. Transfi guration, as well as the ovoverture the Budapepest orchestra at the City Theatre each of the three nights – while previously Most likely nothingng of the sort had ever to Wagner’s Die Meistersininger von (today’ss Erkel Theatre). In the programme, there had been no overlap between his happened to him before. MontaMontag began Nürnberg. Although it was nnot the fi rst whichch was similar in its composition tto the double concerts – and on the other the to be afraidd when his colleaguescolleag rushed time that Furtwängler coonducted this previousevious one, he performed Beethoven’sBeethoven character of the programme was also up to him: how had he dared display latter work in Budapestest, his rendition Coriolanus Overturee anda SymphonySymp No. 6, changed. This time the lead role did not suchh boorishness, to acta so off ensively? did not really meet ththe fancy of Aladár Wagner’s Preluelude and Liebestodd from belong to Beethoven but to Brahms, During the break, theth master asked the Tóth, again becauseuse of its grave and Tristan andnd Isolde, as well as Richard whose 2nd Symphonyy he directed, paired nervous bassist’s name, and afterwards tragic character. Just as the optimisticoptimisti Strauss’sss’s symphonicsymp poem Don Juan. with Richard Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegell andd resumed thehe rehearsal, as though resolution was missing from the end of Thisis concconcert also marked the occasion Weber’s overture from Der Freischützütz. nothing hadd happened. Upon reaching Beethoven’s symphony, here he nnoted of the Philharmonic Society electing It was also an innovation thatt he the troublblesome spot, he gave a clear the absencee of “cheerful humanism”human in Fururtwängler as an honorary member. performed work by a contempmporary downbebeat, and, turning toward the bass RECEPTIONTION AT THE MUSIC ACADEMY AFTAFTER WILHELM FURTWÄNGLER IS ELECTED German conductor, one Max TraTrapp: two sectionon, asked, “Mr Montag, will this suit HONOURARY MEMBEMEMBER OF THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY. AT CENTRE, ERNÔ movements from his First Koonzertstück. you?u? There were no repercussions from Philharmonic Society Archive DOHNÁNYI AND FURTWFURTWÄNGLER. (1938. NOVEMBER 17.) - Although the concert waswa extremely thehe occurrence, and the musicians all hit successful according to repeports, this latter theth note on cue together.” work did less to win ovever listeners. “The It was truly a shame that Furtwängler excerpted compositioons by the German no longer stood before the Hungarian PROGRAMME SHEET FORF WILHELM 1 Reprinted: István Péterfi , A Half Century in the Musical Life of Hungary:H Selected Music Criticisms, 1917-1961, Zenemű Press Company, p. 132 FURTWÄNGLER’S 19399 OPERAO HOUSE 2 Reprinted: ibid, p. 239 CONCERTT 3 Reprinted: Selected Music CriticismsC of Aladár Tóth, 1934-193939, Budapest, 1968. Zenemű Press Company. p. 372 Philharmonicrmonic Society Archive 4 Reprinted: Dezső Szomoory, Among the Sounds of Music anda Voices, Musical Writings. Budapest, 2009, Múlt and Jővő Press. p. 398. 5 List of Furtwängler Recordings.cordings. Discography. Edited by Károly Dán and Zoltán Rockenbauer in Wilhelm Furtwängler: Music and Words: Musical and Aesthetic Writings, Budapest,udapest, 2002, Q.E.D. 209209-361 6 Aladár Tóth, ibid, p. 37373 7 First printing: Béla Cssuka, Nine Decades in the Service ofo Hungarian Music, Budapest, 1943, XI, translation, ibid: xxx. 8 Péterfi , ibid, p. 239 9 Péter Kubina, Lajoss Montag, The Bassist’s Outstanding Personalityy, doctoral dissertation, Ferenc Liszt Music Academy, 2008 (Handwritten), p. 18

19 most elemental musical sense is damaged, In addition to identifying the leftle able to recognise musical structures (as Music and the Human Mind or might even disappearpear altoaltogether. hemisphere’s strong sense of rhythm, it well as the intonation of speech), well In psychophysiphysical examinations has also been successfully determineded ththat beforebe they can recognise spoken content performedrmed later, it was made abundantly the upper region of the temporal lobes andd structural elements. clearclea that the musical sense – such as of the left hemisphere is responsible for ProbablyProba also playing a part in this József Hámori the ability to differentiate between analysing perceptions, while the sense of is theth fact that in the early stages of melodies and to sense pitches, tone musical pitch, including “perfect pitch”, is development, a person’s right hemisphere part of a human personality becoming a colour and harmonies – is linked to the sensed and analysed by the cortex region diff erentiates and develops quite a bit whole. Without singing and music, notot right hemisphere. This hemisphere plays of the pre-frontal lobe. With regard to faster than the left hemisphere, and only are we deprived of the enjoymenment of quite a more important role in sight, memorisation, it is interesting to note along with it, the sensitivity to emotional, beauty, but also of the developmement of, or emotional processing, creativity, and the that imaginative processing and recall attention and non-verbal (for example, even the formation of the chaharacteristics response to new experiences, while the of known and unknown melodies takes musical) stimulus. Ray Jackendorff’s related core emotionaonal system for left hemisphere is the brain hemisphere place in what is known as the associate credible hypothesis holds that the individual communicatcation, which is tightly of speech, logical thought and sensing region of the frontal and temporal areas perception of singing and music, as a connected to thehe cognitivec sphere. time. The sense of time is altogether of the right hemisphere. highly specialised cognitive activity, Ever since thee 1860s, it has been knowknown independent of the right hemisphere It is known that the speech centre of the preceded the development of speech that in thee great majority of peoppeople, or, in the sense that the sense of rhythm, left hemisphere is genetically “hard-wired” in human evolution, and even infl uenced more precisely, in 96 percent of them, essential to music is – interestingly – in the brain of a newborn. The capability’s it. In our contemporarytemporary understanding, in the capacity for speech, ththe language exclusively a property only of the left development takes place over the fi rst anyy case, it can clearly be stated thathat the centreentre of the brain is locatedloc in its left hemisphere. It is also because of this few years (presupposing the existence essential musicality – even if musical tastes hemisphere, in its temptemporal or frontal area. that the right hand (which is controlled of a suitable, stimulus-rich humauman may diff er – is, just like speech, a capability But where is musicacality represented in the by the left hemisphere) is generally the environment). Therefore, everyery human that all humans are born with. The right brain? Is it a chaharacteristic of the entire one that is more apt for marking and being is born with the capacitypacity for speech hemisphere, and through this, the entire brain, or is it restricted to only certain beating out the simpler sorts of rhythms, and its deep linguisticstic structure (se(see human personality, is thus not able to able well-circumumscribable regions? regardless of whether the subject is right- Chomsky’s ingeniousnious theory regaregarding to express itself at the linguistic, limited It has longong been recognised that certain or left-handed. In other words, rhythm this). The samee applies to musicmusicality, the level, but through music and song, this is, injuriesies to the brain result in loss of mumusical is a property of the left (dominant) “speech” of the right hemishemisphere! At a non-verbally – forms a close relationship abilitybility or “amusia”. It has emerged, ata hemisphere. few-monthsonths of age, an ininfant is already with the creativity and emotions which are Photo: Szilvia Csisibi Everyone is agreed thatat speech, or the the same time, that injuries to the left capacity for speech is one of the most hemisphere,e, which ccan damage the important humann characteristics. At ability to understanunderstand speech and speech the same time, many people think thathat abilityy itself, doesdo not aff ect musical ability. musicality is notot at all essential from the Mauriceaurice RRavel suff ered a brain injury to standpoint of mankind’s physical survival,sur the leftlef hemisphere of his brain in a car a luxury featureature that can be dispenseddisp accccident at age 57, as a result of which he with at anyy time in everyday lifelife: it is nice underwent a complete speech aphasia, to have it, but it is also no hahardship not meaning that his ability to understand to havee it. and analyse speech disappeared. But This view is sadly now papart of today’s this was not true for his musical ability, Westernstern educational system,sys but here, which remained in perfect working in the land of Kodály, it is particularly order. In examining numerous individuals prevalent, even though the available data with brain injuries, Canadian neurologist

on the functioning ofo the human mind Brenda Milner has established that, while rini to r e

does not support it.t. To the contrary, as I damage to the left hemisphere does not P o ri

will attempt to provve with the arguments entail a reduction of musical ability, when a below, musicality – and the development the right hemisphere is injured, the tone M

of such from a yooung age – is an integral colour and tonal memory, etc., that is, the Photo:

21 Zsófia Balla – TO AN ORCHESTRAORC 160 years of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra

Let us stand atop the staircase of one hundred and and for whom it is given to live, sixty steps, it fl ags their nights. Let us inhale the buzz, the haze, the scent, bi i Nothingness to us, the way they appear The audible and wise stream Cs

a burnishes an order deeper than understanding; vi and disappear, beyond the edge of our lives, the steps. l zi

S and names what in us is nameless, –

The past sounds out purely and in unison: that the notes be carved in our fl esh. hoto: P a full string section, and brass on cue, One day knowledge with us, happily, likewise partly in the right hemisphere. The Similarly, most greateat discoveries and the way the great conductors of old, and unlearned things, the Erkels two, Dohnányi, Mahler, like morality and beauty. great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy expressed concepts can onlynly come about based or Brahms himself, or Liszt, Dvořák, it as, “music is the shorthand of emotion”. on an interdisciplinarydisciplinary footing. It is Wagner, the famous names Music jabs its secret into your body. He stipulated that while through speech no accidentent that listening to MoMozart’s and unseen batons – still beat the rhythm. Even in the depths of our days it will dawn there: we can ofoften only express what we want piano concerto in D major entailsen just raise it to a higher order, to say in frragments, music often expresses as much enjoyment as solvisolving a diffi cult As the great riders sit upon noble steeds, there a single sigh showsws our life – it muchh more holistically, whether one mathematical problem. […][ 21st century they grasp and guide the Orchestra that you too are a colour of the world, is thehe transmitter or the recipient. education must take carec to ensure that in the waste of our souls, redeeming many a hidden hope, party to the glittering cosmos, Musicusic is thus the “universal language” cultivating a lovee fofor the arts and music these great conductors and stern conductors. For hill andnd wood, star and sea of communication, which is at the samsame does not fall to the wayside in favour Every concert work another earthly gallop. knoww not what they are.a Man shows them in sounds, time, to quote Mendelssohn, “too prerecise of the necessessary training in technical The mounted music always reaches the gate. for music is the world’s secret skeleton. to be expressed in words”. matters annd natural science”. It is not only during compositsition that It followsws logically from all of this that Not for the prize do the drums roll, An orchechestra, after the concert, only wilts – the relationship between mumusicality and musicality,icality, singing and music, is justju as nor the horsehair split on the bow but risesris again the next day, creativity comes to the fore:e: psychological fundamentalndamental an element to the broadebroader nor sparkle the brass, – but MusiciansMu – even if they are all stars fi xed in the fi rmament – tests have shown that thehe perception and development of the human personalityp because the works must be crossed a thousandd ttimes, AnswerA to eternity only as an ensemble, each a part in the Red Sea. enjoyment of music enhancesen creativity as those welll understoodundersto things which Bound to each other, like the seeds of a pomegranate, Their souls together are one buzzing instrument. and the power off the imagination. In are relatedted primprimarily to speech and The minute must be brought forward, andnd a thousand other words, beyondyond actively singinsinging writingng. notes with it – Music: the stuff of morality, a type of and playing music, simply listening to Musicusic and singing have an immensely the sheer fear, the deep-felt understatanding, immaterial material. it also strengthensthens the human powpower of importantimport role in social cohesion. Today’s And the surging, seething consummmmation, We know it nowhere grows nor shrinks, creativity, andnd greatly assists with abstracta modernmo person probably has greater to its god, pulling into no heavenen! in nature, outside, music. thinking. It is worth noting thatt Alan need for it now than ever. The emotions There has a model, a pattern, but nothing else! For Music starts anew each day,da Greenspan,pan, the outstanding eeconomist aroused by singing in a chorus or playing A few demigods: no one else shares in the treasure. sprouting from the everydayay muteness. and formerrmer Chairman of the US Federal in a group play a determining role in An Orchestra plays musicic of all things: the vvalleys, But art, beauty, understanding, when do they Reserve,rve, once in a presentationpresentat remarked our miraculous experience of group the walls of houses, cityy lights, bring us to a higher existence? aboutout education, “The development belonging. mountains and forestss and stars of the modern businessbusine world places The concerts of the Budapest Philharmonic and the seeds in menen and woman, with the night Because God’s only sensory organ is man, great emphasis on theth development Society provide precisely these universal and individually thee ananimalsimals and the plants.pl and only in music is he paired with the infi nite.e. of the ability to thinkthi abstractly. For experiences that can be expressed by Everyone plays and we know not whowh directs. Now let there be champagne! And let theree be more this, increased atteention in the school music to music lovers, who with joy decades. curriculum to educacation in music and the and gratitude are celebrating together An Orchestra is also stars in the sky,sk arts – among otheher areas – is absolutely the 160th birthday of this outstanding they shine toggether and apart Budapest, September 2013 essential. […] orchestra. the present anda the past,

23 artistic consultant since 1997. Following interpretation of Richard Strauss’s HornH The Budapest Philharmonic tradition, the bulk of concertsconcert organized Concerto No. 2. In autumn 2004,004, similarly by the Societyty – in 2004, as in the years to previous years, a guest performancmance Orchestra 2004-2013 that followollowed – comprised concerts for of the Hungarian Opera in Japan was seasonseas ticket holders held in the Opera followed by independent concerts by Anna Scholz House on Mondays and Tuesdays. Three the BPO in several cities of the island subscription concert series covered nation. album was a CD supplement containing a total of 14 concerts, offering nine The next season again began under data of the orchestra’s performanceses different programmes. Besides the the direction of Rico Saccani, before thus far, which made it easier forr boboth principal conductor, several important conductor and orchestra parted ways aficionados and scholars to gather personalities on the Hungarian music in spring 2006; the maestro’s remaining relevant information. The dedecade since scene – János Kovács, Ervin Lukács, two concerts were conducted by Bónis’s exhaustive effffort ort has naturally Kobayashi Ken-Ichiro and Domonkos Alexander Sladkovsky and János Kovács. also seen numerousus changes, turning Héja – each conducted the orchestra for In addition, the beginning of the season points and memorablemorable concerts in the one evening. The season’s programme brought another painful farewell for life of the orchestra.chestra. Without claimingclaimi also off ered the audience two sets of the members of the BPO as Béla Melis, to be as exhaustive, I’d like to highlighthig complete works: all four symphonies by chairman of the board and cellist with YURI SIMONOVOVV - Photo: Tomas OpOpitz some of these below in a necessarilyne Brahms under the baton of Saccani, and the orchestra, passed away suddenly subjectiveective manner since, as a cellist in the Tchaikovsky’s three piano concertos at having administered the Society’s Mariaria performed Chopin’s Piano CoConcerto orchestra,rchestra, I myself have tataken part in – or the Budapest Spring Festival featuring aff airs with unfl agging enthusiasm and NNo. 1. Mozart’ss Violin Concerto in D major ISTVÁN HILLER,LLER, MINISTER OF EDUCATIONE AND CULTURE, SPEAKSS BEFORE THE 150TH ANANNIVERSARY GALA CONCERT at least witnessed – a good proportion a regular guest of the orchestra, Russian exemplary dedication since 1995.95. HHis was perforperformed by concertmaster Ágnes (20 NOVEMBERNOV 2003) of the events descrcribed. pianist Denis Matsuev. Violinists Adele offi cial position was assumedd by István Soltész,Solt and Schumann’s Cello Concerto Phothoto: Béla Mezey Several histories of the BudapesBudapest The awarding of the Pro Urbe Budapest Anthony and Judith Ingolfsson, cellist Mali, already highly activeve as orchestra by Tamás Varga. Not long after the Philharmonic Orchestra have beenbe prize to thee oorchestra in autumn 2004 Nathaniel Rosen and flautist Rozália director of the Operaera House. In theth Palace of Arts opened in March 2005, the compiled since its foundatioon 160 can be regegarded as a fi ne start to the Szabó were all invited to perform as season’s fourteenn subscription conconcerts, orchestra also provided accompaniment years ago under the name „B„Budapest past decade.ecade. According to the citation soloists during the season, while the the young generation of HungarianHu for an evening of operetta there with Philharmonic Society”. Thee fi rst work, for thehe award, the prestigious accoladeacco orchestra’s horn player Gábor Tóth conductorsrs was represented by Gergely Andrea Rost on 7 November, conducted described as a memorialal volume, was wasas bestowed on the ensemble iin showed off his own solo skills with an Kesselyákyák with a programmeprogram of works by by Tamás Pál. published in 1903 to mmark the 50th recognition of the “outstanding“outstandin standard Schubert,ubert, Rimsky-KorsRimsky-Korsakov and Borodin, Following the departure of Saccani, the anniversary of the orcrchestra, edited by of its artistic work on theth Budapest and butut there were also rreturns to the podium Philharmonic Society operated without Imre Mészáros andd Kálmán Isoz. Forty internationalonal musicalmu scene”. In that for Ervin Lukács aand the orchestra’s old a chairman-conductor from 2006 rightt years later, Béla Csuka, a solo cellist witwith season,on, the oorchestra was directed by friend Kobayasyashi Ken-Ichiro, while Yuri up until 2011, as direction devolveded the orchestra, wrwrote a book entitled NineN Ricoco Saccani,Sacca its principal conductor and Simonov rereappeared with works by mainly to the Board. The body madde Decades in thee Service of Hungarian MMusic. Wagner anand Khachaturian. According to up of elected members, under thet Music publishersher Zeneműkiadó pupublished the orchchestra’s fi rst charter drawn up in leadership of its chairman, carriedd out a summaryry of events in the 1251 years 1867, theth Society’s goal is “to increasingly both long-term and daily tasks reelated since thehe orchestra’s foundationfoun in awaaken and perpetuate interest in to planning and organisation, as wellw as 1978, compiled by János BBreuer, while music,mu and particularly Hungarian music, often hopeless-seeming negotiaations to a large-scalege-scale volume by Ferenc Bónis exclusivelye through the performance procure fi nancial resources. Thee structure appearedpeared on the occasioccasion of its 150th of musical works of classical value.” In of the subscription concertss remained anniversary.nniversary. The latter was published this spirit, performances of works by unchanged in these yearrs, with the jointlyointly by the BudapestBudape Philharmonic Hungarian composers in the 2005–2006 Mahler subscription serieses being made Society and the BalassiBalass Publishing House, season included The Sly Students Suite by up of Tuesday repeats of the Monday relating the story of the ensemble with Ferenc Farkas, as well as works by Kodály, evening Opera Housee concerts of ththe exemplary thorougghness by tracing the Liszt and Goldmark. Vanessa Wagner Dohnányi and Kodálydály subscriptsubscription major periods off its history season by appeared as soloist for piano concertos concerts, and withth one subscriptionsubscri season. Attachedd to this richly illustrated RICO SACCANII - Photo: Béla Mezey BÉLA MELIS - Photo: Béla Mezey by Grieg and Schumann, while Pietro de concert being held each yearyea at the

25 To mark the Day of Hungarian Culture in December, Ádám Medveczky conducted the Palace of Arts, György Győriványiyőriványi Ráth the Hungarian Rondo, Concerto and Two conducted works by Dohnányi, Brahmrahms SongsSo , on a programme which also and Kodály. On the 100th anniversary featuatured a work by Kodály’s composition of the birth of János Ferencsik, again in teacherteache Hans von Koessler. In the 2007– the Palace of Arts, excerpts from the late 20080 season, the orchestra once again maestro’s most important operas and welcomed Zoltán Kocsis and Gergely symphonic pieces were heard under Kesselyák as guests, while János Kovács the baton of János Kovács. Under the conducted at the January concert of the same conductor, the orchestra also Hungarian Symphonic Panorama in the made another guest appearance in Palace of Arts. In February, János Rolla led Japan in autumn 2006, performing the orchestra from the concertmaster’s works by Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvořák, seat for a performance of Vanhal’s Liszt, Mozart and Rachmaninoff to great Symphony in G minorr, Tchaikovsky’s success in nine cities. Souvenir de Florence and Mozart’s In 2007 the world of music celebrated Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra ELIAHU INBAL (20 JANUARY 1989) the 125th anniversary of the birth of (where the soloists were orchestra Opera House Commemorative Collection Zoltán Kodály; in two concerts, the members Zsuzsanna Menyhárt and KOBAYASHIHI KEN-ICHIRO AND THE BUDAPEST PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (14 FEFEBRUARY 2006) magic. The strings had a rich, concise Philharmonic Society commemorated Júliaia Szilvásy). In September, Okko KamuK Photo: Vera Éder sound through which the phrasing the composer who entrusted its conducted a programme of Sibelius Palacece of Arts. One consequence of which keeps you charcharged up for days, it burned – from here on, we listened orchestra with world premières of fofour works,s, whilewh April saw István Dénes in thee new situation without a principal is overwhelming.. It may be that electric entranced to the utterly beautiful, full of his works. In September the Palace chargecha of a concert of rhapsodies by conductor was that concerts werwere current cannotot be directly produced tone of the cellos. The music lived and of Arts hosted a performancermance of the Liszt, Ravel and Enescu. The ambience planned to involve a considerably grereater from this kindkin of energy (though I breathed, and the musical phrases, Háry János Suite and Dances of GalántaGalán of the latter concert was described by number of conductors, naturallyy relyingr wouldn’t bbe surprised), but if someone heated in the manner of speech, fi nally under György Győriványi Ráth, whilew Zoltán Végső thus: “I sat down with more on domestic talents butbu with a is lookingking for reserves in the national began to communicate the features the orchestra’sa’s cellist Balázs Kántor curiosity to the fourth performance in few invited musicians fromm abroad. In economynomy then I heartily recommendrecomm of the Viennese symphonic style: performedd tthe Sonata forr SoloS Cello. In the current Mahler subscription series 2006–2007, for example,, JánosJ Kovács concertsncerts and work like this!”this entreaties, complaints, big promises conducted works by Bartók and Besides Kobayashi Ken-Ichiro,Ken-Ic now and the withdrawal of big promises. Shostakovich in Sepptember, while a regarded as an honoraryhonorar Hungarian, two The pauses and transitions, meanwhile, few days before thee 50th anniversary of other foreigneign conductorscond also took to the imbued the piece with the tension of the 1956 Uprisingg the orchestra playedplaye podium.um. ToshToshihiko Matsunama, winner great expectation. Through a series off compositions by Beethoven, Kodály aand off the 202002 Budapest Conductors’ so many delicately formed brass andan Sándor Balassaa under the baton of ÁdámÁ Competition,Comp made his debut at a woodwind sounds, and via the labyryrinth Medveczky.y. To mark the double Mozart cononcert in the Hungarian Symphonic of musical forms taking shape bbefore anniversary,ary, the composer’s Requiem PanoramaP series initiated by the Palace us, we reached the great climamax of the was heardard in November ununder Ervin of Arts, while the orchestra performed movement, which became a genuinely Lukács.s. Péter Oberfrank coconducted a Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder and cathartic experience.” programmeramme of Grieg in April, while Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 in the Opera Kobayashibayashi Ken-Ichiro tatackled Russian House under internationally acclaimed works,orks, György VashegVashegyi the Viennese Eliahu Inbal, who had already conducted Classics, and Zoltán Kocsis the rarely the orchestra in previous decades, in hheard Symphony No.. 7 by Dvořák. Of the a concert jointly organised with the performance of thee latter, János Mácsai Budapest Spring Festival. Of the Inbal said on the Új Zenenei Újság magazine on concert, Lóránt Péteri wrote in Muzsika: Bartók Radio: “Thehe energy in the fourth “[In Bruckner’s symphony] the conductor MEMORIAL CONCERT AT THEE PALACE OF ARARTS TO JÁNOS FERENCSIKK (1984) MARK THE 100TH BIRTHDAYY OF JÁNOS FEREFERENCSIK movement attaained that rare level and orchestra sprouted wings as if by Opera House Commemorative Collection (18 JANUAUARY 2007) - Phototo: Vera Éder

27 of difficulties, we have endeavoured but clearly displayed this explosiveexplosi Romantic works. October saw Swedish to put together high-quagh-quality, varied revolutionary quality. Indeed,ndeed, this conductor Johan Arnell introduce the subscriptionn serieseries.” From this short “explosive” potential is one of the mostmo HungarianH public to the Gustav Adolf observatiovation it is evident that fi nancial important epithets that might be appliedd Suitite by his compatriot Hugo Alfvén. worrieswor continued to dog the orchestra, to the performance itself.” A specialspec occasion in the season was a rendering its plans unpredictable and With János Rolla as concertmaster and concert held in Saint Stephen’s Basilica, often keeping organizers and even artists Júlia Pusker as soloist, the ensemble gave which featured Saint-Saëns’ Cyprès et in a state of uncertainty, sometimes a concert of Mozart works, while István lauriers and Scriabin’s Symphony No. 3 until the last minute. In light of this, it is Dénes entertained the audience with a under conductor Alpaslan Ertüngealp, particularly telling that at the end of the humorously playful concert at carnival with Gyula Pfeiff er on organ. Outside season, on 19 June 2010, the orchestra time. At almost the opposite end of the the subscription concerts, the orchestra received the Hungarian Heritage award spectrum, Ádám Medveczky conducted performed in Szeged and Pécs, as well as in recognition of the past and continuing Verdi’s Requiem in November, while at the Beethoven Marathon at the Palace present of the Budapest Philharmonic Ervin Lukács presented a programme of of Arts. Society. Another important event in the season was the orchestra’s performance VERDI: REQUIEM IN THE OPERA HOUSE (31 OCTOBER 2006)6) CONDUCTOR: ERVIN LULUKÁCS of Ernő Dohnányi’s pantomime The Photooto: Vera Éder Veil of Pierrette (with Domonkos Héja of the Buddapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Mozartzart concert arias). DomDomonkos Héja conducting) to commemorate the and to mym great surprise experienced cononducted the Symphonhony No. 2 by Emil 50th anniversary of the death of its an intntense and intimate atmosphere. Petrovics and Orff ’s CarminaC Burana in one-time chairman-conductor. In [...]] The orchestra conducted by István February, while thehe orchestra presented addition, it celebrated the bicentennial Dénes had a marvellous sense of whawhat a Mendelssohnhn evening in April under of the birth of its founder Ferenc Erkel the audience needs, while the audieience conductor PPier Giorgio Morandi. The with an abridged performance of the knew exactly what it would get frofrom the season sawaw the return of János Rolla opera Dózsa Györgyy. Marking the 120th orchestra: it’s been a long timme since I as concertmaster,certmaster, under whose expert anniversary of the world première of witnessed a more wonderfull cconnection directionction the ensemble performperformed Mahler’s Symphony No.1 in Budapest, between artist and recipienent.” A highlight worksorks by Haydn, Schubert and GyörgyGyörg the work was heard in its complete form of the season was thee appearance of Orbán at the Palace of Arts (with(w István including the Blumine movement and Nicola Luisotti in MaMay, under whose Várdai as soloistoist for Haydn’sHayd Cello Concerto the composer’s orchestral Lieder. Of this direction the orchestrahestra performed a in C majororr). A pair of concerts in March performance János Malina wrote: “The programme of orchestralrchestral excerpts from proveded particuparticularly memorable, featuring performance of the Symphony No.11 Puccini operas aand the Messa di Gloloria, Bartók’sartók’s completec pantomime ballet picked up the line of the Lieder in termms accompaniedd by the Hungarian NatNational The MiraculousMi Mandarin, and the opera of the discipline, broad range and popoetic Choir. Blueluebeard’s Castle with László Polgár and richness of their means of exprepression The 2008–20098–2009 season openedope in IldikóI Komlósi in the singing roles.The – with the added achievemement of October with concerts under the baton audience had the chance to hear some managing to truthfully evokee the of Tomomimomi Nishimoto, a conductor of Dvořák’s rarely performed works, The organic sweep of a monumemental cyclical alreadydy known from the orchestra’s Noon Witch and A Hero’s Song, not only composition, rendering theth symphony’s Japaneseanese tour, while NoveNovember concerts at two Opera House concerts in May but status as a masterpiecee iimmediately and featuredatured György VashegyiVashe conducting also during the Dvořák Marathon at the strikingly perceptible.. Mahler’sM distinctive works by Rameau and Brahms, as well Palace of Arts, where the Rondo for Cello voice, his monumentalismntalism and sarcastic aas Mozart’s Piano Conncerto in E-fl at major and Orchestrawas also performed by the tendencies appearear in full cry in thisth with soloist Peter FFrankl. In December, orchestra’s solo cellist László Pólus. revolutionary work,ork, and the performanperformance Howard Williams coompiled a programme In the preface to the programme of the Budapestst Philharmonic OrcheOrchestra LINES WRITTEN BY ERNÔ DOHNÁNYI IN THE GOLDEN BOOK OF THE PHILHARMONPHILHARMONIC SOCIETY; THE SCORE SAMPLES SHOW THE STARTING LINES OF THE WWORKS of works by Hayddn, Mozart, Beethoven advertising the concert season of 2008– and János Kovács was not memerely PREMIÈRED BY THE ORCHESTRA (JUNE(JUN 1932) and Voříšek (withth Andrea Rost singing 2009, István Mali wrote that “in spite impressivelyy faultless and evocevocative, Philharmonic SocSociety Archive

29 occasions where an explanatory introduction by the conductoonductor preceded the performancesances. Noted conductors invitedd to give concerts during this seasonseas included Christoph Eschenbach, Christopher Hogwood, Christoph von Dohnányi (whose regrettable withdrawal sparked serious media coverage, and who was eventually replaced by Ion Marin) and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos (who was indisposed and replaced by Pinchas Steinberg). After Győriványi left his post as the Opera’s chief music director in September 2011, the planned season could only be maintained under the new system and GYÖRGY GYÔRIVÁNYI RÁTH (2013) - Photo: Attila Nagy ÁDÁM FISCHER AND THE BUDAPEST PHILHARMONIC ORCHCHESTRA (2010) - Photo: VeraVer Éder new principles with great diffi culty and In OctobOctober 2010, Béla Simon succeeded Gustav Mahler Conducting ComCompetition by carrying out a number of changes. its musicians. Particularly memorable evening entitledtitled Latin Carnivall, anddthe the István Maali as orchestra director at the in Bamberg,amberg, as well as JánoJános Rolla, who The orchestra’s concerts nevertheless were the interpretations of Strauss by concertsncerts conducted by Eschenbach.Eschenb Opera House,H and he has acted as againgain took the stage as concertmaster. garnered great acclaim from audiences the young Juraj Valčuha, Hogwood’s Writing about the latter’s performance managaging director on the Board ever At the Schubert MaraMarathon in the Palace and critics alike, providing inspiration to Mendelssohn concert, Domonkos Héja’sHéja of Tchaikohaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, Kristóf since.nce. The season continued according of Arts, the ensnsemble played the to the customary schedule, althoughalthoug Viennese compmposer’s incidental music a further signifi cant change as regagards to Rosamundnde with conductor János the future came in February 20111 when, Kovács annd soprano Gabriella Fodor. after a long hiatus, the Socieciety once In Septembertember it gave concerts of Erkel’s again appointed a chairman-n-conductor musicic at the Károlyi-kert gardensgarden in in the shape of György GyőriványiGyő Ráth, Budapestudapest and in Székesfehérvár, withwit who had already collallaborated with Ádám Medveczky conducting,conducti while the orchestra on seveveral occasions in October saw a performaperformance in the Opera concerts and on CDD recordings. Concerts House inn memory of László Polgár. this season focusedcused in particularparticula Whenn planninplanning the next season of 2011– on vocal music,sic, as Júlia HajnóczyHajnóc 2012,012, GyörGyörgy Győriványi Ráth – given that, performed DeDebussy’s Ariettes oububliées when appointed chairman-conductor, (Forgotten Soongs) and Beatrix Fododor sang hee also held the post of chief music Beethoven’n’s concert aria Ah perfirfi do!! Mária directord at the Opera House – was able Celeng, Viktória Mester, Tibor Szappanos,S to introduce numerous changes to the Gábor Bretz and the MR ChoirChoi performed system of the subscription series and the Mozarart’s Requiem, Ildikóó Komlósi and concert schedule. Besides the traditional Attilala Fekete appeared as soloists in Dohnányi subscription concerts on Maahler’s The Song of thhe Earth, and the Mondays, an Erkel subscription series of National Choir featufeatured in a carnival Friday concerts and a Saturday evening concert. As conductorsconduc the orchestra Mahler subscription concerts were welcomed Zoltán Kocsis,K János Kovács, announced. Not by accident, the name Pier Giorgio Morarandi, Ádám Fischer, of the renowned musical educator Michael Boder, IonIo Marin and Ainars Kodály was attached to a series of Rubikis, the latteter winner of the 2010 dress rehearsals on Sunday mornings, MOZART MARATHONATHON AT THE PALACE OF ARTS (26 FEBRUARY 2012) CONDUCTOR: JÁNOS KOVÁCS - Photooto: Pál Csillag

31 comprising a total of ten concerts. The Kodály series, besidesdes feafeaturing the orchestra’s chairmahairman-conductor, gained holdersrs ententry to an evening of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky with Finland’s Leif Segerstam, Verdi’s Requiem conducted by János Kovács, and a concert by renowned Wagner interpreter Peter Schneider. The Dohnányi concert series, meanwhile, featured a Russian programme with Yuri Simonov, a jazz-infl ected Christmas concert with American pianist and conductor Wayne Marshall, and a frenetic display of percussion with Nebojsa Zivkovic. Simonov’s November appearance was named the most PETER SCHNEIDER (27 MAY 2013) - Photo: Péter Herman MUSICA E PAROLE – CHAMBER CONCERT IN THE BERTALAN SZÉKELY ROOMM - Photo: Szilvia Csibi memorable classical concert of 2012 based CsengeryCsenger said: “A mixture of grace, at the Mozart Marathon at thet same on the votes of nearly 2,000 readers of the orchestra’s other very important regular accompany unusual concertos (the 2009 charm, pplayfulness and melancholy venue.ue. The audience was introduced website fi delio.hu. Győriványi conducted appearances. Since the founding of season,ason, for example, featured conceconcertos characteterized the rhythms of the Valse too several young soloissoloists, with János two genuine rarities at his November the Prima Primissima Awards in 2003, with Dóra Gjorgjevic on piccolo, Veronika as Escschenbach and the Philharmonic Palojtay performing Mendelssohn’s concert: marking László Lajtha’s double the Budapest Philharmonic Orchesthestra Botoss on vviola d’amore, Róbert Lugosi on Orchestrarchestra became perceptibly more Piano Concerto in G minorr, and multiple anniversary, he presented the symphonic has performed at the televiseded awards trombonetrom and Dávid Hornyák on double and more inspired and liberated in thetheir prize-winner EvEvgeni Bozhanov playing poem Hortobágyy, originally written as ceremony. In addition, foror more than a bass). Arranging and organizational tasks playing together, leading into the fi n a l e Rachmaninoffoff ’s Paganini Variations. film music, as well as the first version decade we have beeneen invited guestsgues for these concerts have been carried out with its stately, proud bearing, thehe noble In 2012–202013 the orchestra returned of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 (Symphonic at the prestigiousus festival held iin the with great devotion and diligence by pomp of its processionary chararacter, and to its traditionalraditional Monday concert slots, Poem in Two Partss), which was premièred beautiful Germanerman spa town of Bad orchestra member Emília Csánky (now the passion and sweep off the march announcingouncing two subscription seseries by the orchestra in 1889. Reviewing the Kissingen with Johan Arnell aas conductor, retired), and by Ágnes Peták since 2010. rhythm.” performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony while eachach summer we taketa part in opera On several occasions the Society has Győriványi’s planneded programme No. 5 under Győriványi, Sándor Kovács productionsductions on the Margaret Island celebrated International Music Day on placed great emphasissis on the past and said in Bartók Radio’s Új Zenei Újság in Open-Air Stage, andan in gala concerts 1 October with chamber concerts; the colourful traditionn of the orchestra. April 2013: “I know many recordings of marking the AnnaAnn Ball in Balatonfüred. orchestra’s cellist Csaba Bartos deservess Eschenbach condducted Brahms’ Pianno the work. With all due respect, I cann For the memembers of the Society, credit for the idea of organizing andd Concerto in B-flaflat major (with Tzimmon say here that this live performancnce masterpiececes of chamber music have playing music at several venues (thhe Barto as soloist),oist), a piece which the surpassed perhaps all of them in preciscision, always occupiedoc an important place Klebelsberg Culture Centre, Opepera composer himself premièred wwith the elaboration and impact. Of coursurse this alongsidside operas and symphonic House, Bartók Memorial House anda orchestraa in 1881. Several wworks by required enthusiasm, commitmment and orchesestral concerts. For many years the Bartók House of Music in Rákoshhegy). one-timeme chairman-conduchairman-conductor Ernő discipline on the part of thee orchestra. orchhestra’s musicians have regularly Since the autumn of 2011, the mususicians Dohnányiányi also featured: TamásTa Varga The Budapest Philharmonnic Orchestra appppeared at Saturday matinee concerts of the Philharmonic Society havave held perforormed the Konzertststück for cello delivered a stunning performance.p organizedo by the Franz Liszt Memorial an independent chamber muusic series andd orchestra in September,Septem while the Practically everything susucceeded, every Museum at the Old Music Academy, in the Bertalan Székely Roooom of the comomposer’s Symphonyny No. 1 featured solo part sounded insnspired. Next time I in a variety of formations from string Opera House under the tititle Musica e on the programme in May. As part of won’t ask for a complimentarymplimentary ticket for quartet to piano trio, and from piano Parole. Visitors to these conncerts – which the Symphonic DiscoveriesDis series at Shostakovich or forr some work that seemseems quintet to string sextet, or more rarely cellist Anita Miskolczi hass taken the lion’s the Palace of Arts, JJános Kovács paired interesting to me.e. Instead I’ll be curiocurious fl ute quartet or cello trio. On occasion share of organizing – have been ablable two symphoniess named after Lajos about the orchestrahestra and, above all, the smaller chamber ensembles have been to hear the superb actress Anna KuKubik Kossuth by Bartóók and Emánuel Moór, CHRISTMAS CONCERT WITH WAYNE concept of Györgyyörgy Győriványi Ráth.” assembled, for example to perform recite poetry to accompanyccompany the musicm MARSHALL (17 DECEMBER 2012) and also conducted the orchestra Photo: Tomas Opitz I have not yetet mentioned several of the Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings or to performed. Thehe programme often

33 Members of the Budapest PhilharmonicPhilhar Orchestra

CONCNCERTMASTERS: András Csontha, Galina Danyilova, Pál Éder, Ágnes Soltészsz KováKovács FIRSTF VIOLIN: Anikó Ecseki, Imola Rajka, Éva Mihályi, Tamás Biró, Beatrix Bugony, HajnalkaHajna Csikós, Péter Foskolos, Károly Gál, Márta Kisfaludy, Judit Kovács, Ágnes Beke Ligeti, István Ludvig, Zita Novák, László Nyuli, Éva Paul, Ludmila Romanovskaya, Johanna Tóth Kiss Szántó, Magdolna Závodszky Tomsics, Gabriella Ürmösi Farkas SECOND VIOLIN: Patrícia Fahidi, Ferenc Gazdag, Dóra Hargitai, József Kajkó, Sándor Molnár, Mónika Müller, Tícia Puskás, Béla Sárközi, Ágnes Feitl Tamás, Éva Termann, Enikő Tury VIOLA: Veronika Botos, Anita Inhoff, Csaba Babácsi, Zsuzsanna Belényi, Blanka Beáta Bozzay, Gyula Cseresznyés, Antal Molnár, Mária Nagy, Jenő Sörös, István Ujszászi, Zsófia Winkler CELLO: Balázs Kántor, László Pólus, Csaba Bartos, Ágnes Fodor Czeglédi, Dénes Karasszon, Gábor Magyar, Anita Miskolczi, Ildikó Rönkös, Anikó Sabján, Anna Scholz, Tibor Wambach DOUBLE BASS: Péter Boldoghy Kummert, Péter Bucherna, Alajos H. Zováthi, Dávid Hornyák, Péter Kőszegi, Attila Miklós, László Nyári, István János Rácz, Gábor Szántó FLUTE: Zsuzsanna Menyhárt, János Rácz, Dóra Gjorgjevic Ács, Dr. Csilla Éva Somogyvári Somodi, Zsuzsanna Ittzés, PINCHAS STEINBERG (16 SEPTEMBER 2013) - Photo: Péter HeHerman Márta Kunszeri OBOE: Krisztina Szélpál, Eszter Horváth, József Erős features works connected to current noteded public fi gures whose eff orts have CLARINET: Sándor Kiss, Beáta Andrea Várnai, Péter Csongár new opepera productions (with concerts helpedelped the work of the SocietyS over the BASSOON: Zoltán Kovács, Judit Polonkai, László Hunyadi, Ágnes Breszka Jandácsik,andácsik, Aladár TüTüske of workswo by Verdi, Strauss, Mozart and past decade. The winnerswinn received their HORN: Sándor Tamás Endrődy, Péter Lakatos, András Kovalcsik Bartókartók having already taken place). accolades in Parlialiament, among them TRUMPET: Zsolt Czeglédi, Tibor Péter Király, Csaba Nagy Great emphasis is also placed on ththe Dr. János Horvátáth, the oldest member of TROMBONE: Róbert Lugosi, Sándor Szabó, Lajos Fülöp works of Hungarian composers (rececent the House, chchief legal counsel Dr. Péter TUBA: Miklós Wrchovszky years, for example, have featuredd pieces Szegvári anand Count László Zichy, as well HARP: Ágnes Peták Juhász, Júlia Szilvásy by Dohnányi, Liszt, Mosonyiyi, Lajtha, as Leventeente Riz and Dr. Zsolt Láng, mayors TIMPANI and PERCUSSION: Antal Eiszrich, Miklós Béla Kovács, GáspárGás Szente, János Tóth Goldmark and our colleagague Zoltán of thee 17th and 2nd districts of Budapest.Buda LIBRARIANS: László Héja, József Spengler Kovács, the composer andnd bassoonist). Thehe Philharmonic Society closes ththis ORCHESTRAL ASSISTANTS: Gyula Kovács, Attilattila Szász, Zoltán Szabó, Károly Gjorgjevic On most occasions, vocacalists also feature extraordinarily rich decade, rereplete with alongside the instrumements. struggles butut also withwit unforgettable MEMBERS OF THE BOARD: In 2012 the Societyety opened a new concerts,s, with gratitudegra for the events TIBOR PÉTER KIRÁLY chairman of the Society,S DR. GYÖYÖRGY GYŐRIVÁNYI RÁTH chairman-conductor, chapter with the signing of a cooperatiocooperation outlinedned aboveabo and with a plethora SZILVESZTER ÓKOVÁCS general directorrector of the OperOpera House, BÉLA SIMON orchestra director of the Opera House,, agreement withh the Opera House, whichwh off plans for the future. Seizing the ANTAL EISZRICH, ÁGNES JUHÁSZNZNÉ PETÁK, ISTVVÁN LUDVIG, IMOLA RAJKA, ANDREA VÁRNAI BEÁTA it hopes has settled the relationshrelationship of momentummome of our jubilee year, keeping the two institutionstitutions in the long term.te An our traditions in mind while remaining importantt event in the 2013–2012013–2014 season open to new directions, we have will be the arrival of Pinchas Steinberg compiled our programme for 2013–2014, as chairman-conductorairman-conductor iin February when once again we look forward to 2014, replacing György GyGyőriványi Ráth many musical treats, welcoming soloists on the expiry of his three-yearthree mandate. both young and well-established, and In a show of continuity, both will appear conductors from both Hungary and att a special event in this celebratory abroad. season, the jubilee concertco in November. We thank our audience for their kind Celebrations of thehe orchestra’s 160th support and interest, and we await you anniversary eff ectitively began in March with more valuable and lasting musical 2012, when thee orchestra awarded experiences, hopefully for many more Gold and Silver ShieldsS to a number of decades to come!

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