BACH FAMILY: Motets by the Bach Family

Come on Primas

HAYDN: Wind Divertimentos

SELMECZI: Religious Songs / String Quartets Nos. 1 and 2

Please Sir! (1916) is one of the first novels of the popular Hungarian author, Frigyes Karinthy (1887 - 1938), which tells his school years with a lot of humor and empathy. Endre Illes wrote: "All Karinthy's writings have the violent, blinding brilliance of a spluttering Christmas sparkler. He wrote several thousand sketches, hundreds of stories, a few novels and two volumes of poetry. He experimented with literary forms and techniques: plays, philosophical studies, anecdotes, reviews, articles. But no matter what he wrote, his message was always as fresh and sensitive as the first flash of the idea which inspired it. One could say that his real medium was the idea, the instant spark." The work is read here by P�l M�csai.

In flute playing French music and its performing style are crucial. We gain a taste of this on the third disc of the seven- volume series that surveys more than a century and a half. Central to this is the turn of the century, which brought a new golden age of the flute in Paris. The characteristic pastoral voices, playfulness and melancholy of the period are complemented by the dramatic energy of the instrument, thanks to Pierne´. A graduate of the Budapest Liszt Academy of Music, Gergely Ittzes is one of the most proactive personalities of the flute scene. While being a researcher of his instrument and composer of many experimental flute works applying the most up to date flute techniques, especially polyphonic playing, he does not specialize in contemporary music only, but tries to connect it with tradition. His large repertoire includes all the important works written for his instrument and a great number of rarities from the past centuries and today. In addition to classical and modern music, several other styles have also influenced his musical idiom, like jazz and free improvisation.

This is the second volume of this series of seven albums with Gergely Ittzes. This volume embraces the Romantic Period: a whole century starting with elegant and improvisatory works from the age of flourishing bourgeois musical life, followed by the typical 19th century programme music of Reinecke, and ending with a lesser known but quite powerful and colorful piece of Jugendstil composed by the eccentric German composer, Karg-Elert. Gergely Ittzes won several prizes and awards including the Aleksander Tansman International Competition of Musical Personalities.

K�lm�n Miksz�th was a major Hungarian novelist, journalist, and politician. Born in Szklabonya in Upper Hungary, he studied Law at the University of Budapest before becoming involved in journalism, writing for many Hungarian newspapers including the Pesti Hirlap. His early short stories were based on the lives of peasants and artisans, and were not widely read during his time. However, they demonstrated his skill in crafting humorous anecdotes, which would be developed in his later, more popular works. Many of his novels contained social commentary and satire, and towards the end of his life they became increasingly critical of the aristocracy and the burden he believed the latter placed on Hungarian society. On this release, several of his short stories are read in Hungarian by Hungarian actor Sandor Gaspar, who has appeared in more than seventy films since 1978.

Jeno Rejto (1905-1943) was a journalist, prolific author of cabaret skits, and a steadfast practitioner of comic thrillers with unforgettable characters and one-liners that together have become part and parcel of Hungarian literary folklore. Delightfully grotesque parodies of the detective novels that had their heyday at the time, Rejto wrote most of his books in the 1930s under the pen-name of P. Howard. The Lost Battleship is one of Rejto's most popular novels. It is read here by Hungarian actor Kern Andras.

Rivka Golani is one of the leading virtuoso violists of modern times. Her mastery of the instrument combined with superb musicianship has been a source of inspiration to many players and composers. More than 300 pieces have been written for her, including over 80 concertos to date - with several more in the pipeline. She has performed as soloist with many orchestras throughout the world including the Boston Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, BBC Symphony, BBC Philharmonic, Hong Kong Symphony, Singapore Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan, Montreal Symphony and the Toronto Symphony. The BBC Music Magazine included her in it's list of the 200 most important instrumentalists and the five most important violists currently concertizing. As a teacher, Golani draws students from around the world to her master classes. She holds a professorship at Trinity College of Music in London and has also taught at Birmingham Conservatoire, the University of Toronto, and London's Royal Academy of Music.

Szabadnak sz�lett�l is the title of the new album from Zsuzsa Koncz, one of the most famous Hungarian pop singers in the world. Zsuzsa Koncz's career began after her performance in a 1962 talent show. Since then she has performed with various bands and musicians, most notably Illes and Janos Brody. She went on several successful tours abroad during the 1970s, with performances in France, West Germany, the United States, and Japan. She is known for her lyrics which were sometimes highly critical of Hungary's pre-1990 political system. She is the recipient of the 1977 Liszt Prize, the 2001 Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur, and the 2008 Kossuth Prize.

Jeno Rejto (1905-1943) was a journalist, prolific author of cabaret skits, and the steadfast practitioner of comic thrillers with unforgettable characters and one-liners that together have become part and parcel of Hungarian literary folklore. The Frontier Garrison is one of Rejto's most popular novels. Andras Kern is a Hungarian actor, producer, writer, singer and comedian. He graduated from the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest in 1970. He has appeared in numerous films, has written and appeared in many radio sitcoms as well as in many popular Hungarian TV shows such as Heti Hetes and Activity Show.

These three figures of turn-of-the-century music, Ravel, Franck and Debussy, do not prompt listeners to hear their works from afar. Their music winds it's way into the innermost channels of human imagination, and through the sound, listeners may feel that they are the protagonists in this shared artistic experience. Pianist Bal�zs F�lei holds the Liszt Ferenc Prize, the Artisjus Prize and the Junior Prima Prize. His repertoire includes over thirty pia-no concertos, including all the concertos of Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, and Bart�k. He is an associate professor and head of department at the Academy of Music, Budapest, and gives masterclasses worldwide. He is the founder and artistic director of the Echo Summer Academy, which is held annually in the K�rolyi Mansion in Feh�rv�rcsurg�.

This new release compiles the very best recordings from Hofi Geza, Hungarian actor and comedian. The most popular Hungarian parodist, he had a strong influence on the culture of Hungarian cabaret. Hofi G�za was for many years the highlight of Hungarian cabaret. He never followed any pattern or trend; he was always following his own trail. His unique performances made him the most popular comedian of his time in Hungary. His death created an enormous vacuum in Hungarian comedy, and it is a common consensus among people who witnessed his performances that there may never be another comedian like him. His style as a comedian was unique. It couldn't exactly be categorized as stand-up comedy, though it didn't fit any other category either. There are no current comedians in Hungary who would try to emulate his style-his legacy on Hungarian humor is somewhat analogous to that of Beethoven's on German music in the 1800s. His theatre shows were sold out many months in advance, and there was rarely an empty seat in the house.

The Masters Collection compiles the iconic recordings of some of the most renowned artists of Hungaroton. The album features records which define an �uvre, a specific era and which will be an unforgettable experience for all listeners. The focus of this album is the Tatrai Quartet. Founded in 1946 and based in Hungary, the Tatrai Quartet was one of the foremost string quartets in Hungary for the half century following the Second World War. Specializing in Haydn and Bartok, the ensemble recorded both composers' complete quartets for Hungaroton, as well as works by Mozart and Beethoven. They were also responsible for premiere performances of works by Hungarian composers of the era.

This album samples a hundred years of Hungarian cello literature. In addition to the classic solo sonatas of Zolt�n Kod�ly and Gy�rgy Ligeti, three world-premiere recordings can also be heard on this release. Socrates' Farewell by Gy�rgy Kurt�g and two pieces dedicated to Ditta by Barnab�s Dukay have also been recorded here for the first time. P�ter E�tv�s' composition, Two Poems to Polly, is also a rarity: the cellist, with the composer's stamp of approval, performs the piece a little differently from the written score. This version has been preserved only in our recording. Ditta Rohmann is a versatile musician, who might be encountered as a soloist in great concert halls, improvising with world music ensembles, playing a major role in joint productions with dancers, or even as an actress. Among her successes so far are the prizes received at the Leipzig Bach Competition, the Hungarian Junior Prima Prize, and her radio and album recordings.

The Masters Collection compiles the iconic recordings of some of the most renowned artists of Hungaroton. The album features records which define an �uvre, a specific era and which will be an unforgettable experience for all listeners. The Ferenc Liszt Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1963 by string players in their final year at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. They took the name of the great composer, to pay homage to the genius who became inseparable with the establishment of Hungarian music and whose spirit irradiates the musical life of the entire world. Since then they plays a very significant role in Hungary's musical life, and have attained a world-wide reputation. The FLCO consists of 17 strings and according to the programmes a harpsichord soloist completes the Ensemble, as well as wind and other instrumentalists. Their first music director was Frigyes S�ndor. Since his death in 1979, this post has been held by J�nos Rolla, one of Hungary's leading violinists, who has been concert-master of the orchestra since it's inception. The repertoire of the FLCO spans almost the entire history of music from Monteverdi, J.S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, W.A. Mozart to the Romantics and to the 20th Century composers.

For music lovers, some numbers are inextricably linked to a particular composer or genre: with Beethoven, it is 32, the number of piano sonatas with opus numbers. Three sonatas in minor keys have been selected from opuses comprising several independent works by Tam�s �rdi, of whose playing Zolt�n Kocsis said: "His touch on the keyboard is far more sensitive than that of sighted people. In his playing, in certain dynamic ranges there is a sensitivity that for us is simply not possible. I would go so far as to say that this ability could be gauged as Chopinesque." Pianist Tam�s �rdi lost his eyesight as a result of an oxygen overdose in a defective incubator. His interest in music was discovered at a very young age. His teachers use a unique method called "the structural method" to teach Tam�s play the piano, whereby he virtually "recomposes" the music he is introduced to.

After their album entitled Singing Cello, this recording released by Istvan Vardai and Julien Quentin offers a compilation of popular cello pieces of the 19th and 20th century, performed on the famous Stradivari cello referred as '1673 Strad', earlier used by Jaqueline du Pre� and Lynn Harrell. The cellos manufactured by the renowned Italian instrument-maker have, somewhat surprisingly, an even better reputation than his violins. Out of the 65 items remaining, the '1673 Strad' was made relatively early, being the only Stradivari cello dating back to this year. Istvan Vardai was born in 1985. He studied with Laszlo Mezo at the Liszt Academy of Music and with Reinhard Latzko at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Veinna. Since his debut concert in 1997, he has performed all over the world and has won numerous accolaides. French pianist Julien Quintin has established himself as a versatile and sensitive musician, exhibiting great maturity and poise. His remarkable depth of musicianship and distinct clarity of sound coupled with flawless technique, make him an artist in demand as both soloist and chamber musician.

The fifth album of this seven-release series introduces the Eastern European music of the twentieth century through Georgian, Russian and Hungarian works in which, in addition to the western influences, there is a trace of national character and socialist aesthetics. Whereas the earlier recordings of the series represented the musical legacy of Western Europe, this compilation exemplifies what happened in the eastern half of Europe in music in the 20th century. Western music developed in relative uniformity, although the individual spirit of a given nation can be recognized and, with respect to French and German music, the distinction had become stronger by the turn of the century. So little can be traced back to real ethnic roots. In Central and Eastern Europe, however, where classical music had not gained so much ground, more scope remained for folk music, which permeated the works of newly emerging composers whether by chance or design. The rightly popular Prokofiev work and the unjustly neglected Lajtha piece, which can be placed in parallel with it, frame the program.

“The aim of this recording is not just to be a musicological curiosity, but to arouse the audience’s awareness of pieces and composers who have not yet been recorded, or are played less frequently; to inspire my colleagues to practice and master the special techniques in these works, and to show the way for interpretations of the works of Hungarian and Transylvanian composers, an interpretation which as well as the traditions of the Hungarian string school, draws “only from clear mountain springs” through personal relationships.” (Ildikó Szabó) Acclaimed for her musical intellect and imagination coupled with technical virtuosity, Ildiko? Szabo? is a laureate of the Pablo Casals International Cello Competition where she was the winner of the 2nd Prize, the Audience Award, and 7 Special Prizes. She is also a top prize winner of the German Music Competition, TONALi, Popper International Competition, Janigro International Competition and Liezen International Competition.

Brahm's viola sonatas, composed in the last few years of his life, have become cornerstones of that instrument's repertoire. They are what we regard as "the" genuine romantic viola sonata reflecting the late Brahms' substantial and richly emotional musical world. The Two Songs with viola and piano pay tribute to the friendship between the composer and the celebrated violinist, Joseph Joachim. Besides viola player P�ter B�rsony this recording features the fabulous pianist P�ter Frankl and the opera-singer, popular with the audiences of the most reputed concert halls, Ildik� Koml�si. P�ter B�rsony is a professor at Franz Liszt Academy of Music and Kunstuniversitat Graz. He regularly gives concerts all over the globe, both as a soloist and in chamber music partnerships.

J. S. Bach’s sonatas for violin and harpsichord and his solo partitas for violin and flute are presented on this recording on solo cello or on cello and organ. The transcriptions were made by Ditta Rohmann and László Fassang. The two instruments are a special feature of the recording: the cellist plays every piece on violoncello piccolo, a five-string cello often used in Bach’s time, while the Thuringian style organ of the Cegléd Lutheran church was modeled on instruments the master had used in his time. Ditta Rohmann is a versatile musician, whom we may encounter as a soloist in great concert halls as well as improvising with world music ensembles or playing a major role in joine productions with dancers, as a chamber musician, and most recently as an actress. She currently teaches private students and leads masterclasses. As the prizewinner of the most prestigious organ competitions in the world, Laszlo Fassang is one of the most versatile organists of his generation. He received his degrees with distinction from the Liszt Academy of Music and the Paris Conservatory. Prominent among his prizes are the golden medal for improvisation at the 2002 Calgary competition and the grand prix for interpretation and audience prize at the 2004 organ competition in Chartres.

There is only a small number of orchestral pieces in Johann Sebastian Bach's oeuvre- which is surprising considering that the composer worked with excellent ensembles in both of his positions- as "Konzermeister" and Kapellmeister" - in Kothen and Weimar during the period between 1708 and 1723. This is particularly true of concertos where there is a high number of transcriptions, rearranged predominantly for harpsichord. Capella Savaria, Hungary's oldest period instrument ensemble, presents four of these on this album. The Capella Savaria (Szombathely) was founded in 1981 by P�l N�meth. Their aim is to play 17th and 18th century music using the documents of the period. The play on authentic instruments with copies of bows of the epoch, studying the instrumental tutors of the Baroque era, referring to articulation, embellishment and, in wider sense, the characteristic sound of the whole period. The basis of the ensemble is strings, which are joined by other instruments as required.

This album marks the 40th of Zsuzsa Koncz. Vadvilág (Savage World) has been led by Gábor Závodi with the same musician friends Ms. Koncz has been working with for many years. They do not simply provide musical accompaniment but also contribute to the spirit of the album. Soem of them like Zoltán Maróthy and Gábor Závodi have composed a number of songs themselves. The new album may be a little closer to rock and roll in style than listeners are used to in the past. As Zsuzsa said, "it is a status report on private and public matters" - also sugged by its title "Savage World". The huge success of Fairy Land has given impetus to the new album, so the master recording was made in almost no time, a mere six weeks. Zsuzsa Koncz is certain she has reached a new peak in her career with the new album made with love and enthusiasm and hopes it will be received well.