St.EFREM: A Genius is Born I. | Franz Liszt and his Musical Heritage

Program:
Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 – excerpt
Franz Liszt: Requiem – Agnus Dei
Viktor Papp: Ukrainian Requiem – Offertorium
Franz Liszt: Soldier's song from Faust by Goethe
Sándor Szokolay: Three epigrams on the poems of Janus Pannonius
Franz Liszt – Tamás Bubnó: Rákóczi March
Franz Liszt – Barnabás Dukay: Pater noster
Franz Liszt: Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh – on Goethe's poem
Béla Bartók: Evening
Franz Liszt: Laudate Dominum

Featuring:

StEFREM:
Edgár Balázs
Lőrinc Bubnó
Tamás Bubnó
Marcell Oláh
Viktor Papp
Ambrus Rácz
Péter Tóth

Anna Kovács – piano

Among the pillars of StEFREM's broad repertoire are works for male choir by Hungarian composers, primarily Liszt, Bartók and Kodály, as well as compositions dedicated to the ensemble by contemporary Hungarian masters. They have released several albums of these works on BMC Records.

The series A Genius Is Born is a tribute to the male choir works by the three greatest Hungarian masters of music, so it is no coincidence that the concerts are taking place on the composers' birthdays. A special feature of the concert programme is that StEFREM's personal selection of works by the classical composers is complemented by outstanding and interesting pieces by their "heirs", the Hungarian composers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

StEFREM is a Budapest-based vocal ensemble with a unique sound. The multi award-winning ensemble regularly performs throughout Europe, from London to Bucharest, and has also performed in Africa, India and South America. They have worked with renowned artists such as Abeer Nehme, Victor Solomon, and the King's Singers, and have released 18 albums since 2002. Their rich and varied repertoire includes Byzantine and classical pieces, crossover arrangements and acapella pop songs.

Master, do you intend to change beer drinkers into demigods with these works? - asked Liszt's Leipzig publisher with some sarcasm when he received the genius composer's choral cycle Twelve Male Choruses. "Never mind that, just publish them," replied Liszt, who composed many works for men's choir, and also symphonic and chamber works featuring men's choirs to the end of his life. His style had a strong influence on the young Bartók, and his legacy can be felt in contemporary works as well. StEFREM's programme presents these reflections and reworkings alongside the original compositions.

Further concerts in this series:
16 December 2024 19:00 St.EFREM: A Genius is Born II. | Zoltán Kodály and his Musical Heritage
25 March 2025 19:00 St.EFREM: A Genius is Born III. | Béla Bartók and his Musical Heritage