St.EFREM: A Genius is Born II. | Zoltán Kodály and his Musical Heritage

Program:
Zoltán Kodály: The Peacock
Boldizsár Csiky: De inceputul lumieii – Mihail Moxa's Genesis
Máté Hollós: Silentium – on the poem of Lajos Áprily
Zoltán Kodály: Bóruch sém – Hymn of the Sun
Zoltán Kodály: Hymn to King Saint Stephen
Erzsébet Szőnyi: Soldiers' Song – on the poem of Bálint Balassi
Zoltán Kodály: The Filly
Viktor Papp: Este – on the poem of Taras Shevchenko
Tamás Bubnó: Rejoice, Isaiah!
Zoltán Kodály: Do Not Grieve – on the text of András Szkhárosi Horvát
Lőrinc Bubnó: Fly, Bird!
Zoltán Kodály: Christmas Dance of the Shepherds
Béla Faragó: Evening Song – from the opera Metamorphosis
Zoltán Kodály: Evening Song

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

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.

142 years ago on this day Zoltán Kodály was born, whose musical vision and work had a profound influence on the Hungarian musical world of the 20th century. His educational credo, known today as the Kodály Method, still helps achieve great results in the education of children around the world. Although he considered mixed choir singing to be the pinnacle of choral music, Kodály also composed many excellent works for men's choir. Today, the StEfrem performs some of these works, which are well suited to the sound of a small chamber ensemble. Great poems, quotations, sacred and folk texts from Kodály and Hungarian composers who proudly embrace his legacy will be brought to life.

Further concerts in this series:
22 October 2024 19:00 St.EFREM: A Genius is Born I. | Franz Liszt and his Musical Heritage
25 March 2025 19:00 St.EFREM: A Genius is Born III. | Béla Bartók and his Musical Heritage