István Várdai and Ólafsson Víkingur
Program:
J. S. Bach: Sonata in G minor, BWV 1029
Thomas Adès: Lieux retrouvés
Kodály: Sonatina for Cello and Piano
Janáček: Pohádka (A Tale)
Brahms: Cello Sonata in E minor, Op. 38
cello István Várdai
piano Víkingur Ólafsson
How many different notes can be played on a cello? With most people, the answer to this questions usual starts with a comparison to the human voice, as the instrument's tone, even inadvertently, tends to evoke the pleasant sound of a baritone speaking. And then of course there is the matter of the different styles: Baroque, Romanticism, modern and less-modern works from the 20th century - and of course the 21st century, which also counts when it comes to evaluating the instrument's possibilities. This concert offers a taste of all of this - and of course a chance to bear witness to two outstanding young musicians as they collaborate in the spirit of chamber music.
It is exciting to observe the different personalities one often encounters on stage when what is being is played is a sonata, a trio or a quartet! Müpa Budapest has long intentionally endeavoured to present Hungarian performers playing alongside the most varied possible musical partners. On this occasion, István Várdai, the world-famous cellist who plays on a Stradivarius, will be partnering with Víkingur Ólafsson, his contemporary from the north. One year older than Várdai, the pianist the New York Times dubbed 'Iceland's Glenn Gould' is no stranger to his Hungarian colleague: they have performed together abroad (their Wigmore Hall concert earned rave reviews), and Várdai and Kristóf Baráti also invited Ólafsson to perform with them at Kaposfest, feeling that his personality made an interesting contrast with Várdai's. Their programme will include - alongside Bach's finely drawn G minor sonata for viola da gamba, the grand E minor sonata by Brahms and the richness of colour and mood of Kodály and Janáček - the modern sound of English composer Thomas Adès in the form of his 2009 cello and piano cycle Lieux retrouvés ('Rediscovered Places'), which received its world première at the Aldeburgh Festival, performed by Steven Isserlis and the composer himself.