Latest news with #Bartók
The Guardian
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Béla Bartók: Complete Piano Concertos album review – Tomáš Vrána rises to the challenge
Even though they are among the most challenging piano concertos in the repertory, there is no shortage of outstanding versions on disc of the three Bartók works, from Géza Anda in the 1950s to Pierre-Laurent Aimard two years ago. They are certainly ambitious works with which to launch a recording career on Supraphon, but Tomáš Vrána is undoubtedly dauntless; his performances are full of confidence, verve and faultless technical accomplishment. At times, though, they do seem rather sluggish; Vrána's tempi are often on the slow side, but the textures from the Janáček Philharmonic tend to be rather muddy too, though there is plenty of neat, alert solo playing from its wind and brass. For all his keyboard agility, Vrána seems to be at most imaginative in the concertos' slow movements, especially the central Adagio of the second, one of the most atmospheric examples of Bartók's 'night music', to which he adds wonderful colour and subtlety. The excellent sleeve notes are also written by Vrána himself. This article includes content hosted on We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Listen on Apple Music (above) or Spotify
The Spinoff
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
Review: NZSO's Echoes of Home uses the Christchurch Town Hall to its full potential
A review of the NZSO's latest concert series, performed in Wellington and Christchurch and featuring soloist Amalia Hall. Like many orchestras, the NZSO likes to pair big name composers, like Dvořák and Bartók, with shorter pieces. The concert began with New Zealand composer Douglas Lilburn's Aotearoa overture. The orchestra's new chief executive, Marc Feldman, who started a few weeks ago, introduced the performance – presumably so the many people who give money to keep the NZSO going will have a face to attach to the names in their emails. He said that he hadn't heard any pieces by Lilburn until the first performance of the concert in Wellington two days earlier. But the audience had – surely many of them, like me, had been assigned a Lilburn piece when learning music at some point in New Zealand – and it was lovely to start the concert from a point of familiarity. The overture is very midcentury magnificence (it was written for the centenary celebrations of the signing of te Tiriti), with the theme developing as it passes between the different sections, with some particularly lively cymbals. As the programme noted, Bartók's concerto was written in the 1930s, as Bartók considered rising Nazism in Europe, eventually leaving his homeland of Hungary and moving to the US. Perhaps that tension can be felt in the music: there's a tug between the strings and the brass instruments. The concerto as a whole made me think of the process of building a cathedral: the years it takes, the vision it requires, the role of each individual instrument as a solid foundation that allows the flourishes of the violin to spin so enthusiastically up and down. Amalia Hall is mainly known for her work with chamber music group NZ Trio. As a soloist with a full orchestra, she was dazzling; her hand dancing up and down the fingerboard. It was amazing how her single small violin could fill the space of the Christchurch Town Hall (I am in no way qualified to compare the acoustics of different venues but wow – the acoustics of the Town Hall are spectacular!). Even though the concerto is quite technical and serious, the kind of music making a capital-letters Statement, I felt like she embraced the music with a kind of warmth and playfulness too. This was especially obvious when she was playing very high and fast, yet maintaining a mellow tone, and in the slower sections of the concerto. For her encore, Hall played a short piece with the first desk of each of the other string instruments, which was even more twisting and playful, like jumping between river rocks. This nod to smaller ensemble playing was particularly fun, and showed the range she can play. I haven't listened to much Bartók before, and especially liked how much pizzicato the orchestra used. It's very fun to see double basses and cellos, with their longer and deeper strings, really going hard on the plucking. As well as the shifting tempo, the pizzicato gave the performance a layers of texture. After the interval, the orchestra played Dvořák's Symphony number 7. Although written about 50 years earlier than the Bartók, it also responds to European political unrest and the thrum of the Czech nationalist movement. While there were way more string players on the stage, the highlights really go to the wind and brass instruments: I liked the way the melody moved between the violas and the flutes. The trombones, despite having very little to do in one movement, joined the horns and trumpets for the grand final movement. The horn section was doing a lot, actually, with some very bouncy solos. The entire performance was held together by guest conductor Gábor Káli. A Hungarian who is an expert in Bartók, Káli wins lots of conducting points for being fun to watch. As someone who feels like I know very little about classical music, this was helpful – I could see from where he was pointing how the double basses or bassoons were responding to the music, which made it easier to understand. But it's also very enjoyable to see a conductor who should honestly have been logging the performance on Strava based on how much he was moving. Seeing a live orchestra with a conductor like Káli is a reminder that of course classical music isn't just the sort of sentimental string music that gets used in ads; it has something urgent to say, both when it was originally written and now. I'm not sure that the theme of 'echoes of home' really made sense to apply to the concert, even if one of the pieces was named after Aotearoa. Perhaps (definitely) I'm not that good at recognising Czech folk tunes being repurposed for classical music. But the challenge of music is that words don't always map neatly onto the ideas it holds. Instead, the orchestra is made up of moving parts, and not just the moving parts of a harp. In the big, complex sound of so many instruments working together, there's an invitation to be absorbed, and a ticket to look towards home, then go somewhere new.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Gábor Káli: never forget the child in you
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions. Conductor Gábor Káli. Photo: Supplied At the age of eight he knew. Gábor Káli remembers going to see classical music with his parents and watching the man on the podium waving his arms. He wanted to be that man. Káli is speaking with RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump ahead of his debut with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, playing Dvořák's Symphony No 7, Lilburn's Overture: Aotearoa, and Bartók's second violin concerto with Aotearoa's own Amalia Hall. At first, Káli could only conduct his parents' stereo. He put on one of his favourites, Dvořák's New World Symphony, found some sort of stick to be a baton, and to his delight the orchestra on the sound system did exactly what he wanted. But unlike a lot of (mostly secret) air-conductors, Káli had the musical talent. He became an accomplished pianist, and eventually conducted a real orchestra. Asked what that first time on the podium was like, Káli says he cried tears of joy. The Hungarian maestro also talked about his love of Bartók, and the difficult birth of the composer's second violin concerto, written in 1939 under the shadow of fascism spreading across Europe which would eventually force him and his wife to leave their beloved homeland. The violin represents Bartók's own voice in this work, Káli says. But if Bartok's ultimately optimistic concerto dives deep, it also has a playful side. Káli says while it's important for a conductor to prepare well, to know the score, there also needs to be room in the performance for spontaneity. He hopes he never loses that childlike sense of wonder and excitement that sparked his love of music in the first place.
Scoop
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Music Stars Join With The NZSO In Wellington And Christchurch
Sensational Hungarian conductor Gábor Káli leads the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for the first time in Wellington and Christchurch, featuring a folk-inspired masterpiece by his country's legendary composer Béla Bartók. Joining the accomplished maestro and NZSO is acclaimed New Zealand violinist Amalia Hall for an unforgettable performance of Bartók's evocative Second Violin Concerto. Echoes of Home: Bartók & Dvořák (Wellington, 23 May and Christchurch, 25 May) opens with a homegrown masterpiece: Douglas Lilburn's Aotearoa Overture, a tribute to New Zealand's sweeping landscapes and unique cultural heritage. Rounding out the evening is Antonín Dvořák's Seventh Symphony, a haunting expression of the composer's deep love for his Czech roots. Hall, one of Aotearoa's most celebrated violinists, made her NZSO debut in 2022 to critical acclaim. 'I had the pleasure of working with Gábor in Macao last year and was so inspired by his deeply committed approach to music. I'm looking forward to performing with my fellow Kiwi musicians in the NZSO once again, as it is always a joy to collaborate with this fabulous orchestra,' says Hall 'Bartók's second Violin Concerto is a compelling work, filled with lush orchestral textures and virtuosity from all corners. Written in 1939, it was a time when Bartók was becoming increasingly concerned with growing fascism. A fascinating blend of Hungarian folk music, quarter tones and volatile shifts in mood, this concerto is one of my absolute favourites. 'Performing with our country's national symphony orchestra is always an experience that fills me with pride, and I look forward to seeing you at the concert!' Maestro Káli played piano and violin at the Béla Bartók Conservatory in Budapest before studying conducting. His career skyrocketed after a celebrated debut with the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 2019. 'Every piece is different, and every orchestra is different,' Maestro Káli has said. 'The challenge is always to find a new way or different way with new musicians to cooperate – that's important.' While he began conducting at age 18, his dream to become a conductor was sparked when he was just eight years old. '[That wish] came from instinct. My parents took me to the opera house in Hungary to listen to classical music and I asked 'what is a conductor? What is he doing?' I felt I could do it.' A recipient of the prestigious Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award, he's recognised as one of the most promising conductors of his generation. His profound expertise in Bartók's works has earned him accolades and invitations to conduct major orchestras and operas worldwide, cementing his reputation as an innovative and compelling leader in classical music. Amalia Hall appears with support from Jason Boyes and Nickie Van Der Beek. Tickets to Echoes of Home are from $22 (NZSO Members) and $26 (non-members). For more information go to COMING UP Masterworks: Mozart, Beethoven & Haydn – conductor James Judd, violinist Vesa-Matti Leppänen. Wellington (31 May), Blenheim (5 June), Nelson (7 June), Manukau (10 June), Kerikeri (13 June). – conductor Adam Johnson, soprano Madison Horman. Wellington (5 July), Auckland (6 July). Echoes of Home: Bartók & Dvořák GÁBOR KÁLI Conductor AMALIA HALL Violin LILBURN Aotearoa Overture BARTÓK Violin Concerto No. 2 DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, Op. 70 TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA WELLINGTON | Michael Fowler Centre| Friday, 23 May| 6.30pm ŌTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH | Town Hall| Sunday, 25 May| 2pm
Scoop
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Music Stars Join With The NZSO In Wellington And Christchurch
Sensational Hungarian conductor Gábor Káli leads the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for the first time in Wellington and Christchurch, featuring a folk-inspired masterpiece by his country's legendary composer Béla Bartók. Joining the accomplished maestro and NZSO is acclaimed New Zealand violinist Amalia Hall for an unforgettable performance of Bartók's evocative Second Violin Concerto. Echoes of Home: Bartók & Dvořák (Wellington, 23 May and Christchurch, 25 May) opens with a homegrown masterpiece: Douglas Lilburn's Aotearoa Overture, a tribute to New Zealand's sweeping landscapes and unique cultural heritage. Rounding out the evening is Antonín Dvořák's Seventh Symphony, a haunting expression of the composer's deep love for his Czech roots. Hall, one of Aotearoa's most celebrated violinists, made her NZSO debut in 2022 to critical acclaim. 'I had the pleasure of working with Gábor in Macao last year and was so inspired by his deeply committed approach to music. I'm looking forward to performing with my fellow Kiwi musicians in the NZSO once again, as it is always a joy to collaborate with this fabulous orchestra,' says Hall 'Bartók's second Violin Concerto is a compelling work, filled with lush orchestral textures and virtuosity from all corners. Written in 1939, it was a time when Bartók was becoming increasingly concerned with growing fascism. A fascinating blend of Hungarian folk music, quarter tones and volatile shifts in mood, this concerto is one of my absolute favourites. 'Performing with our country's national symphony orchestra is always an experience that fills me with pride, and I look forward to seeing you at the concert!' Maestro Káli played piano and violin at the Béla Bartók Conservatory in Budapest before studying conducting. His career skyrocketed after a celebrated debut with the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 2019. 'Every piece is different, and every orchestra is different,' Maestro Káli has said. 'The challenge is always to find a new way or different way with new musicians to cooperate – that's important.' While he began conducting at age 18, his dream to become a conductor was sparked when he was just eight years old. '[That wish] came from instinct. My parents took me to the opera house in Hungary to listen to classical music and I asked 'what is a conductor? What is he doing?' I felt I could do it.' A recipient of the prestigious Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award, he's recognised as one of the most promising conductors of his generation. His profound expertise in Bartók's works has earned him accolades and invitations to conduct major orchestras and operas worldwide, cementing his reputation as an innovative and compelling leader in classical music. Amalia Hall appears with support from Jason Boyes and Nickie Van Der Beek. Tickets to Echoes of Home are from $22 (NZSO Members) and $26 (non-members). For more information go to COMING UP Masterworks: Mozart, Beethoven & Haydn – conductor James Judd, violinist Vesa-Matti Leppänen. Wellington (31 May), Blenheim (5 June), Nelson (7 June), Manukau (10 June), Kerikeri (13 June). – conductor Adam Johnson, soprano Madison Horman. Wellington (5 July), Auckland (6 July). Echoes of Home: Bartók & Dvořák GÁBOR KÁLI Conductor AMALIA HALL Violin LILBURN Aotearoa Overture BARTÓK Violin Concerto No. 2 DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, Op. 70 TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA WELLINGTON | Michael Fowler Centre| Friday, 23 May| 6.30pm ŌTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH | Town Hall| Sunday, 25 May| 2pm
