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Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
Mass in C major, Op. 86

Ágnes Kristófi soprano
Gabriella Busa alto
Flórián Körmendy tenor
Zsombor Cserményi bass
Gergely Kovács piano

Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra
Hungarian National Choir (choirmaster: Csaba Somos)

Conductor: Csaba Somos

The opening night of this year’s Beethoven in the Park series features two highly significant works by the great composer, both of which reflect a master seeking new paths. The Piano Concerto in G major (1805/1806) establishes a new departure in the history of the genre with its profound seriousness and unconventional approach in terms of form, which switches the emphasis from virtuosic brilliance to a more confessional tone. On one hand, the “Kismarton” Mass (1807) illustrates the composer’s Hungarian ties as it was commissioned by Prince Nikolaus II Eszterházy for his wife’s name day. In contrast to previous settings of church masses to music, this work replaces a large number of smaller elements with longer, cohesive sections, assigning greater importance in the method of composition to thematic connections and direct expression. For this concert, the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir will be conducted by the latter’s choirmaster, Csaba Somos, while the soloist for the concerto will be a worthy representative of the young generation of Hungarian pianists in Gergely Kovács, and the vocal solos of the mass will be performed by Ágnes Kristófi, Gabriella Busa, Flórián Körmendy and Zsombor Cserményi, all outstanding members of the Hungarian National Choir.