On Wednesday an excited crowd was most curious what might result from the joint production of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto between the former chief conductor of the Hungarian State Orchestra and the current General Music Director of the same ensemble (which in its current incarnation is known as the National Philharmonic Orchestra). And of course, […]
A piquant little concert. The former music director of the National Philharmonic Orchestra (and now its Conductor Emeritus) conducted, while the present one played the piano. Translated into names: Kobayashi and Kocsis. Since it wasn't possible to try the reverse combination, we were faced with a pleasant Face the music style quiz show, and the audience […]
Once again, the Japanese conductor Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi is a guest in Hungary, where he will perform works by Rachmaninov, Brahms, Carl Orff and Chopin with the National Philharmonic Orchestra. We spoke with the orchestra's general music director Zoltán Kocsis, about the popular Japanese musician's series of concerts, about his plans and his musical philosophy. – […]
Zoltán Kocsis: An orchestra starts to transform thanks to contemporary composers In the National Philharmonic Orchestra and National Choir's programme for next year, there are a pleasing number of rarely heard pieces. Why were they chosen and why are there so few contemporary Hungarian works performed at the ensemble's concerts? – we asked Zoltán Kocsis, […]
(…) French composers also enjoyed a prominent position at the festival, strengthened partly through the Berlioz Jubilee and partly the resonances of FranciaArt. In my opinion, the performance of Romeo and Juliet by the National Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Choir was a premiere event not just of the festival but of international concert life. […]
It all started when Zoltán Kocsis began to conduct and we, the wise audience, said: no problem. Eventually, this mania strikes down everyone: it is not enough to have a voice or play an instrument superbly, they all eventually want to wave a stick in front of an orchestra. The conductor as emperor of musical […]
Zoltán Kocsis, who performed as both conductor and pianist alongside the National Philharmonic Orchestra, gave a concert of extraordinary importance on October 9th at the Music Academy. Its significance was because Kocsis again performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. Those who have followed his career will remember that Kocsis first recording made […]
Claude Debussy and Richard Strauss – two composers whose presence in the same concert might raise eyebrows were it not for a third composer, who connects to both since he was indebted to both: Béla Bartók. Last Friday, Zoltán Kocsis led the National Philharmonic Orchestra in a truly interesting program of a rare work each […]
Once again, the Japanese conductor Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi is a guest in Hungary, where he will perform works by Rachmaninov, Brahms, Carl Orff and Chopin with the National Philharmonic Orchestra. We spoke with the orchestra's general music director Zoltán Kocsis, about the popular Japanese musician's series of concerts, about his plans and his musical philosophy. – […]
Zoltán Kocsis places great emphasis on authenticity and precision Two major works were programmed at the second evening of the National Philharmonic Orchestra's Beethoven series at Martonvásár, the Violin Concerto (with Barnabás Kelemen as soloist) and the Sixth (Pastoral) Symphony, conducted by Zoltán Kocsis. We heard the violin concerto in its transcription for piano last […]
