Chamber concert
BARTÓK: Contrasts, BB 116
BARTÓK: Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano, BB 85
BARTÓK: String Quintet No. 5, BB110
Keller Quartet ( András Keller, Zsófia Környei violin, Máté Szűcs viola, László Fenyő cello), András Keller violin Csaba Klenyán clarinet, Mihály Berecz piano
The first programme of this three-day concert series dedicated to celebrating – and deepening our understanding of – the oeuvre of Béla Bartók on the 80th anniversary of his death begins with Contrasts. The title of this 1938 work commissioned by the world-famous jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman and opening with a verbunkos movement is also an apt description of the contents of this chamber music concert overall, not to mention those of the entire mini-festival that it kicks off. After all, coexisting in Bartók’s universe are powerfully expressive and distinct colours and contrasts, something to be made even more evident by the boldly experimental sound of his Second Violin Sonata from 1922, which reveals the influence of both Stravinsky and Schönberg. After taking on the principal role in these two pieces, András Keller will then lead his Keller Quartet through an experience and exploration of the symmetry and bridge-like structure of 1934’s five-movement String Quartet No. 5.
