Edgar Varèse: Arcana
Bartók: Piano Concerto No.1, BB 91
Stravinsky: Le sacre du printemps
Featuring: József Balog
Conductor: Zoltán Rácz
„Arcanum” - roughly means: secret wisdom. „Arcana” – the plural of „Arcanum” – is the title of the work composed by French-American Edgar Varèse, indicating that he was trying to find some kind of secret: how to create his individual style by composing a sound which is not similar to anything else. After this piece Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 1, a daring compositon written after a long crisis will be heard, featuring József Balog.
„Year of Scandals” - so call music historians the Year of 1913. Among many others the biggest scandal is linked to Paris, to the premiére The Rite of Spring (Le sacre du printemps). When first performed on 29 May 1913, the avantgarde nature of the music and choreography caused a sensation and a near-riot in the audience. Although designed as a work for the stage, the music achieved equal if not greater recognition as a concert piece.