Magyar News, 2002. szeptember-2003. augusztus (13. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2003-05-01 / 9. szám
An unforgettable musical event took place on March 13th, 2003, at the Hungarian Calvin United Church in Fairfield. Hungarian churches and organizations of Connecticut had combined their creative energies and invited the Bartók String Quartet to perform in our state. The concert was organized in cooperation with the Hungarian Cultural Center, New York, and in association with Curzon and Kadesha Artists Management. Members of the Bartók Quartet started to play chamber music at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, under the tutelage of renowned teacher and composer Leo Weiner. Inspired and encouraged by Weiner, they formed a professional ensemble in 1957, calling themselves the Komlós Quartet initially. The Quartet was subsequently renamed the Bartók Quartet, in honor of their great contryman, Béla Bartók. The ensemble rose to worldwide fame as winner of the 1959 International Haydn Competition in Budapest and the International Schumann Competition in Berlin, the following year. In 1963 the Bartók Quartet captured first place honors at the prestigious International Quartet Competition in Liege, Belgium. The Kossuth Prize - Hungary's highest award for artistic accomplishment - was conferred upon the Quartet in 1979 and again in 1997, the first time the prize had been given twice to any performing ensemble. Additional awards included the Unesco Prize in 1981 and the Bartók Prize in 1986. The ensemble is equally at home with repertory from classical to the contemporary eras. It has presented the complete Bartók quartet cycle on many occasions. The Bartók's recording of the Beethoven quartets was cited by High Fidelity, as one of the greatest recordings of the last quarter century. The Bartók has performed over 3500 concerts throughout the world, and its frequent tours in North America have taken them to virtually every major musical center, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, St. Peter Komlós, Dr. Balázs Somogyi Louis,Baltimore, New Orleans, Quebec, Toronto and Montreal. Its recent schedules have taken them to such major festivals as Tanglewood, Spoleto, Salzburg, Edinburgh, Aix-en Provence and Lucerne. Audiences and critics, over the years,have been mesmerized by the Bartók's tonal beauty, clarity, directness and ensemble playing. These characteristics were clearly and abundantly evident on March 13th also. The Bartók, one of the most distinguished (if not the most distinguished) chamber groups on the international scene, played with breathtaking warmth and precision and was fully committed to the program of Mozart's Quartet in B-flat major, Bartók's Quartet No 2 and Schubert's Quartet in D minor (Death and the Maiden.) As the result of inclement weather, the performance on March 13th was not as well attended, as it was hoped for. Those present were treated to an outstanding musical experience of exceptional artistic achievement and beauty. Their applause and enthusiasm were rewarded by an encore , a charming waltz by Dvorak. A warmly intimate, friendly reception followed the Bartók's performance; mem- MC, Géza Hargitai, Géza Németh, Dr. Balázs Somogyi, MC, introduces the Quartet bers of the audience had the rewarding opportunity to meet "face-to-face" with the artists, Péter Komlós (First Violin), Géza Hargitai (Second Violin), Géza Németh (viola) and László Mező (Violicello).We have found them, all professors at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, to be very approachable, friendly, engagingly forthcoming, interesting and entertaining individuals. It was a memorable meeting , indeed! We are excited at the prospect of return appearance of the Bartók Quartet in Connecticut during 2004. The concert was organized for the benefit of the John Calvin Theological Institute of Komárom (Komamo). Generosity of the sponsors is greatly appreciated. László Mező, Rev. Béla Póznán, host Page 3
