Folk-Inspired Compositions at the Hungarian Heritage House

The composer, folk musician, and cultural organizer László Kelemen—who brings together a symphonic orchestra, choir, folk ensemble, and soloists on stage—intends to counterbalance the trend in recent decades where folkloristic-based endeavors have been sidelined in Hungarian composition. In his work Piros, fekete (Te Deum), his compositional skills and folk music experience, as well as his past in the dance house scene of Cluj-Napoca and Budapest, are all present. The reversal of the title compared to Sándor Kányádi’s famous poem (Fekete-piros) is no accident: the composer himself witnessed the Székely people dancing at Posta Square in Cluj-Napoca in the late 1970s. However, the two movements of the written work evoke the two extremes of life and death.

Back to the Sources! Alongside well-known works by Kodály and Bartók, Pál István Szalonna and his Band will bring such melodies to life during the concert.

Program:

László Kelemen: Piros, fekete (Te Deum) – Budapest premiere
Kodály: Marosszéki táncok
Bartók: Magyar képek
Bartók: Erdélyi táncok
Bartók: Román népi táncok

Featuring:
Miskolc Symphony Orchestra
Kodály Choir Debrecen
Pál István Szalonna and His Band
Eszter Pál

Conductor: Ádám Cser