Eszter Karasszon, Éva Szalai & András Keller Presented by Liszt Academy

In comparison with the most popular composers of the 19th century, for example, Beethoven, Schubert or Wagner, the music of Schumann has not been as avidly sought by the general public, but, according to the sketch writer of the art periodical Élet in 1910, on the centenary of Schumann’s birth, “perhaps to the true music lover he is more dear, more intimate and more receptive than all of them. Schumann, as a great musician once said of him, is music itself.” In the first half of the concert, Eszter Karasszon and Éva Szalai perform particularly exciting and mysterious works from Schumann’s chamber canon; their musical temperament and musicality guarantee that the intimacy and awe-inspiring nature of these works is fully realized. Furthermore, the thing that the above excerpt indicates: the pure musical form of Schumann works. The final programme work is the superb late masterpiece by Gabriel Fauré, the Trio in D minor. The composition that debuted in 1923 became a standard on the repertoire of 20th century French music after a legendary performance when it was played by Jacques Thibaud on violin, Pablo Casals on cello and Alfred Cortot on piano. For this occasion, the violin part is taken by András Keller.