László Sándor: Offertorium Musicum Presented by Liszt Academy

Composer László Sándor is guided by a profound sense of devotion and a deep engagement with liturgical thinking. His academic work focuses on the tradition of the cantus firmus, the fixed melody. Written between 2017 and 2021, his ten-movement work Offertorium Musicum is built around Gregorian chant melodies. Scored for nine performers and electronics, the piece features a rich and intricate instrumental palette: two pianos, a harpsichord, and an organ, played by three keyboardists. The program creates a dialogue between contemporary composition and the sacred works of past centuries. The movements of Offertorium Musicum are interwoven with pieces by Renaissance masters such as Arcadelt, Lassus, Palestrina, de la Rue, and Gallus, as well as traditional Gregorian chants, evoking the spiritual and aesthetic world of the cantus firmus. The concert also includes a chorale arrangement that reflects Bach’s tradition of chorale variations.