Laura Gőgh, Martin Csölley, László Havas-Horváth & Ferenc János Szabó Chamber Recital

Jenő Hubay is best known as an outstanding violinist and a founder of the famous Hungarian violin school, although he also made his mark as a composer. His songs form part of the 19th-century art song repertoire, showcasing various national styles, such as the German Lied, the French mélodie and contemporary Hungarian songs. A fine example of the latter is the series of songs set to Petőfi’s poems, published in 1880, which is followed by two successors to the German Lied-tradition: the Carmen Sylva-songs of 1889 and the Seven Songs of 1898. The French song, or mélodie, has a more free-form structure; its music is often descriptive, and the role of prosody is more significant, creating a kind of conversational quality. This genre includes Victor Hugo’s settings by Hubay, which were published around 1882 and 1898. The concert will conclude with the Végvári-Songs from 1920, transporting the audience back to the Hungarian countryside and providing a sort of framing structure for the concert. The songs will be brought to life by Ferenc János Szabó, Director of the Library of the Liszt Academy, whilst the pianist and music historian accompanies three young singers who have recently graduated from the Academy.