József Balog Piano Recital Presented by Liszt Academy

József Balog is not only one of the most brilliant and sensitive pianists of his generation, but a performer who has consistently proven his mastery across two distinct worlds: the masterpieces of the international classical canon and the towering works of 20th and 21st-century Hungarian repertoire.

These two pillars are perfectly reflected in this evening’s ambitious programme. Following selections from Rameau’s Suite in G major, Balog returns to the music that secured his First Prize at the 1999 Budapest Chopin Competition: a sequence of eight Chopin compositions. These are followed by Ravel’s Miroirs (Reflections), a cycle that broke new ground in the relationship between harmony and melody; each movement is dedicated to a fellow member of “Les Apaches”, the avant-garde artistic circle to which Ravel belonged.

The recital concludes with Péter Wolf’s Sonata, a work written specifically for Balog that weaves together Bartókian, jazz, and Baroque influences. Linking these diverse pieces – and bridging the gap between the local and the universal – are excerpts from the Játékok (Games) series by György Kurtág, performed in celebration of the composer’s 100th year.