Márton Mikulík & Benjámin Forgó Presented by Liszt Academy

Márton Mikulík and Benjámin Forgó are already well-known to the Liszt Academy’s regulars; their 2024 four-hand recital sparked exceptional enthusiasm among the audience. Both outstanding soloists in their own right, they are also deeply committed chamber partners. For this performance, they bring a programme to Solti Hall that spans the Romantic era with works by Schubert, Schumann, and Mendelssohn before tackling a landmark 20th-century ballet arrangement.

The evening opens with Schubert’s late Grande Marche Héroïque, likely composed in 1826. The piece is celebrated for its sophisticated harmonic language, yet it retains a light, dance-like grace. This is followed by two compositions that share a connection to Clara Schumann: Robert Schumann’s Bilder aus Osten (Pictures from the East), which he presented to his wife as a Christmas gift in 1848 and performed with her at a private house concert shortly after; and Mendelssohn’s Andante and Allegro brillant. Written seven years earlier, Mendelssohn’s piece consists of a lyrical opening followed by a display of technical bravura, and was first premiered by the composer and Clara at the Leipzig Gewandhaus.

The two young pianists conclude the evening with a formidable undertaking: the four-hand piano version of Stravinsky’s timeless ballet, The Rite of Spring.