For the 4 December 2020 Terzet-Trio show, chorus members – as it is their custom – prepared pieces from one nations's music. This time it was a Russian programme they presented, which the musicians of the Orchestra also joined with excerpts from The Nutcracker on occasion of preparation for the festive season. The performance was streamed from 8:00 p.m. on Facebook and Origo.hu.
In the first part of their recital, the Opera Chrous presented songs by a lesser-known composer. The achievements of Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomyzhsky (1813–1869) had a significant effect on Russian music, he is considered the father of musical realism. Beside operas, orchestral and piano works, he composed numerous songs on poems by Russian and European poets. The programme featured four pieces from his Vocal Ensembles with lyrics by Bunin, Vyazemsky, Pushkin and Zhukovsky. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) is a composer who needs no introduction for fans of opera, ballet and symphonic music, but he also composed more than one-hundred songs as well. The one entitled Night (together with the Dargomyzhsky pieces) was performed by Tünde Szarvas, Orsolya Bagosi, János Novák and Dávid Tarnai, with Katalin Szirtes on the piano.
The Opera Orchestra performed contemporary pieces and classical festive works for the viewers. Orchestra member and bassoon player Zoltán Kovács (b. 1969) is also an acclaimed, Erkel Prize recipient composer, whose oratorios, symphonic and chamber pieces are regularly performed in Hungary and abroad. Dream Dances No. 3 composed for clarinets was played by Balázs Rumy, Gábor Galavics, Csaba Pálfi and András Novák. A special work by contemporary American composer Garwood Whaley (b. 1942) entitled Dialogue for Snare Drum and Timpani was performed by percussionists Roland Nagy and Ádám Maros. The programme given by the musicians of the orchestra also featured pieces that are regularly performed in the Advent season. The most popular excerpts – Overture, March, Russian Dance (Trepak), Waltz of the Flowers – from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky transcribed for brass instruments were interpreted by Mihály Könyves-Tóth, Tamás Dávida (trumpet), Csaba Bencze, Norbert Zakó (trombone). Bach's compositions are also essential works to be performed around this time of year. Ich rufe zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (BWV 185), Herr Christ, der einig Gotts-Sohn (BWV 164), Nun danket alle Gott (BWV 252) and Du, o schönes Weltgebäude (BWV 56) were performed by a quartet including András Tallián (violin), Balázs Mészáros (viola), Anita Miskolczi (cello) and Attila Miklós (double bass).
The performance directed by Katalin Kovács was hosted by Melitta Gyüdi.
Due to health precautions, rehearsals at the ballet company did not take place at the time. Therefore, the ballet dancers were unable to appear in the Terzet-Trio programme. Thank you for your understanding.
The performance can be viewed HERE.
Photo by Péter Rákossy