Concerto Budapest

What connects Brahms and Bartók?
Beyond the letter “B,” they are united by seriousness, a deep respect for tradition, a commitment to developing their national music, the pursuit of noble artistic expression, and a lifelong search for their place in the world. This concert features two major works, each of which was groundbreaking in its own time. Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 1 was a bold and innovative composition, so demanding for both the soloist and the orchestra that even Bartók himself felt the need for restraint when composing his Second Piano Concerto. For Brahms, the future of the symphony as a genre was a central question throughout his life. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he sought to preserve the symphony from becoming program music, believing in the integrity of pure musical form. For this, he was often labeled old-fashioned. His Fourth – and final – Symphony is both a nostalgic glance back to earlier times and a forward-looking statement affirming the enduring values of tradition. Brahms’s contemplative musical testament had a lasting influence, remaining a benchmark for decades after its creation. András Keller, a dedicated interpreter of Bartók and the great Romantics, leads Concerto Budapest, an orchestra long known for its profound and thought-provoking programming on the Hungarian concert scene.
Now, they’re coming to you. We hope you’ll join them!