Kristóf Baráti (violin), Ákos Hernádi (piano)

Liszt heard the amazing violin virtuoso Niccolò Paganini in 1832 and the experience led the 21-year-old to transform his own art, his piano playing and composition technique. We will hear four of the bravura pieces of the devil’s violinist: the first is Moto Perpetuo composed in 1835 and popular as an encore. It is followed by Cantabile (1823) evoking the world of Italian melody, the Moses Fantasia, based on the prayer of Moses, the best known passage in Rossini’s opera, and finally La Campanella, an old Italian melody that also inspired Liszt twice. Liszt and Robert Schumann met in 1840 but their mutual respect dates from much earlier as we know from written praise and dedications. The Three Romances were composed in 1839, the last year of Schumann and Clara Wieck’s betrothal that was soured by the fierce resistance of Clara’s father. The most popular of the three romances is the central F sharp major piece. The Grand duo that Liszt wrote in two versions (1835-37 and 1849) preserves the memory of a romance titled Le Marin by Charles Philippe Lafont, a contemporary French violinist and composer.

Programme:

Paganini: Moto Perpetuo
Paganini: Cantabile
Paganini: Mozes Phantasy
Paganini: Campanella
Schumann:  Three Romances, op. 28
Liszt: Grand duo