KOCSIS ZOLTÁN EMLÉKKONCERT

Zoltán Kocsis passed away ten years ago, on November 6, 2016, at the age of sixty-four. As music director of the National Philharmonic Orchestra, he laid new foundations for the operation of this historic orchestra and choir, helping the musicians under his guidance to deliver world-class performances. He took the helm of the orchestra in 1997, and during the nearly two decades he spent with us, he not only left the mark of his perfectionism on all our collaborative work as a conductor, but also permanently enriched the ensemble’s history through his work as a pianist, arranger, and composer. This memorial concert, paying tribute to his artistry and personality, will feature two works by Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): the rarely heard *Begräbnisgesang* (*Funeral Song*), composed in 1858, two years after Schumann’s death; interestingly, the choral text—set to music with a Puritanical discipline reminiscent of the Protestant tradition—is sung by the choir accompanied by a wind ensemble. *Ein deutsches requiem* (A German Requiem)—one of the greatest and most unconventional works of the genre—was completed in 1868; the composer selected the text from Luther’s German translation of the Bible. Polina Pasztircsák is a member of the Hungarian singing community who has achieved international success, while Julian Orlishausen, an outstanding German baritone equally at home in every genre, represents the middle generation. György Vashegyi, a recipient of the Kossuth Prize and founder and director of the Purcell Choir and the Orfeo Orchestra, has served as music director of the National Philharmonic since the fall of 2022, succeeding Zoltán Kocsis.