Víkingur Ólafsson Celebrates Kurtág at 100

Learn to ‘listen differently’ as the Philharmonia’s Featured Artist Víkingur Ólafsson celebrates the 100th birthday of Hungarian composer György Kurtág.

Ólafsson’s meticulous and deeply personal performances and recordings have encouraged his many fans to listen anew to music ranging from the 17th century to the present day. And the music of Kurtág, – the concentrated essence of an era-defining career spanning seven decades – addresses the phenomenon of sound and the act of listening itself.

In this early evening concert, explore a web of composers from across the centuries paying tribute to those who came before them.

In Kurtág’s …quasi una fantasia…, groups of musicians spread around the hall create a sometimes dreamlike, sometimes nightmarish soundworld from fragments of remembered melody.

Performers

Philharmonia Orchestra

Elena Schwarz conductor

Víkingur Ólafsson piano

Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir piano

Tom Service presenter

Repertoire

György Kurtág: Twittering from Játékok, Bk.1 for piano, 4 hands

Bach: Sinfonia from Cantata No.106 `Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit' arr. Kurtág for piano, 4 hands

György Kurtág: Aus der ferne (From afar) from Játékok, Bk.5; Harmonica (Hommage à Borsody László) from Játékok, Bk.3; Little chorale from Játékok, Bk.1

Bach: Air from Orchestral Suite No.3 in D, BWV.1068 (Air on a G string) arr. Olafsson

György Kurtág: Sleepily from Játékok, Bk.1; Hommage à Farkas Ferenc from Játékok, Bk.3

Haydn: Adagio sostenuto from String Quartet in G, Op.76 No.1 arr. Kurtág for piano

György Kurtág: Hommage à J S Bach from Játékok, Bk.3

Schumann: Langsam (No.1) from 6 Fugues on the name BACH, Op.60

György Kurtág: Hommage à R Schumann for clarinet, viola & piano

Mark Simpson: Hommage à Kurtág for clarinet, viola & piano

Webern: Passacaglia, Op.1

György Kurtág: ...quasi una fantasia... for piano & ensemble, Op.27 No.1

Need to know

Age guidance

For ages 7+. Under-12s must be accompanied by an adult on our site.

Event information

Please note revised programme to previously advertised.

For your visit

This event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre

The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.

Queen Elizabeth Hall building at Southbank Centre

The Queen Elizabeth Hall is home to both our second-largest auditorium and the Purcell Room.

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