István Várdai, cello & Zoltán Fejérvári, piano

Programme
Zoltán Kodály, Sonatina for Cello and Piano
Johannes Brahms, Sonata in D major, Op. 78 (arr. for cello and piano) 
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Johannes Brahms, Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major, Op. 99 
Leoš Janáček, Pohadka (Fairytale) for Cello and Piano 

Heirs to the great Hungarian school, István Várdai and Zoltán Fejérvári are firmly following in the footsteps of Hungary's musical giants, delighting the audiences as a brilliant cello and piano duo. István Várdai, Artistic Director of the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra and multiple award winner (ARD Munich, Tchaikovsky Competition, Geneva Music Competition), is one of the select few artists to be entrusted with a Stradivarius - Várdai plays the 1673 Stradivari previously owned by the legendary Jacqueline du Pré. A pianist known for impeccable technique and irresistible musicality, Zoltán Fejérvári has emerged as one of the most intriguing pianists among Hungarian musicians, winner of the Concours Musical International de Montréal and recipient of the prestigious Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship.

The attractive programme brings a sprinkling of gems from the cello repertoire: while in Sonatina Kodály’s characteristic “Hungarianness” eloquently revisits Debussy’s impressionism, Janáček's “Czechness” in Pohadka (Fairytale) runs in parallel with the composer's deep affinity for Russian culture; conveying a national tone with his musically progressive and emotionally insightful Cello Sonata, the Classical-Romantic Brahms’ chamber-music oeuvre epitomises his genius for capturing the graceful elegance of the cello.