Béla Szakcsi Lakatos and Lajos Kathy Horváth: Old year farewell concert

'I listen to Szakcsi and Kathy Horváth's fantastic recording and a double image appears before me, as if portraits photographed onto glass were placed one behind the other. I see one through the other: this is them - and at the same time it is also me. We think in an identical way. I also compose through improvisation, only for me the pencil restrains me terribly at the moment my thoughts appear. For them, not only does a thought become audible instantly, but it reacts upon the musicians themsel...ves and on each other, which is only possible with such a high level of instrumental virtuosity and richness of ideas,' composer Péter Eötvös writes of two of the greatest masters of improvisation of our times. For their farewell concert to the old year, they transform their double portrait into a group composition. With several industry and state awards to their names, these two virtuosos were already making era-defining recordings in the 70s as founding members of the Rákfogó band, and their collaboration with one of the star guests for the night, Gyula Babos also dates back to this period. From the outset, they were always open to diverse musical genres, so they speak the languages of jazz, rock, classical and contemporary music as a mother tongue. All this is of course only enhanced by the heavy influence of Roma music, a form of expression unparalleled in all of Europe. Stepping on stage where with a host of collaborators - including the 35-strong EURoma Gipsy Festival Orchestra - the duo will once again spread before us the rich, stylistically diverse Roma culture that can only be found in Hungary. Another star guest is Fecó Balázs, invited as a close friend of both Szakcsi and Kathy Horváth, who will perform in the spirit of dialogue.

Presented by: Palace of Arts