Pannon Philharmonic

Conductor

Gergely Ménesi

Soloist

Klára Kolonits

soprano

Beáta Breinich

soprano

Alexandra Ruszó

alto

László Haramza

singer

Zsolt Molnár

baritone

MR Choir

About the Programme

The virtuoso voice part of the motet Exsultate, jubilate was written in Italian operatic effect; its final movement, the ’Alleluia’ is one of Mozart's best-known tunes, this time performed by Klára Kolonits. Another alleluia, a re-arrangement of an Easter Gregorian chant gave the nickname "Hallelujah" to Haydn’s symphony. The choice is not accidental: its premiere was at Easter; it is a really festive orchestral work of this composer. Kodály's Mass, which will be performed by Klára Kolonits, Beáta Breinrich, Alexandra Ruszó, László Haramza, Zsolt Molnár, and the MR Choir under the baton of Gergely Ménesi, is a sister-piece of another Haydn work, the Paukenmesse. Both were conceived in the midst of a war situation; formerly Napoleon, at Kodály’s time, Hitler threatened the peace of Europe. Kodály's Missa brevis is the response to the brutal destruction - with the power of art. The original version of the work, written for organ and choir, was composed in Pécs.