Budapest Festival Orchestra . Iván Fischer

It may seem quite surprising, but the Croatian pianist Dejan Lazic, only 33 years old, has been included in the circle of notable musicians for quite a while now. Take a look at his impressive record: an excellent CD recording, an unending stream of positive reviews and an overflowing concert agenda with renowned orchestras and conductors. Among them, Iván Fischer has again compiled a sparkling programme with the Budapest Festival Orchestra which we are eager to hear. Weber's 'Konzertstück' for piano and orchestra is a showcase in which to marvel at Lazics' technical mastery. With its revolutionary, fully composed structure and 'secret' programme, it was a source of inspiration for Liszt's Second Piano Concerto. Moreover, his 'Hungarian Rhapsodies' served as template for Dvorák's 'Slavic Dances', an ode to soul of the Eastern European people, with a Slavic twist here and there. Even more national sentiment can be heard in Schumann's third and last symphony - he completed the Fourth around nine years previously -- which, quite deservedly, was called 'Der Rheinische'.