Muzsikás & Levente Kende

Antwerp is kicking off its classical season with a free Sunday programme of classical and somewhat less classical concerts at inspiring locations. The festive day begins in deSingel and ends with deFilharmonie's now traditional open-air concert on Sint-Jansplein. The Antwerp-based Hungarian pianist Levente Kende is inviting his world-renowned friends from the Hungarian folk scene, Muzsikás, to join him on the stage of our Blue Hall. The main guests of the evening will be Eastern European folk music and Béla Bartók. Bartók made a comprehensive study of traditional Hungarian and Romanian music. His piano works bear witness to this. He delights in using the whimsical rhythms and arrangements of folk music. Above all, his works illustrate a complete understanding of the possibilities of the modern grand piano and especially its percussive aspect. However, Bartók also wrote highly original, complex and daring works. The short, popular 'Allegro barbaro' from 1911 is one such example: the sparkling rhythms seem like a summary of every wild Eastern European dance. A selection of original folk songs and Bartók's piano arrangements complete the programme.