Miklós Rózsa's Viola Concerto, his last concerto and orchestral work, was conceived to honor his late friend Gregor Piatigorsky and was premiered by Pinchas Zuckerman in 1984.
Performer Biography
Gilad Karni, the viola soloist on this recording, has won numerous international awards, including first prize in the 1994 Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition.
Composer Biography
Miklós Rózsa, born in Budapest, left Hungary in 1925 and settled in Hollywood for the rest of his life, never returning to his native land after 1974.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Despite living abroad and composing for films, Miklós Rózsa's music always retained a strong Hungarian identity, imbued with the spirit of native music he collected in his youth.
Notable Performances
At the 1932 premiere of Miklós Rózsa's Serenade in Budapest, Richard Strauss's enthusiastic applause turned polite applause into a 'thunderous ovation'.
Performer Biography
The Budapest Concert Orchestra MÁV, founded in 1945 by the Hungarian State Railways, is now one of Hungary's top professional orchestras and has performed for Pope John Paul II.
Composition History
The Hungarian Serenade, originally Miklós Rózsa's first orchestral work, was premiered in Budapest in 1932 after composer-conductor Ernő Dohnányi persuaded Rózsa to shorten it.
