Withdrawn in a state of internal exile, György Kurtág has been sending out communications in musical form by means of his ‘signs’ and ‘messages’ for decades. Among the most recent are his Songs to Poems by Anna Akhmatova op. 41. The profound verse of the Russian poetess inspired the Hungarian to compose subtle sound poems in which every single note is laden with meaning. Kurtág’s refined compositions bear affinity to the music of Anton Webern, whose Pieces for Orchestra op. 6 and op. 10 are the precursors of his later aphoristic style. The Limburgian composer Matty Niël, whose death in 1989 attracted little notice, likewise devoted great attention to detail. His Three organ chorales betray the influence of his teacher Webern and set the tone for what promises to be a breathtaking concert.

Artists

MATTY NIËL
Three organ chorales
ANTON WEBERN
Sechs Orchesterstücke op. 6
Fünf Orchesterstücke op. 10
GYÖRGY KURTÁG
Four capriccio’s op. 9
Four Songs to Poems by Anna Achmatova op. 41
LUIGI DALLAPICCOLA
Cinque frammenti di Saffo (from: Liriche Greche)

ASKO|SCHÖNBERG
SLAGWERK DEN HAAG
conductor 
Reinbert de Leeuw
soprano 
Katrien Baerts, Monique Krüs
organ 
Leo van Doeselaar