{"id":45352,"date":"2017-05-18T20:00:27","date_gmt":"2017-05-19T00:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=45352"},"modified":"2017-05-18T20:02:00","modified_gmt":"2017-05-19T00:02:00","slug":"interview-zoltan-fejervari-a-winning-image-of-hungarian-classical-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2017\/05\/18\/interview-zoltan-fejervari-a-winning-image-of-hungarian-classical-music\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Zolt\u00e1n Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri: A Winning Image of Hungarian Classical Music"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Zolta\u0301n
Zolta\u0301n Feje\u0301rva\u0301ri (Photo: Brent Calis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

Z<\/span>olt\u00e1n Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri feels a deep connection to the piano music of his homeland. At this year\u2019s Montreal International Music Competition (MIMC), he successfully made his case for Hungary, emerging as the Competition\u2019s grand prize winner which includes the $30,000 City of Montreal First Prize, plus the Joseph Rouleau Career Development Grant worth $50,000 (funded by the Azrieli Foundation).<\/p>\n

Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri\u2019s understanding of Bart\u00f3k\u2019s music runs so deep, he had prepared the Piano Concerto No. 3 on his own, having already completed his formal music training in Budapest in 2011. Consider also that two days before his competition-clinching performance, he hadn\u2019t yet memorized the Concerto.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was very focused on the first round, less focused on the second round, and not focused at all for the concerto [\u2026] After the second round, I went to practice directly. Of course, once you\u2019ve played this piece it comes back much faster. But still it was pretty tricky.\u201d The Bart\u00f3k was a sound choice in many ways: he knew that this Concerto\u2019s neo-classical aesthetic would be a suitable introduction to Hungary\u2019s music for newcomers: \u201cIt is kind of classical, but it\u2019s still Bart\u00f3k, so the language is still familiar to me. And I thought that it\u2019s not that hard either for the orchestra or for the piano, so we can pull it off.\u201d<\/p>\n

From reintegrating the notes, to synchronizing the concerto with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and conductor Claus Peter Flor, a lot of ground was covered in the final six days of the MIMC. Looking back after the final gala performance, \u201cthe first [performance] was still at the competition and I was pretty stressed out. The days before, the rehearsal was very rushed; we had limited time. You have this thing in your stomach and you somehow knew that it was going to be judged. And of course, before the rehearsals today we already had the concert experience, the concert acts like three rehearsals. We knew much better what to do, how to use our time, so we had a great rehearsal and it made the performance more expectable, easier to communicate. It felt like a better performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

At which point, Maestro Flor approaches us and interjects heartily, \u201cBart\u00f3k won, don\u2019t forget! Which competition has the courage to let Bart\u00f3k win??\u201d<\/p>\n

But as our Hungarian subject points out, that concerto isn\u2019t an obscure choice in his homeland. So how big of an influence does Bart\u00f3k have in Hungary? \u201cReally big. I mean, really big.\u201d Bart\u00f3k\u2019s mark on their music is indelible: \u201c20th<\/span>-century composers can\u2019t really avoid this influence, so all the composers in Hungary started with this language. Depending on how good they were, they found their own languages.\u201d<\/p>\n

A heritage which found its way to Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri, who effortlessly incorporates the rhythmic lilt of the Hungarian language into his playing. After all, it\u2019s been said that there are linguistic similarities between the language and Bart\u00f3k\u2019s music, right? \u201c100% percent. It\u2019s a little easier for us, but absolutely not impossible to understand his language for non-Hungarian people. Once you understand basic rules, you somehow understand\u2026 that Bart\u00f3k\u2019s language, let\u2019s say Bart\u00f3k\u2019s music, is always speaking. Not just singing, but speaks. So it always has to have this parlando, rubato quality. But yes, certainly when I played the bass written in the third movement, words immediately come to mind and you can just compose a text there, there\u2019s so much about the language.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Zolta\u0301n
Zolta\u0301n Feje\u0301rva\u0301ri and MIMC President Andre\u0301 Bourbeau (Photo: Brent Calis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If we were to compare Bart\u00f3k\u2019s legacy to that of another compatriot: Franz Liszt? \u201cWell, Liszt was born in Hungary and his father was Hungarian. But he didn\u2019t speak the language. His mother was Austrian, and he was raised in Paris. So Liszt was kind of cosmopolitan.\u201d There seems to be a trend of Hungarian composers who apply their musico-linguistic toolbox to the Romantic medium: \u201cI mean, Bart\u00f3k was a Romantic pianist; his piano teacher was a Liszt pupil, so the language was absolutely Romantic: poetic, rubato piano playing. [\u2026] So his playing is very free all the time, always. Even when he plays his own music. He was very precise, but then as he plays it doesn\u2019t seem to be very strict, it\u2019s always free. So it\u2019s almost improvised. I mean, that\u2019s how he composed \u2014 the first step was always improvisation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amongst a classical music crowd that finds comfort in so-called \u201cevergreen\u201d piano concertos, Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri\u2019s competition program bucked the trend. \u201cI don\u2019t know how significant [my win] is\u2026 I choose the program that I feel. I don\u2019t consider myself to be an extreme virtuoso. Of course, I can play, but I think my stronger profile in music is more about poetry in music, and not virtuosity.\u201d His success at the MIMC took even himself by surprise: \u201cOn one hand, I didn\u2019t really expect this. Because [my] image of myself was always like, \u2018You\u2019ve got some talent,\u2019 but I always thought that I never would be able to play at that level, or in such a way that a competition demands, let\u2019s say, or what you need for winning a competition. And it surprised me a lot that the jury was interested in this kind of music-making.\u201d Indeed, the MIMC had assembled a panel that was sensitive to performance in a globalized community, and they should be commended for their openness to a work that hasn\u2019t established itself in musical centres outside Hungary. All while upholding the ultimate goal of competitions: selecting candidates based on musical ability and faithfulness to the composer\u2019s wishes.<\/p>\n

Apart from Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri, the entire crop of MIMC pianists this year offered top-level presentations. In particular, Giuseppe Guarrera was hot on his heels in each round: \u201cA part of the jury probably would have voted for him [for first prize], you never know; that\u2019s what tells the rest of the prizes [recall that the Italian won second prize, as well as all the special prizes except the Best Canadian Artist Award]. But it\u2019s really fine, I absolutely can understand.\u201d It\u2019s hard to tell then, which of the two are happier! \u201cI mean, he\u2019s younger than me: he\u2019s 25, I\u2019m 30. If he continues this way, I think he\u2019ll win a competition at some point.\u201d Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri himself arrived in Montreal having decided that the MIMC would be his last competition. \u201cAnd I hadn\u2019t done many competitions at all; this is my number four competition in 10 years. And I don\u2019t know why I did it actually!\u201d<\/p>\n

For Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri, life before the MIMC had already been anchored for some time in Budapest, where he studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music from 2005 to 2011. Numerous Hungarians \u2013 friends as well as new fans \u2014 tracked his ascension at the MIMC: \u201cThe last two days, I think I got \u2014 I think I\u2019m not exaggerating \u2014 100 emails, which is a really nice feeling, really wonderful. So they\u2019ve been following, and I\u2019m sort of proud!\u201d He remains in the Hungarian capital, where he is highly involved in the chamber music scene: \u201cI have a part-time job coaching chamber music. I play lots of chamber music, probably from now on I will play more solo. But I definitely will keep playing chamber music when I need it, I really love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

And what is life as a classical musician like in Hungary? \u201cIt\u2019s very good, very rich; the country is small so basically you know everybody in the music life. We have lots of venues, lots of talent; good people and good orchestras come to Hungary. Basically as a musician, you live in the capital. There is maybe one other city that provides a decent orchestra, but if you really want something, then you have to live in Budapest. But then the capital is full of music life.\u201d Eminent ensembles such as Iv\u00e1n Fischer\u2019s Budapest Festival Orchestra come to mind: \u201cWe have maybe three good orchestras in the capital, and an amazing concert hall for the big orchestras. There is the Great Hall of the Liszt Academy, which is more like a chamber music hall and very ideal for recitals.\u201d A venue which would suit the likes of pianist Andr\u00e1s Schiff, who hasn\u2019t been living in Hungary for the past 40 years.<\/p>\n

And why not a crash course on the makeup of Hungary\u2019s people and topography? \u201cThis is an interesting geographical situation. So this is sort of a valley, Hungary, surrounded by mountains and surrounded by very different nations, mostly Slavic nations but also German-type of people from the West; then Romania, the Latin type of area. Then you probably can\u2019t really speak about a\u2026 \u2018clean\u2019 nation, because it\u2019s always very mixed, a variety of nations; [it\u2019s] still a kind of a wonder that the language remains spoken! So probably this is the strongest element of the nation. It\u2019s very colourful, at least it used to be very colourful, let\u2019s not get to the politics\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Does Budapest hold enough appeal for Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri to remain there in the long run? \u201cFor now I\u2019m fine to live there, because I go out the country pretty much so I can breathe fresh air! But I like actually to speak my native language, and I\u2019m happy that I can teach there [in Budapest] so I can be a part of the education of the next generation.\u201d A new generation of promising musicians, which Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri can now consider himself a part of. What does he imagine for himself after the Competition? \u201cOnly time will tell; I don\u2019t know anything, really. Lots of new opportunities, and we didn\u2019t get to the point to talk about dates and places [with music organizations], but as far as I know they are interested in my ideas about projects I\u2019d like to do. I\u2019m thinking about maybe recording a CD, stuff like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everything felt right for him here: \u201cI like Montreal a lot. I like it because it\u2019s not a huge city.\u201d He would have liked to take in more of the city\u2019s arts and culture scene: \u201cI was planning to go to museums, but then I won! So I couldn\u2019t; I didn\u2019t have time.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t have everything in the world, but Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri will gladly take first prize from the Montreal International Music Competition back to Hungary. Aside from crowning this year\u2019s top pianist, the award could also herald a shift in classical music\u2019s trajectory.<\/p>\n

#LUDWIGVAN<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n

Want more updates on Toronto-centric classical music news and reviews before anyone else finds out? Follow us on\u00a0<\/i>Facebook<\/i><\/u><\/a>\u00a0or <\/i>Twitter<\/i><\/u><\/a> for all the latest.<\/i><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2017 MIMC first prize winner pianist Zolt\u00e1n Fej\u00e9rv\u00e1ri makes a case for Hungary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":45354,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[6439,17,29,47],"tags":[2266,9555],"yst_prominent_words":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/05\/Zolta\u0301n_Feje\u0301rva\u0301ri_photo_Brent_Calis.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-bNu","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45352"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45352"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45352\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45366,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45352\/revisions\/45366"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45352"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=45352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}