Karl Jenkins-Requiem

Sir Karl Jenkins, the world-famous composer, has a long-standing friendship with the MÁV Symphony Orchestra. Under his baton, the premiere of his cantata based on János Arany's ballad The Bards of Wales was held at Müpa in June 2011, followed by a gala concert in honor of the composer's 75th birthday, also at Müpa, in 2019. This autumn, the orchestra will hold another grand concert, at which the audience will be able to hear Jenkins' monumental Requiem, conducted by László Kovács. On October 31, 2025, the MÁV Symphony Orchestra will perform two works in the prestigious Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy of Music that are distant from each other, yet strangely resonant. First is the famous Adagietto from Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5, which has taken on a life of its own in music history. Composed in 1901, the movement was inspired by the composer's love for Alma Schindler, and thus the work lives on in the listener as a musical expression of pure emotions and delicate intimacy. It is no coincidence that since Luchino Visconti's film Death in Venice, it has become the embodiment of lyricism and beauty for generations. The transparent texture of the strings and the slow tempo create a meditative atmosphere that is both a personal and universal confession of the depths of human emotions. The second half of the concert features the monumental Requiem by Sir Karl Jenkins, a contemporary British composer who has received numerous prestigious awards (OBE, CBE, BASCA Gold Badge Award). Premiered in 2005, the work is a bold synthesis, combining the traditional Latin funeral mass with Japanese funeral poems. In Jenkins' characteristic style, the choir, orchestra, and special percussion instruments (including taiko and shakuhachi) create a unique, multicultural soundscape. The piece evokes both liturgical traditions and the possibilities of global musical language, thus forming a bridge between past and present, East and West. The music captivates the listener with its monumental power and its delicate, almost whispering details, elevating the concert experience to a ritualistic experience. The MÁV Symphony Orchestra is accompanied by the ELTE Béla Bartók Choir, which has been a defining force in Hungarian choral music for decades. The choir and orchestra are conducted by László Kovács, whose artistic sensitivity and stylistic knowledge guarantee an authentic performance of this diverse program.