Artist database

This is the Artist Database of BMC, which includes information about composers, musicians, orchestras, choirs and groups that are either Hungarian or Hungarian by origin or live in Hungary, as well as information about releases recorded with them.

Search
-

Kocsis Zoltán

piano, conductor
Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1952
 
Budapest, 30th May, 1952 - Budapest, 6th November, 2016

Born in Budapest in 1952, he began to play the piano at the age of five. In 1963, he entered the Béla Bartók Music School, studying piano and composition and in 1968, entered the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music as a pupil of Pál Kadosa and Ferenc Rados. His international fame began at the age of eighteen when he won the Hungarian Radio's International Beethoven Competition, and a scintillating solo career rapidly unfolded. He was invited to perform all over Europe, in North and South America as well as the Far East. In 1977, he was invited by Sviatoslav Richter to perform at his festival in France, and the two pianists also gave duet recitals together.

He has performed with leading world orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the San Francisco Orchestra. He has been a regular guest at international festivals in Edinburgh, Paris, Tours, Lucerne, Salzburg, Prague and Menton, and worked with such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Christoph von Dohnányi, Edo de Waart, Charles Mackerras, Lovro von Matacic, Charles Dutoit, Herbert Blomstedt, Michael Tilson Thomas and Lorin Maazel.

In 1983, he co-founded the Budapest Festival Orchestra with Iván Fischer, and since 1987 has regularly conducted. He is also a recognised composer. He is deeply committed to contemporary music and has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with, amongst others, György Kurtág, giving world premieres of numerous Kurtág compositions, some of which are dedicated to him.

Zoltán Kocsis has recorded for Denon, Hungaroton, Nippon Columbia, Phonogram and Quintana, but is now an exclusive Philips Classics artist. He received an Edison prize for his recordings with Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra of the three Bartók concertos.

His Debussy recordings won the Gramophone prize as well as the "Instrumental Recording of the year" award.

In Autumn 1997, he became general music director of the National Philharmonic Orchestra (formerly the Hungarian State Orchestra). As a result, the orchestra's repertoire has broadened considerably, and since his appointment, several works have been given their world premiere.
In recent years, he has toured many European countries, the United States and Japan with the orchestra as both conductor and soloist, and enjoyed immense critical acclaim.

Awards
1973 Liszt Award
1978 Kossuth Prize
1984 Merited Artist
1988 Bartók-Pásztory Award
1989 Award For the Hungarian Art
1990 Excellent Artist
1991 Maecenas Award
2002 Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
2004 Midem Lifetime Achievemen Award
2005 Kossuth Award
2006 Bartók-Pásztory Award

 
Year Title Publisher Code Remark
Romantic Piano Favourites Naxos 8.570085
Bartók Béla: Zongoraversenyek; Scherzo; Rapszódia
(Bartók, Béla: Piano Concertos; Scherzo; Rhapsody) 		Hungaroton HCD 12869
Bartók Új Sorozat: Kossuth - A fából faragott királyfi
(Bartók New Series: Kossuth - The Wooden Prince) 		Hungaroton HSACD 32502
1972 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Concerti for Two and Three Pianos Hungaroton SLPX 11631 LP
1978 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Sonatas for Piano Duet Hungaroton LP
1978 Impho 102/6 Hungaroton SLPX 12059 LP
1980 Brahms, Johannes: Sonatas for Cello and Piano Hungaroton Own
LP
1981 Bartók Béla: Szonáta két zongorára és ütőhangszerekre; Két kép Op. 10 Sz. 46; Preludio & Scherzo
(Bartók, Béla: Sonata For 2 Pianos & Percussion; Two Pictures Op. 10 Sz. 46; Preludio & Scherzo) 		Hungaroton HCD 12400 Own
1985 Bach, J.S.: Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080 Philips 412 729-2 Own
1987 Bartók Béla: Zongorára és zenekarra írott művek
(Bartók, Béla: Works for Piano and Orchestra) 		Philips 416831-2
1987 Schubert, Franz: Piano Quintet in A Major "Trout" Quintet, R. Schumann: 3 String Quartets, Op.41 Hungaroton HCD 12918-19 2 CDs
1987 Bach, J.S.: Concertos for One and Two Pianos and Orchestra Hungaroton Own
1988 Sztravinszkij, Igor: Menyegző - 4 zongorás (1923 ) és zenekari (1917) változat
(Stravinsky, Igor: Les Noces - 4 pianos (1923) and orchestral (1917) version) 		Hungaroton SLPD, HCD 12989 "Schallplatte des Jahres" 1988
1988 Romantic Piano Favourites Vol.4. Naxos 8.550141
1989 Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix: A Midsummer Night's Dream (excerpts) / Hebrides / Songs Without Words (Kovacs, I. Fischer, Perenyi, Kocsis, Dubourg) Naxos CA15623
1989 Zene gordonkára és zongorára
(Music for Cello and Piano) 		Hungaroton HCD 31140 Own
1989 4'33" Hungaroton SLPD 12991 LP / Reissue on CD: HCD 12991 (1994)
1990 Masters Of Classical Music Vol.1 - Mozart Laserlight 15801
1990 Masters Of Classical Music Vol.1-5 Laserlight 35800 5 CDs
1990 The Best Of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Laserlight 15018
1990 The Instruments Of Classical Music Vol.6 - The Cello Laserlight 15240
1990 The Instruments Of Classical Music Vol.6-10 Laserlight 15980 5 CDs
1992 Kocsis Plays Bartók Denon Records 8175778132 Own
1992 Romantic Moments Vol.5 - Mendelssohn
(Romantic Moments Vol.5 - Mendelssohn) 		Laserlight 14055
1992 Bartók Béla: Works for Solo Piano, Vol.1 Philips 434104 Own
1993 Romantic Moments Vol.1-5 Laserlight 35865 5 CDs
1993 The Best of Grieg Philips 438380 2 CDs
1993 The Best of Rachmaninoff Philips 438383 Own
2 CDs
1994 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Zongoraszonáták négy kézre
(Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Sonatas for Piano Duets) 		Hungaroton HCD 11794-95 Own
1994 Bartók Béla: Két rapszódia hegedűre és zongorára; Kontrasztok; Szólószonáta hegedűre
(Bartók, Béla: Rhapsody for Violin and Piano No. 1,2; Contrasts; Sonata for Solo Violin) 		Hungaroton HCD 31038 Own
1994 Bartók Béla: Gyermekeknek
(Bartók, Béla: For Children) 		Hungaroton HCD 12304 Own
1994 4'33" Hungaroton HCD 12991 Reissue of Hungaroton SLPD 12991 (1989)
1994 Bartók Béla: Works for Solo Piano, Vol.2 Philips 442016 Own
1994 Kurtág György - Portraitkonzert - Salzburg, 1993. augusztus 10.
(Kurtág, György - Portraitkonzert - Salzburg, 10. 8. 1993.) 		Col Legno WWE 31870 2 CDs
1995 Kurtág György művei
(Works by György Kurtág) 		Hungaroton HCD 31290
1995 The Best of Chopin Philips 446145
1995 Bartók Béla: Rapszódia; Scherzo / Dohnányi Ernő: Változatok egy gyermekdalra
(Béla Bartók: Early Works for Piano and Orchestra, Rhapsody Op.1, Scherzo / Ernst von Dohnányi: Variations On a Nursery Song, Op.25) 		Philips CD 446472-2
1995 Debussy for Daydreaming - Music to Caress your Innermost Thoughts Philips 446484
1995 Rahmanyinov, Szergej: Klavierkonzerte Nr. 2 c-moll op. 18 & Nr. 3 d-moll op. 30; Vocalise op. 34 Philips 2894461992 Own
1995 Rahmanyinov - Rachmaninoff for Romance Philips 446851
1995 Zongorakettősök
(Piano Duets) 		Hungaroton HCD 11646 Own
1996 Fritz Kreisler: Eredeti művek és átiratok
(Fritz Kreisler: Own Works and Transcriptions) 		Hungaroton HCD 12437 Own
1996 Kocsis Zoltán hangversenyfelvételeiből (1973-1986)
(Zoltán Kocsis in Concert (1973-1986)) 		Hungaroton HCD 31679 Own
1996 Liszt Ferenc: Esz-dúr és A-dúr zongoraverseny / Dohnányi: Változatok egy gyermekdalra
(Liszt: Piano Concertos in E flat major & in A major / Dohnányi: Variations on a Nursey Song Op. 25) 		Hungaroton SLPD, HCD 31362 Own
1996 Perényi Miklós és Kocsis Zoltán hangversenyfelvételei (1989-1995)
(Miklós Perényi & Zoltán Kocsis in Concert) 		Hungaroton HCD 31673 Own
1996 Jeney Zoltán: Alef - Hommage á Schönberg; Apollóhoz; Cantos para todos; 12 dal Hungaroton HCD 31653
1996 Ravel, Maurice: G-dúr és D-dúr zongoraverseny / Debussy: Fantázia zongorára és zenekarra
(Ravel, Maurice: Piano Concerto in G major and D major / Debussy: Fantasy fro Piano and Orchestra) 		Philips CD 446713-2
1996 Bach, J. S.: Concertók 1 és 2 zongorára - I. album
(Bach, J. S .: Concertos For 1 & 2 Pianos, Vol.1) 		Hungaroton HCD 12926 Own
Recorded in 1974-75
1996 Haydn, Joseph: Zongoraszonáták
(Haydn, Joseph: Sonatas) 		Hungaroton HCD 11618-19 Own
1997 Bach, J.S.: Concertok 1, 2 és 3 zongorára - II. album
(Bach, J.S.: Piano Concertos) 		Hungaroton HCD 31695 Own
1997 Schubert, Franz: A-dúr Zongoraötös D. 667 "A Pisztráng"; Dalok: Die Forelle, Ständchen, Frühlingstraum etc.
(Schubert, Franz: Piano Quintet in A major D.667 "The Trout"; Lieder: Die Forelle, Ständchen, Frühlingstraum etc.) 		Hungaroton HCD 31683
1997 Liszt For Lovers - Piano Dreams Of Love And Passion Philips 456501
1997 Debussy At Dawn Philips 462035
1997 Beethoven For Your Beloved Philips 462036
1997 Liszt Ferenc: The Great Transcriptions Philips 456052 Own
2 CDs
1997 Kortárs magyar zene fagottra és zongorára
(Contemporary Hungarian Music for Basson and Piano) 		Hungaroton HCD 31725
1998 Hungaroton Classic - 1999 Hungaroton HCD 31842 Sampler CD
1998 Debussy, Claude: Préludes Books I-II., Children's Corner Philips 456568-2 Own
2 CDs
1998 Beethoven For Babies - Brain Training For Little Ones Philips 462711
1998 Mentsük meg a Zeneakadémiát!
(Let's Save the Liszt Academy!) 		Hungaroton HCD 31841
1998 Lullabies For Lovers Philips 462277
1998 Vocalise - Classical Favourites for Relaxing and Dreaming Naxos 8.556602 Own
1998 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Zongoraszonáták, összkiadás - 2. album Hungaroton HCD 31804 Own
1999 Barokk álmodozás
(A Baroque Day-dream) 		Hungaroton HRC 1005 Echo Collection
1999 Cage, John: Ütőhangszerekre írt kompozíciók - Legacies 2.
(Cage, John: Works for Percussion) 		Hungaroton HCD 31844 Complete Edition Vol. 1 (1935-1941)
1999 A bécsi klasszicizmus lassú tételekben II.
(The Vienna Classicism in Slow Moments Vol. 2) 		Hungaroton HRC 1048 Echo Collection
1999 Love Me Tonight - Dreams Of Passion And Romance Philips 462901
1999 Liszt Ferenc: Années De Pelerinage I-III. Philips 462312 Own
1999 Bartók Béla: Works For Piano Solo Vol 5 - Mikrokosmos Philips 4623812 Own
2000 Cage, John: Ütőhangszerekre írt kompozíciók - Legacies 3.
(Cage, John: Works for Percussion) 		Hungaroton HCD 31845 Complete Edition 2. (1941-50)
2000 Népszerű indulók
(Famous Marches) 		Hungaroton HRC 1055 Echo Collection
2000 Bartók összkiadás - Zenekari művek II.
(Bartók Complete Edition - Symphonic Works II.) 		Hungaroton HCD 31888-91
2000 Bartók Béla: Works for Solo Piano, Vol.6 Philips 462902 Own
2000 Mozart, W. A.: The Best Of W.A. Mozart Laserlight 24465
2000 Adagios For After Hours - The Relaxing Way To End Your Day Philips 468066
2000 Mozart, Wolfang Amadeus: Zongoraversenyek K.414, K.488
(Mozart, Wolfang Amadeus: Piano Concertos K.414, K.488) 		Hungaroton HCD 12472 Own
2001 Bartók Béla: Works For Piano Solo Vol.7 Philips 464639 Own
2001 Kadosa Pál: Zongoramuzsika
(Kadosa, Pál: Piano Music) 		Hungaroton HCD 31981
2001 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Zongoraversenyek K.246, K.365, K.242
(Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Piano Contertos K.246, K.365, K.242) 		Hungaroton HCD 32046
2001 50 éves a Hungaroton - Vonósművészek (1951-2001)
(Fifty Years of Hungaroton - String Players) 		Hungaroton HCD 32091-3 3 CDs
2001 50 éves a Hungaroton - Zongoraművészek (1951-2001)
(Fifty Years of Hungaroton - Pianists) 		Hungaroton HCD 32088-90 3 CDs
2001 Passion For Piano Deutsche Grammophon 469232
2001 50 éves a Hungaroton - Karmesterek (1951-2001)
(Fifty Years of Hungaroton - Conductors, 1951-2001) 		Hungaroton HCD 32074-77 4 CDs
2001 Bartók Béla: Piano Works Philips 464676 Own
2001 Rahmanyinov, Szergej: The Piano Concertos Philips 468921 Own
2 CDs
2001 Weiner Leó: Concertino; Divertimento No.2; Ballade; Pastorale, Fantasia and Fugue Hungaroton HCD 31992 Own
2002 Romantic Piano Adagios Decca 470777
2002 Essential Debussy - 26 Of His Greatest Masterpieces Deutsche Grammophon 4790056
2002 Essential Rahmanyinov - 15 Of His Greatest Masterpieces Decca 470457
2002 The #1 Piano Album Decca 472589 2 CDs
2003 Survival And Beauty - The Heroic Music Of Chopin Deutsche Grammophon 472883
2003 Mozart Edition Vol 4 - Piano Concertos Brillant Classics 99720
2003 Kocsis Zoltán hangszerelései
(Orchestrations by Zoltán Kocsis) 		Hungaroton HCD 32106 Own
2004 Masters Of The Keyboard Deutsche Grammophon 000193202
2004 Frühjahrsparade
(Spring Parade) 		Capriccio C49364
2004 Famous Austrian Composers - Strauss, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Haydn, Albrechtsberger Capriccio C49370 5 CDs
2004 Chopin, Fryderyk - Greatest Hits Decca 000191802
2004 Bartók Béla: Concerto zenekarra; Tánc-szvit; Magyar parasztdalok
(Bartók, Béla: Concerto for Orchestra; Dance Suite for Orchestra; Hungarian Peasant Songs) 		Hungaroton HSACD 32187 Own
2004 Dohnányi, Debussy-Kocsis, Rahmanyinov BMC Records BMC CD 101 Own
2004 Legacies 5 - Amadinda and Friends. Live recordings 1989-1999 Hungaroton HCD 32294
2004 Schönberg, Varése BMC Records BMC CD 102 Own
2005 Night Music 2 Naxos 8.556816
2005 Mozart, W. A.: g-moll szimfóniák K.183 és K.550
(Mozart, W. A.: Symphonies in g minor K.183 & K.550) 		BMC Records BMC CD 107 Own
2005 Mindörökké Mozart
(Simply Mozart) 		BMC Records BMC PCD107 The very first concert in the new National Concert Hall in the Palace of Arts, Budapest, January 8, 2005
2005 Bartók Béla: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / The Miraculous Mandarin Suite (Kocsis, Budapest Philharmonic, Lehel) Naxos C71044 Own
2007 Kurtág 80 BMC Records BMC CD 129
2008 Bartók Béla: 2. szvit / Román tánc / Román népi táncok / Tánc-szvit
(Bartók, Béla: Suite No. 2 / Rumanian Dance / Rumanian Folk Dances / Dance Suite) 		Hungaroton HSACD 32506 Own
Bartók New Series 6.
2009 Piano Bliss Naxos 8.578051
2009 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Zongoraversenyek G-dúr No.17, F-dúr No.11, F-dúr No.19
(Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Piano Concertos G Major No.17, F Major No.11, F Major No.19) 		Philips 456577-2 Own
2010 Easy-Listening Piano Classics: Romantic Expressions Naxos 8.578081-82 2 CDs
2011 Piano Recital: Scherbakov, Konstantin (ME - On Wings of Song) TwoPianists Records TP1039107
2012 Piano Recital: Hinterhuber, Christopher - Bach, J.S. / Haydn, J. / Liszt, F. / Sztravinszkij, I. / Rahmanyinov, S. (The Original Debut Recording) Paladino Music PMR0031
2014 Mahler, Gustav: I. (D-dúr, „A titán”) szimfónia
(Mahler, Gustav: Symphony No. 1) 		BMC Records BMC CD 188
2014 Bartók összes kórusműve
(Béla Bartók - Complete Choral Works) 		BMC Records BMC CD 186
2016 Bartók Új Sorozat: Kórusművek (1) - Női, férfi- és vegyeskórusok
(Bartók New Series: Choral works (1) - Female, male & mixed choruses) 		Hungaroton HSACD 32522 SACD
2017 Kelemen Barnabás, Kocsis Zoltán: Hommage a Fritz Kreisler BMC Records BMC CD 250 Own
2017 Jeney Zoltán: Wohin?
(Zoltán Jeney: Wohin?) 		BMC Records BMC CD 240
2017 Zoltán Kocsis – A Tribute Hungaroton HCD 32803–04 Own
2 CDs
2019 The Masters Collection: Zoltán Kocsis Hungaroton HCD 32840-42 Own
3 CDs
2021 Introduction to Classical Music, Vol. 1 - The Essential Classics of J. S. Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart & Others Hungaroton HCD 32854
2021 Romantic Cello - The Essential Classics of Schumann, Dvořak, Chopin & Others Hungaroton HCD 32855
2021 Beethoven - The Essential Classics of the Great German Composer Hungaroton HCD 32857