József Balog Piano Recital
3 October 2026, 07:30 pm.
Liszt Academy - Grand Hall
1061 Budapest, Liszt Ferenc tér 8.
József Balog is not only one of the most brilliant and sensitive pianists of his generation, but a performer who has consistently proven his mastery across two distinct worlds: the masterpieces of the international classical canon and the towering works of 20th and 21st-century Hungarian repertoire.
These two pillars are perfectly reflected in this evening’s ambitious programme. Following selections from Rameau’s Suite in G major, Balog returns to the music that secured his First Prize at the 1999 Budapest Chopin Competition: a sequence of eight Chopin compositions. These are followed by Ravel’s Miroirs (Reflections), a cycle that broke new ground in the relationship between harmony and melody; each movement is dedicated to a fellow member of “Les Apaches”, the avant-garde artistic circle to which Ravel belonged.
The recital concludes with Péter Wolf’s Sonata, a work written specifically for Balog that weaves together Bartókian, jazz, and Baroque influences. Linking these diverse pieces – and bridging the gap between the local and the universal – are excerpts from the Játékok (Games) series by György Kurtág, performed in celebration of the composer’s 100th year.
[kr]
1. Jean-Philippe Rameau: G major Suite » excerpts
2. Frédéric Chopin: Polonaise in C-sharp minor, Op. 26/1
3. Frédéric Chopin: Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64/2
4. Frédéric Chopin: Waltz in D-flat major, Op. 64/1 (‘Minute’)
5. Frédéric Chopin: Étude in A-flat major, Op. 25/1 (‘Harp’)
6. Frédéric Chopin: Étude in C-sharp minor, Op. 25/7
7. Frédéric Chopin: F minor etűd, Op. 10/9
8. Frédéric Chopin: Etude in E-flat minor, Op. 10/6
9. Frédéric Chopin: Étude in C minor, Op. 10/12 (ʻRevolutionaryʼ)
- INTERMISSION -
10. Maurice Ravel: Miroirs
11. Péter Wolf: Sonata
Excerpts from György Kurtág’s Games are performed between the plays.
József Balog - piano
HUF 4 900, 6 200, 7 500, 8 900