Wayne Marshall
Improvisation on a Hungarian folk song

Messiaen
L’Ascension (The Ascension) – III. Transports de joie (Outbursts of Joy)

Messiaen
O sacrum convivium

J. S. Bach–Wayne Marshall
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565

Willan
Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue, B. 149

George C. Baker
The Far-West Toccata, Op. 2

Liszt
Ad nos, ad salutarem undam, S. 259

Wayne Marshall
Improvisation on Gershwin themes

Featuring

Sára Tímár – voice

Wayne Marshall is one of the leading organists of our time, and he has also earned international recognition as a conductor and pianist. His artistry is characterised by thoughtful programming, a direct and engaging stage personality, and a natural fluency across a wide range of musical styles. This is his second concert on the Müpa Budapest organ, which he considers an exceptional concert instrument and a remarkably well-designed organ that offers countless possibilities when it comes to performing music from different genres and eras.

The Toccata and Fugue in D minor with an improvised cadenza by Wayne Marshall

Improvisation is at the heart of Marshall’s artistic philosophy. As a child, he began playing by ear while listening to his mother at the piano, and this early experience continues to shape his creative outlook to this day. “Music is first born in my head, in my imagination, and only then does it become sound.” He does not regard the score to be an infallible guide: for him, every performance is a new creation. “While improvisation technique can be developed, what matters most is inner creative power – creativity must spring from within,” he says. “Even a single note or short motif can be enough to bring an entire musical world into being.”

© Charles Best