Charles-Marie Widor and Louis Vierne were giants of French organ music, and figures who cannot be ignored in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. Widor continued the work of the great César Franck in consolidating the organ symphony as a genre. His pupil Vierne, who lived his life half-blind, worked as organist of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris for almost four decades. It was through the efforts of these two men that the organ became the queen of instruments, as it was they who made the greatest attempts to exploit the boundless potential inherent in the organ, putting an end to the accepted notion that symphonies could only be written for an orchestra. Naturally, neither wrote exclusively for the organ, and this concert also presents this aspect of their work, featuring a world-renowned guest artist in the shape of Nuria Rial. The Catalan soprano, who burst onto the forefront of the international scene as an interpreter of Baroque music, has worked with ensembles including Il Giardino Armonico, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Concerto Köln and L’Arpeggiata, singing alongside Philippe Jaroussky. She also played a role in one of René Jacobs’ recordings of Mozart operas, and has featured on several award-winning albums. It is typical of her stylistic openness that her voice also graces a jazz album by the Elemér Balázs Group. Mária Kovalszki is one of the most sought-after piano accompanists in Hungary, while the main star of the evening – apart from the instrument itself and the extraordinary music – is János Pálúr, a leading figure in the Hungarian organ field, professor of organ and improvisation at the Liszt Academy, and organist of the Fasor Calvinist Church in Budapest. Presented by: Palace of Arts

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