1948 Erdõdy Chamber Orchestra & Zsolt Szefcsik

• Endre Szervánszky (1911 - 1977): Serenade for Strings:
• 1 Szervánszky: Serenade for Strings: I. Intrada. Allegro, ma non troppo 05:17
• 2 Szervánszky: Serenade for Strings: II. Quasi minuetto. Allegro vivace - Trio. Meno mosso, quasi allegretto 03:52
• 3 Szervánszky: Serenade for Strings: III. Arioso. Larghetto 04:58
• 4 Szervánszky: Serenade for Strings: IV. Finale. Presto 06:20
• Mieczysław Weinberg (1919 - 1996): Concertino for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 42:
• 5 Weinberg: Concertino for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 42: I. Allegretto cantabile 06:25
• 6 Weinberg: Concertino for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 42: II. Lento. Cadenza - Adagio 05:56
• 7 Weinberg: Concertino for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 42: III. Allegro moderato poco rubato 05:23
• Rezső Sugár (1919 - 1988): Divertimento for String Orchestra:
• 8 Sugár: Divertimento for String Orchestra: I. Andante, calmo 06:47
• 9 Sugár: Divertimento for String Orchestra: II. Moderato, dolente 03:04
• 10 Sugár: Divertimento for String Orchestra: III. Vivace, robusto 02:20
• 11 Sugár: Divertimento for String Orchestra: IV. Larghetto, cantando 03:41
• 12 Sugár: Divertimento for String Orchestra: V. Vivace, risoluto 04:13
• Grażyna Bacewicz (1909 - 1969): Concerto for String Orchestra:
• 13 Bacewicz: Concerto for String Orchestra: I. Allegro 05:08
• 14 Bacewicz: Concerto for String Orchestra: II. Andante 04:56
• 15 Bacewicz: Concerto for String Orchestra: III. Vivo 04:59
• Total Runtime 01:13:19

Info for 1948

The main idea behind this recording was to focus on the presentation of pieces composed by Hungarian and Polish artists in one particular year: 1948. We wanted to show here compositions of two major artists from each of those countries. Both Hungarian pieces featured on the album naturally continue the 'Hungarian sound,' characteristic of the interwar period, shaped by the output of Zoltán Kodály. Cast in four movements, the Serenade for String Orchestra by Endre Szervánszky (1911-1977) is an example of one of the outstanding compositions symptomatic of the generation of the master's successors. Let us quote the words of an excellent music critic, Marianne Pándi: 'This work combines all the qualities of the Hungarian music of that period: it is melodic, understandable, Hungarian in style, and rhythmic. It is a source of first-class entertainment.'

Erdödy Chamber Orchestra
Zsolt Szefcsik, direction

Erdõdy Chamber Orchestra
was founded in Budapest by the violinist Zsolt Szefcsik in 1994, and specializes primarily in the promotion of Hungarian music, both historical and contemporary. Taking Hungarian musical manuscripts as basis, the orchestra has presented over a hundred decade-long forgotten works, for which it is considered to possess the widest repertoire of Hungarian music.

The orchestra has on its account many recordings for the radio and 13 CDs, which received awards from trade magazines (Le Monde de la Musique CHOC, Pizzicato Supersonic Award). In 2002, the orchestra was awarded the Hungarian Clas­sical Award, established by the publishing house Gramofon, and in 2005, the Academic Club Award.

Zsolt Szefcsik
is founder, artistic director, and concertmaster of the Erdődy Chamber Orchestra. In 1991, he completed the class of violin at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music with distinction. In 1988, he placed second in the Ede Zathureczky Violin Competition, and in 1990, he became first place laureate at the Leó Weiner National Chamber Music Competition.

In the years 1992-1994, he attended lectures at the University of Music, Freiburg, where he obtained a degree in the musical arts. From 1994, he is member of the Budapest Festival Orchestra, whose chamber orchestra projects he regularly directs from 2005. In recognition of his popularization of Polish music in Hungary, he received a Polish national decoration in 2006. He obtained his doctoral title at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in 2008.

Booklet for 1948