Instrumentation

pno – 2 vln.vla.vlc.db

Availability

Score and parts in preparation

Programme Notes

Növények (2020–22)
Seven Hungarian Poems for mezzo soprano and piano sextet

 

  1. Kertész leszek (József)
  2. Gyökér (Radnóti)
  3. Százszorszépet ont a rét (Weöres)
  4. Az ág (Weöres)
  5. Galagonya (Weöres)
  6. Hosszú a virágfüzér (Weöres)
  7. Erdő sűrüjében (Orbán)

 

Növények are settings of seven poems by four great Hungarian poets: Attila József (1905-1937), Miklós Radnóti (1909-1944), Sándor Weöres (1913-1989) and Otto Orbán (1936-2002). The word Növények means plants, but with the sense of ‘things that grow’ rather than ‘things that are stuck in the ground’. All the poems use botanical images as metaphors for aspects of the human condition. The metaphor is particularly direct in the case of Radnóti, who was murdered by Hungarian troops loyal to the Nazis. His last poems, including ‘Gyökér’, were found in a notebook in his coat pocket when his body was exhumed over a year later.

Thomas Adès

 

Reviews

The poems – four by Sándor Weöres, the others by Attila József, Miklós Radnóti and Ottó Orbán – all use botanical imagery to mirror aspects of human life, and Adès gives them fabulously varied musical frames, full of magical harmonic sleights of hand and glistening textural effects, for Károlyi’s impeccable, compelling delivery.

Guardian (Andrew Clements), 28 November 2022

Növények

Fondation Louis Vuitton (Paris, France)

Katalin Karolyi/Thomas Adès/Ruisi Quartet/Graham Mitchell

Növények

Gewandhaus (Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany)

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig/Thomas Adès/Katalin Karolyi

Növények

Recorded for broadcast on Radio 3

LSO St Luke's (London, United Kingdom)

Musicians from LSO/Kirill Gerstein/Katalin Karolyi/Thomas Adès

Növények

Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory (Boston, MA, USA)

Thomas Adès/Boston Symphony Chamber Players/Katalin Karolyi

Find Out More

Növények

Excerpt from New Music Show - Ivors Classical Awards

BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom)

Katalin Karolyi/Ruisi Quartet/Joseph Havlat/Graham Mitchell