Trio Passacaglia: Judit Rajk, László Kéringer & Tamás Zétényi Presented by Liszt Academy

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Trio Passacaglia skillfully blends old and new music in their concerts. With two vocal parts and a cello operating within nearly the same range, their repertoire prominently features Gregorian chant, ornate Eastern monophony, monody, and early medieval polyphonic harmonizations. However, it is their incorporation of contemporary sounds into these arrangements that distinguishes their performances from traditional historical interpretations. In addition to typically shorter, thematically interconnected pieces, they have been experimenting for several years with larger-scale, longer contemporary oratorical works. Their current concert follows a similar concept (Psalterium Irregulare – an irregular psalm book of sorts), with the first “volume” consisting of monophonic psalms and polyphonic psalm songs, and the second half being a pastiche composed by invited composers to the exalted texts of Psalms 23/24. The movements are standalone pieces that can be performed independently, but when arranged sequentially along the verses, following the responsorial tradition of psalmody, with Gregorian chants separating the odd lines and framed by György Kurtág’s antiphon “Attóllite portas...” (Lift up your heads, O gates...), they promise the audience a grand premiere of a major work.