Mozart was performed at the Matthias Church on November 4th courtesy of Zoltán Kocsis. He directed the National Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Choir. It was audible just how his orchestra can now sing with freedom; I have been truly waiting for this since he took over direction at the ensemble. Emotionally and in expression, Kocsis surpassed Rilling, who is accustomed to performing oratorios, and who performed Mozart's requiem mass three days earlier as a preserver of an esteemed tradition. It is not proper to make comparison, but perhaps I can mention that the guest conductor was all gloss, while Kocsis imagined and heard this music as great drama.

Kocsis – preserver of tradition? – produced an astonishing drama on November 4th. The progression in the bass that opens the Mozart Requiem, although restrained, could be sensed as steps threatening death. Where there was motion, it was fired to the point of explosion, when a single trombone solo expounded, it wend beyond mere technical bravura, sounding with crystal clarity. The choir sang with animation, the soloists with intimacy. Andrea Cserklyei's inner fire and infinitely sensitive soprano solo perhaps took top honours, as did alto Atala Schöck. I commend Attila Fekete's flexible tenor solo. The bass, István Rácz, was just a little wan.
Mozart was present this evening.

János Breuer
(Népszabadság)