Place Sainte-Croix, 1050 Bruxelles
“The inspiration derived from folk music is the most important source of creative musical power,” wrote Béla Bartók, highlighting the deep roots of his music. His statue in Brussels reminds us of his enduring presence.
In collaboration with the Liszt Institute Brussels and Polyphonic Performance Spaces 2025, the KCB Symphony Orchestra performs Bartók's monumental Concerto for Orchestra, alongside Kodály’s enchanting Háry János Suite and Liszt’s dazzling First Piano Concerto. All three works pulse with Hungarian folk rhythms and colors. For this concert, the students collaborate with Christian Arming, internationally acclaimed conductor and artistic director of the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège from 2011 to 2019.
Introduction @ 18:45
Introduction to the evening concert: 'Béla Bartók and Brussels: A Musical Connection' by Carl Van Eyndhoven (KU Leuven) and Kristin Van Den Buys (KCB). Presented within Polyphonic Performance Spaces 2025.
The Hungarian composer Béla Bartók is celebrated as one of the great innovators of the 20th century, yet his deep connection with Brussels is less well known. Two lectures shed new light on this relationship. Carl Van Eyndhoven presents valuable documents from the Denijs Dille Collection, while Kristin Van Den Buys highlights Bartók’s Brussels legacy, from remarkable premieres to performances by leading ensembles. Together, they paint a vivid portrait of Bartók and the city.