James Gregor

Voilà 1700 ans qu'il dormait dans le désert égyptien, enfoui dans une catacombe : l'Evangile de judas, ou " le récit secret de la révélation faite par Jésus en dialoguant avec Judas l'Iscariote ". C'est ainsi que s'ouvre l'évangile perdu, dont la découverte et le déchiffrement risquent d'agiter fortement l'Eglise. Car son message gnostique contredit les enseignements du Nouveau Testament. …

Both works on this the third volume in Koch’s superb series of Rozsa’s orchestral music were inspired by suggestions from the cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, the Op. 29 (1966) being a direct commission for a double concerto for himself and Jascha Heifetz. Despite having to juggle with the temperamental demands of his two eminent soloists, both of whom would object if the spotlight seemed to be favouring one instrument more than the other (which probably explains why Rozsa reduced the piece by over ten minutes following its poorly received premiere in Chicago under Jean Martinon), the resulting showcase, with its passionate opening movement and highly rhythmic finale, is further evidence of the composer’s abiding affection for his native Hungary.