1–2–3 Bartók!
17th–19th November 2023

the ENGEGÅRD quartet with friends
NYNORSKENS HUS — OSLO

This year's 1–2–3 festival explores the life and music of Béla Bartók — through music, dance, theater and conversation!

Artists

Engegård Quartet
Arcadia Quartet
Muzsikás—Folke Music Group
Schola Cantorum—Chamber Choir
Nils Anders Mortensen—Piano
Yukari Ohno—Violin
Björn Nyman—Clarinet
Torje Gunvaldsen Råbu - Violin
Caroline Nissen Lenda - Violin
Introductions—Tore Linné Eriksen
Nordberg String Orchestra
Den mangfaldige scenen/BUL


Exhibition

Mikrokosmos
— an introduction to Béla Bartóks world

Highlights from the programme

Festival Opening Concert!
Friday 17th November — 7pm
Nynorskens Hus

Meet all the festival artists perform their favourite pieces by Béla Bartók. The programme includes Rhapsody No. 1 for Violin and Piano, 3-part choruses for female voices, String Quartets No. 3 and 6, and the folk music which inspired Bartók, played by one of Hungary's best loved ensembles, Muzsikás.

Muzsikás
Saturday 18th November — 7pm
Nynorskens Hus

An evening of Hungarian folk music which we promise will warm the cockles of your heart and get your foot tapping. A unique opportunity to hear this Hungarian folk music group who go right to the heart of the folk music which inspired Bartók so much. They will be joined by guests Nils Anders Mortensen, Björn Nyman and Torje Gunvaldsen Råbu.

Sunday’s Cafe Concert
Sunday 19th November — 1.30pm
Nynorskens Hus

Night Music
One of Bartók's passions was sleeping out of doors, and listening. We're going to do ourbest to recreate this atmosphere with music reminiscent of cicadas and stardust. The programme includes Szabadban for solo piano, the beautiful second movement from Bartók's Viola Concerto, his epic 4th String Quartet, and a rare opportunity to hear Zoltán Kodály's gift to Norway in 1945, Norwegian Girls.

Buy your Festival Pass here

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Buy your Festival Pass here —

The Festival hosts

The Engegård Quartet has been directing and hosting the classical minifestival “1-2-3…” since 2016 when they started with 1-2-3 Schumann.

Formed under the midnight sun in Lofoten in 2005, the Engegård Quartet has rapidly become one of Norway’s most sought after ensembles. Their bold, fresh interpretations of the classical repertoire combined with a deep attachment to their Scandinavian roots has attracted international acclaim, and inspired some innovative partnerships and programming.

An introduction to Bartók’s string quartets.

The Engegård Quartet and the Norwegian composer B. Morten Christophersen (1976-) have created video introductions to the quartets which the Engegård Quartet will perform during the festival; numbers 2, 3 and 5. We will release them on YouTube. B. Morten Christophersen is both an exciting young composer, who has been commissioned by the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Norwegian Opera among others, and a great communicator. He is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Musicology, University of Oslo and has been teaching composition, arranging, harmony, orchestration and counterpoint there since 2003.

The Festival’s home

The classic minifestival “1-2-3…” has it’s home in Nynorskens hus - a real gem of a hall for chamber music, right in the centre of Oslo. The audience come right up close to the musicians, while the sound is rich and warm. Nynorskens hus is the home for several choirs, theatre groups and dance groups, all of which make the multicultural life of Oslo their focus. This is an inspiring background for the classical minifestival “1-2-3…” in many ways.

We make creative use of the spaces Nynorskens hus offers, opening up for a dialogue between the audience and the performers. With a balcony, a raised stage, the possibility for dance and traditional chamber music concerts, be prepared for an “up-close-and-personal” experience.

Nynorskens hus has access for wheelchair users and is a comfortable place for our visitors with disabilities.

Welcome!

Festival Pass

A Festival Pass is an incredibly reasonable way to experience all festival events, plus a 10% discount in the neighbouring restaurant “Kaffistova”.

Friday 17th November
7pm — Festival Opening Concert!

Saturday 18th November
11am —Bartók with Friends, 1914—1915
1.30pm — Saturday Cafe Concert; Folk Music Collector
7pm — Muzsikás

Sunday 19th November
12pm — Bartók with, and for, kids
1.30pm — Sunday Cafe Concert; Night Music
7pm — Festival Finale