Opening concert - Capella Savaria and Purcell Choir

Few families contributed as much to the cultural life of 17th–18th century Hungary as the Esterházys. In addition to playing an active role in the expulsion of the Ottomans and in the subsequent Baroque reconstruction, they held important ecclesiastical and state offices and proved tireless not only in preserving high culture during times of war, but also in raising it—whenever possible—to a level that could rival Vienna. The work of Esterházy Pál or Joseph Haydn during his years at the Esterházy court is well known, yet there were others as well.

At the opening concert of the 2026 Early Music Days of Vác, for example, this historical journey begins in Baroque Pressburg (Bratislava). Imre Esterházy, Archbishop of Esztergom, maintained an orchestra of exceptionally high standards in Pressburg, then the center of Hungary, where renowned—mostly foreign—musicians and composers succeeded one another. Among them was Johann Matthias Schenauer, about whose life we know very little. What is certain, however, is that he worked in Pressburg for decades during the first half of the 18th century and was a highly prolific composer, credited with numerous sacred and secular works. At the same time, only a handful of his compositions have survived in performable form, such as his Requiem in C minor. This centuries-forgotten work will be heard at the festival’s opening concert.

The Nelson Mass was composed in 1798 at the request of Prince Nikolaus II Esterházy and became one of Haydn’s most famous mass settings. The work bears the subtitle Missa in Angustiis (“Mass in Time of Distress”), aptly reflecting the gunpowder-laden atmosphere, drama, and emotional intensity of Napoleonic Europe. At the same time, it clearly reveals the far-reaching vision and confidence of the world-renowned Haydn at the height of his powers.

Join us on this concert journey to the world of the 18th-century Esterházys!