When putting together this program, I knew I wanted to explore a variety of folk songs. I was listening to an album featuring Bruch, Telemann and Weber when I saw a new composer I had never heard of: Andreas Baksa. After listening to this piece, “Viola Pannonica,” I fell in love with the striking character changes, soaring melodic lines and combination of folk songs.

Andreas Baksa (1950–2015), born into a Hungarian family in Romania, had a grasp of Eastern European folk music, switching between styles and cultures with ease. Baksa was a violinist and played in the opera orchestra of Klausenberg, then performing in East Germany until he used his position to flee to Austria in the 1970s. He studied under Bartók, likely influencing his style and use of folk tunes within his own compositions. Herbert Kefer (b. 1960), violist/violinist, was representing a festival near the border of Austria and Hungary and wanted a piece of music that represented the wide variety of cultures present. Kefer stated: “It was especially the ethnic mixture that interested me — German/Austrians, Croatians, Hungarians, and Jews lived together peacefully until 1938. They all were pretty poor, but shared the understanding of each other's needs, traditions and beliefs. So I wanted to have a piece of music, which combines and shows that all.”

Baksa was the natural choice for this piece. Kefer said that Baksa wrote: “In a rhapsodic way he switches back and forth, from one tune to another, from one culture to another...Not only does he include tunes or themes from different cultures, much more he uses them in an ironic way. With the Viennese waltz and the Hungarian czardas in the end he uses the probably most popular musical styles of Austria and Hungary, whereas the Croatian lullaby shows a very intimate approach.”

I would like to thank Herbert Kefer for his contributions to this program. After listening to it, I began to look for music, however I was unable to locate it. From there, I consulted Facebook who suggested I reach out to Herbert who was then kind enough to answer my questions and send me his publisher, Martin Kerschbaum. Without Herbert and Martin, this program would not have been possible and I am eternally grateful for their knowledge and assistance! Martin was able to provide me with the music and also some additional program notes:

The Weinklang Festival commissioned Baksa with a composition to reflect Burgenland’s culture in music. In the half-hour work, Baksa incorporates elements from a Croatian folk song, a Viennese waltz and Roma music. Romanian-born Baksa, who, “with his music deliberately wishes to awaken joy, especially to fire the imagination of every single person for all that is creative” (Walter Dobner), seamlessly blends individual musical levels, including the solo instrument and the orchestra, with an unerring feel for the sweep of a long piece.

Another special thank you to my good friend, Katarina Sams and her parents, Aleksandra Carić and Michael Sams, who purchased the music for the piece as I did not have an international bank account that could do so. I have had a wonderful time studying and learning about Viola Pannonica and hope you enjoy its winding melodies as much as I have.