“In the strict sense of the word, Csalog is a medium, conveying the authentic at all time.”
(Zoltán Kocsis on Gábor Csalog’s playing)
Gábor Csalog was born in 1960 in Budapest, Hungary.
At age 11, he was accepted into the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy’s exceptional talent class. While studying at the Academy, his teachers were Gyorgy Kurtag, Zoltan Kocsis, and Andras Schiff.
After earning his diploma, he spent three years at Indiana University, studying under George Sebok and serving as assistant for two years.
Over his career, Mr. Csalog has developed deep relationships with several Hungarian composers, most especially with Kurtag, who has dedicated several pieces in Mr. Csalog's honor.
Since 2000, Mr. Csalog has been György Ligeti's artist of choice to perform his piano works in Hungary, and was in close personal contact with the composer until his death in 2006.
Mr. Csalog is well known for his unique programs, which couple old and new music in a distinctive way. His repertoire is uniquely-broad among Hungarian pianists, covering many baroque, all the classics, ranging from various Romantic composers all the way to the most current contemporary ones.
Besides gaining the highest critical acknowledgement, Csalog has a core audience, which follows him from concert to concert. He has a regular program at the Budapest Music Center, “Csalog Sundays” at which he appears either as soloist, chamber performer (with invited musicians), or as composer.
He has performed in the U.S. and in most European countries (at festivals like the Kuhmo and at Schleswig-Holstein). Among his chamber music partners were notable artists such as Boris Pergamenchikov, Miklós Perényi, Pekka Kuusisto, Andras Keller and Nicolas Altsteadt. He has played under conductors such as Pinchas Steinberg, Gábor Takács-Nagy, András Keller and Heinz Holliger.
Since 2001 he has been serving as professor of chamber music at the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy, as well as giving a series of special Kurtag-courses, in collaboration with the composer. He was the publisher of the complete piano works of Chopin at Könemann Musik Budapest.
In 2003 he was awarded the Liszt Prize and has received several awards from Artisjus.
AMONG HIS MORE IMPORTANT RECORDINGS ARE:
Chopin’s Mazurkas (complete, Hungaroton HCD 31755-56) 2 CD;
1989: Hungaroton-Radioton SLPX 31 402 Schumann - Scriabine
1997: Chopin, Fryderyk: Mazurkák (all), Hungaroton, HCD 31755, 2 CD
2002: Schubert Piano Works, BMC Records, BMC CD 084
2004: Transcendental Etudes - Ferenc Liszt and György Ligeti, BMC Records, BMC CD 095
2005: Szkrjabin, Alexander: Etrangeté / Strangeness – Preludes and Poemes, BMC Records, BMC CD 099
2006: Kurtág György: Játékok, BMC Records, BMC CD 123
2008: Kurtág György: Játékok 2. BMC Records, BMC CD 139 ( Mr and Ms Kurtág also playing on these CD-s).
2016 Gábor Csalog plays Beethoven op. 110 and 111, Szőllősy and Csapó, BMC Records, BMC CD 224