Music Belongs to Everyone

Ludovico Einaudi, one of the world's most acclaimed contemporary composers and pianists, will perform in Budapest this May. The concert will feature some of the most successful compositions from Einaudi's oeuvre, as well as songs from his new album ‘The Summer Portraits’. Einaudi's music is timeless and compelling, recognized worldwide for its profound emotional impact and refined beauty. His work is a unique blend of film scores, classical works and avant-garde compositions that have captivated millions of people over the decades. The Italian composer has made a name for himself in movies such as ‘The Father’ and ‘Nomadland’, both of which won Oscars and BAFTAs, and the French film ‘The Intouchables’, in which his music plays a key role.

Telling Diplomacy&Trade about his family background to which he owes his affinity for music, he highlights that he grew up in a home where culture and creativity were always present. “My mother played the piano, and through her playing, I absorbed the works of classical masters like Chopin, Bach and Schumann. But she also played many records –
classical pieces, popular music and Italian operas. I was exposed to a wide range of sounds, from French chansons by Jacques Brel to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Music was always there, shaping my early years.”

Music to express emotions
Many people love music and even had music-loving family background but only a few become musicians – let alone composers. As to what led Ludovico Einaudi to pursue these professions and do it so successfully, he points out that “I was never drawn to anything else in the same way. Perhaps photography could have been an alternative, but music became the most natural way for me to engage with and express my emotions. Without it, my life would have been much greyer. Music gave me the colors of life.”
He adds that her mother was very happy that he had chosen this path – her father was also a musician, a conductor and a composer. “Composing is a step further in artistic expression; it is beautiful because it allows you to draw invisible architectures made of air.”

Rooted in the world of the soul
Ludovico Einaudi has always said it is impossible to define his music with a single word. However, when asked about the most defining characteristics of that music, he underlines that “it is not easy to describe something so abstract, but my music is rooted in the world of the soul. My influences are broad, spanning from classical to contemporary pop. Over time, I have developed my own language, with musical forms that are closer to popular music, yet driven by melodies that emerge from slow, recurring harmonic progressions. These progressions sustain the structure of my compositions, like the foundations of an invisible architecture. My music has something in common with Baroque music, especially in its harmonic progressions and repetitions, but it is expressed through a contemporary lens. Above all, it creates space for reflection.”

Balancing between image and sound
His career as a soundtrack composer spans over three decades. As to what makes this area special and how much creative independence he has when composing for feature films, short films or TV series as well as how he collaborates with directors, producers and editors, Ludovico Einaudi states that composing for films is a form of collaboration. “Music helps shape and define emotions through a language that adds depth to the storytelling. As with any collaboration, sometimes the result is truly beautiful and inspiring, while other times it works without necessarily igniting that creative spark. It all depends on the synergy between the director, editor, and composer. When I composed the score for ‘The Intouchables’, for example, there was space to create that emotional spark – a perfect balance between image and sound that allowed the music to elevate the story.

A musical journey
This May, the Italian artist will perform in the Hungarian capital in his first Arena show created by promoter Roland Horvath after many years in Budapest. Speaking about what kind of performance concert-goers can expect here, the artist stresses that “I am really looking forward to this concert in Budapest, as it will take the audience on a journey through my recent repertoire. At the heart of the performance will be my latest album, ‘The Summer Portraits’, alongside a carefully selected collection of my most beloved compositions from the past. With twelve musicians on stage, we will bring rich, lush string textures that I hope will envelop the audience like a dream.”

A collection of personal memories
‘The Summer Portraits’ is an album that turns personal experiences into universal messages. As regards these experiences and messages, Ludovico Einaudi notes that this album is a collection of memories – fragments of childhood summers, friendships, gatherings, light, water, scents, echoes of time and nature. “These are moments that linger even as they fade.
Although deeply personal, the music is open – like a canvas where each listener can find and connect with their own colors, their own memories. Music has a unique ability: it can transform something intimate into something universal, something that belongs to everyone.”