- Biography
- Peacock Variations
- The Spinning Room
- Psalmus Hungaricus
- Háry János Suite
- Dances of Galánta
Biography
Kodály was almost an exact contemporary of his compatriot Bartók, and in many ways their lives and music show a number of similarities.
They worked very closely together on their collections of folk music and, like Bartók, Kodály incorporated many of these themes and influences in his works.
Kodály had an unsettled childhood, being moved around by his family, until at the age of eight he went to the Budapest Academy to study music.
He was an outstanding student and his early compositions show a distinct reverence of Brahms, whose music he loved.
Later on, following the close association with Bartók and the folk music collection, his own music became altogether more Hungarian in style, and his first really great work came in 1925 with Suite from the opera Háry János, followed in 1933 by the Dances from Galánta.
Kodály loved travelling and was a frequent visitor to Europe and the United States, all the while maintaining an active stance as a highly respected professor of music at the Academy in Budapest.
However, just before the Second World War he resigned from his job, having earned the reputation of being the most influential teacher ever to have lived in Hungary.
His methods of teaching were adopted throughout the country and he was regarded as something of a musical institution.
Only a handful of Kodály’s works are regularly performed today, of which the two pieces mentioned above are the most popular.
However, Kodály had an extraordinary gift for writing music that is not only exciting to listen to but also exciting to watch.
A marvellous example of this is the Solo Sonata for Cello, which is a real tour de force and should not be missed if you see it advertised in a concert programme.
In a similar vein is the wonderful Duo for Violin and Cello, which embodies similar characteristics.
For the orchestra, Kodály was never afraid to use unusual colours of sound within his orchestrations, and particularly interesting in the Háry János Suite is the use of the Hungarian instrument the cimbalom (a sort of harp or zither whose strings are struck with padded mallets).
He also used the saxophone to great effect – another instrument neglected by many a classical composer.
Do give this music a try – it is terrific and would be a welcome addition to any classical collection.
Peacock Variations
Variations on a Hungarian Folksong (‘The Peacock’)
Orchestral
Along with Bartók, Kodály (pronounced ‘Kodai’) was Hungary’s finest twentieth-century interpreter of the country’s traditional folk music. The Peacock Variations, though musically layered and textured, are still full of folk influences, such as the gypsy violin scales upon which the main melody is based.
The Spinning Room
Opera
This is an opera based on the story of a village romance where a young man has to hide from the law whilst being hunted for a crime he did not commit. His loved one helps to prove his innocence.
Psalmus Hungaricus
1923, Choral
Kodaly took Psalm No. 55 (‘Give Ear unto my Prayer, O Lord’) and arranged it for solo tenor, chorus and orchestra with the words sung in Hungarian. It was commissioned for the fiftieth anniversary of the unification of Budapest, Hungary’s capital city, and is a masterpiece of nationalism and religious fervour.
Háry János Suite
1930, Opera
Definitely Kodály’s most famous work, this opera tells the amusing tale of a boastful, drunken soldier who continually lies about his adventures, such as single-handedly defeating Napoleon, and his countless love triumphs. The use of the cimbalom (a Hungarian instrument similar to the zither) gives the opera its unique Hungarian feel.
Dances of Galánta
1933, Orchestral
This work provides a bright and vibrant show-stopping experience.