Composer: Zoltan Kodaly, Bela Bartok
Performer: Toni Koves
Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra, Philharmonia Hungarica
Conductor: Antal Dorati, Harold Lawrence
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Mercury
Size: 302 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. Kodály: Háry János Suite – Prelude; the fairy tale begins
02. Kodály: Háry János Suite – Viennese musical clock
03. Kodály: Háry János Suite – Song
04. Kodály: Háry János Suite – The battle and defeat of Napoleon
05. Kodály: Háry János Suite – Intermezzo
06. Kodály: Háry János Suite – Entrance of the emperor and his court
07. Bartók: Hungarian Sketches, Sz. 97 – Hungarian Sketches
08. Bartók: Roumanian Folk Dances for Orchestra, Sz. 68 – Roumanian Folk Dances
09. Kodály: Marosszéki táncok (Dances of Marosszèk) – for orchestra
10. Kodály: Galántai táncok (Dances of Galánta)
Just get it
I’m in a rush, so I’ll be brief: you should just GET THIS DISC if you enjoy Bartok’s and Kodaly’s music, or especially if you are not familiar with these composers.
The pieces are lustrously recorded, played with VERVE, convey the character of the land and culture they come from, and stand up well to just about any other recording I’ve heard of these works (I’ve heard many, as well as several live performances of these works during my year studying music in Hungary). The pieces are a fine introduction to these composers: once you get turned on, you might explore their lesser known (some might say more “difficult to enjoy”) works (Bartok’s sonata for solo violin, his Miraculous Mandarin, and Kodaly’s sonatas for solo cello, cello and violin, etc. and his choral works).