Zoltán Kodály: Háry János Suite / Dances of Galánta & Marosszék / Children's Choruses - Iván Fischer / Budapest Festival Orchestra

Zoltán Kodály (Composer), Ivan Fischer (Conductor), Budapest Festival Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra
• Conductor: Ivan Fischer
• Composer: Zoltán Kodály
• Audio CD (July 20, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000JLEW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,336 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #7 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Languages > Hungarian

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Kodály's music can be a lot of fun, and this disc is programmed for maximum entertainment value. The two sets of dances, which should be 20th-century Top 100 classical favorites, are about as entertaining as music is permitted to be, are the excerpts from the singspiel H&@225;ry János (which is Top 100, deservedly), the better- with the lesser-known music interspersed to excellent effect. Fischer adds to the mix three brief choral arrangements of Hungarian folk songs. The two children's choruses sing like angels, and the orchestra plays throughout with a tasty idiomatic quality, snapping the rhythms and emphasizing the imaginative color of the orchestration. If your collection isn't already overloaded with Kodály, this disc will be an excellent addition. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Kodaly disc of exceptional quality, February 2, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Zoltán Kodály: Háry János Suite / Dances of Galánta & Marosszék / Children's Choruses - Iván Fischer / Budapest Festival Orchestra (Audio CD)

This is a very enticing Kodaly program which includes most of the popular orchestral works. Only the Peacock Variations is missing from the usual canon and instead we are treated to songs that Kodaly wrote for the benefit of children's chorus. However, they are as enjoyable to hear as they must have been stimulating to perform. The singing of this children's choir is a joy, making this inclusion especially welcome. Also included are brief excerpts from the singspiel Hary Janos, some of which will be familiar to those who have heard the Hary Janos Suite. The more familiar orchestral works are given exceptionally vivid, colorful readings. There is scarcely a phrase upon which Fischer and his splendid players fail to shed new light. Fischer gets the best of both worlds from his players: Eastern flair and western-calibre polish. Not to single out any section at the expense of the others but the sound of the wind solos stand out in my mind as being excitingly gypsy-like and full of fantasy. The recorded sound is stereoscopically vivid and atmospheric.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Exciting Recording Of Kodaly's Music I've Heard, December 6, 2001

By 

John Kwok (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Zoltán Kodály: Háry János Suite / Dances of Galánta & Marosszék / Children's Choruses - Iván Fischer / Budapest Festival Orchestra (Audio CD)

Ivan Fischer certainly enhances his reputation as one of the foremost interpreters of Eastern European 19th and 20th Century Classical Music with this exciting set of Kodaly performances, most notably the Hary Janos suite. The Budapest Festival Orchestra gives lively performances replete with Western perfection and Eastern European charm. The children's choruses are equally delightful. The warm, atmospheric sound quality reminds me a lot of classical Philips recordings made in Amsterdam's Concertgebouw concert hall back in the 1970's.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Magical Recording, October 1, 2006

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Zoltán Kodály: Háry János Suite / Dances of Galánta & Marosszék / Children's Choruses - Iván Fischer / Budapest Festival Orchestra (Audio CD)

Zoltán Kodály's music is far too seldom played. With recordings such as this one with Ivan Fischer conducting the Budapest Festival Orchestra in some of Kodály most accessible works perhaps that will change. If ever there were a combination of components to offer definitive performances of the works of Zoltán Kodály, they are certainly here. Fischer knows his way around this repertoire and draws some brilliant playing from the Budapest Festival Orchestra.

'Háry János' is a terrific opera, filled with wit and wisdom and overflowing with fine music. The Suite derived from the opera is here presented with six excerpts and the sound is pungent and obeys the exacting rhythms and melodies perfectly. The 'Dances of Galánta' are more frequently included in orchestral programs than the equally fascinating and beautiful 'Dances of Marosszék', and Fischer makes such a fine impression with this latter work that hopefully it will be available in more orchestras' repertoire. Also included are some works for chorus and orchestra, works not familiar to this listener before this recording. There is a joy in Kodály's music that is magnified by the voices of children and these works are irresistible.

This is not only a worthy performance of terrific music, but also the production values are first rate. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, October 06