Zoltán Kodály
Kodály's music carries folk melody and eastern European colour into masses, solo cello works of fierce technical demand, and piano pieces that range from Debussian meditation to the storm of the Marosszék Dances.
The Missa Brevis, written in the dark years of World War II, pairs haunting lines with soaring solos and full-choir drama and passion. His Sonata for solo cello, Op. 8, is a rhapsodic, muscular test of the instrument: appassionato outer movements framing an Adagio of grand expression, virtuoso writing that still rewards a huge, modern sound. The Sonatina for cello and piano sits among more intimate lyric writing. At the keyboard the Nine Pieces, Op. 3 and Seven Pieces, Op. 11 draw on wisps of folk tune and doleful harmony; the Méditation on a Debussy motif shows how deeply that French colour entered his palette, while the original piano Dances of Marosszék unleash paced, rhapsodic gypsy fire.
Zoltán Kodály is featured on the following titles
Kodály: Piano Music
This CD gathers almost all the piano music of Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály. Wisps of folk melody and doleful eastern European harmony colour these pieces, still rarely heard in the concert hall.
Compositions by Zoltán Kodály also appear on
Only Cello
David Pereira, Australia's leading cellist, plays three masterworks of the solo cello literature, including Peter Sculthorpe's Threnody, written to commemorate the Australian conductor Stuart Challender.
Evocations: The Poet
David Pereira (cello) and David Bollard (piano) offer an unusual selection from the romantic cello repertoire, with short lyrical works by Fauré, Delius, Kodály, Dvořák and others.