Kodály: Ungarische Volksmusik, für Gesang und Orchester

Zoltán Kocsis (1952-2016) was one of Hungary’s most important composers in the latter half of the 20th century. His work as a Bartók performer was pathbreaking; he recorded all of Bartók’s compositions written for piano and tracked down and published all the works which Bartók himself had produced for phonograph records. He was also an authentic Bartók conductor. His endeavours as a composer included completing Arnold Schönberg’s opera Moses und Aron and arranging works by Ravel and Debussy for piano, apart from composing his own music.

Kocsis chose the 20 Hungarian Folk Songs from Zoltán Kodály’s piano arrangements in the collections he had recorded with peasants in Transylvania and other regions of Hungary at that time, together with his friend and companion Béla Bartók.

Kocsis was faithful to Kodály’s intentions when he orchestrated the latter’s arrangements, thereby bringing the folksongs closer to art song – concert music. 12 of the 20 songs are set for soprano and orchestra, while the remainder calls for a tenor. The two soloists provide contrast, as do the mood and duration of the individual songs; tragic ballades are followed by happy melodies, lasting between 44 seconds and 3 min. 30 sec.

Altogether, this is a composition for voices and orchestra which makes great musical and technical demands on both soloists. It would be difficult to use original peasant soloists in this version; the piece requires opera singers such as those who premiered them, conducted by Zoltán Kocsis himself.

As an hommage, Kocsis chose a folk song to close the work which Bartók had recorded in Transylvania in 1906.