I've opened a folder for Hungarian composers, beginning with premier performances of a couple of pieces by Miklós Rózsa, who was one of the great composers of Hollywood movie scores.
Thanks very much, Amphissa, for the Miklós Rózsa Viola Concerto; I've only just listened to it - blimey, what a stonkingly good piece! (Apologies for the slang but Rózsa has so wowed me that I've lost the power to write elegantly.)
The only recording of The Veil of Pierrette recently I can think of is a suite on Chandos, but maybe there's been something more complete even more recently...
You are forgiven, Lionel. Rózsa was a stonking good composer, wasn't he?
Quote from: Alan Howe on Friday 07 October 2011, 16:45
You are forgiven, Lionel. Rózsa was a stonking good composer, wasn't he?
He surely was. And while his music is as identifiably 'Hungarian' as Zoltán Kodály's, it has an individuality which delineates it from the older man's.
Yes, I love the Rózsa Viola Concerto. In comparison, to my ears, the more famous Bartok is rather bland and uninspiring. Perhaps that is just me. I like the Bartok the string quartets, but everything else just seems tepid to me.
Quote from: Amphissa on Monday 10 October 2011, 00:09
Yes, I love the Rózsa Viola Concerto. In comparison, to my ears, the more famous Bartok is rather bland and uninspiring. Perhaps that is just me. I like the Bartok the string quartets, but everything else just seems tepid to me.
Not
Bluebeard's Castle surely?? Nothing "tepid" about that, is there? When Bluebeard opens the Fifth Door to allow Judith to see his whole realm the orchestral representation is one of the
most glorious passages in all music!! :)
The output of both Rozsa and Bartok (the moreso Bartok to my mind, but I have both early- opp. 1 and 2* , anyway... - and late Rozsa in my collection I think and can speak with some knowledge) is so diverse (in style, I mean) it's hard to get a handle on either from which to make such a comparison. But -that- is just me.
(Comparing works of the same composer each time, that is.)
*Reference Recordings tape with Pennario at the piano in Rozsa's piano quintet. There has been a more recent coupling- a natural one I think!- of both works - the quintet in F minor grave and dramatic, the string trio in D minor (recorded both times I think in its later revised form) more a mixture of moods with a capricious finale that always gets a chuckle out of me... but I have not heard the newer one. A very different Rozsa than some of his fans may be used to, but I recommend these pieces if you don't know them- and this time definitely in the Romantic orbit of the forum (despite the 1928-1929 dates. :) )
further on Moór: besides cello sonatas, some of his multiple-cello suites have had a very slight grasp on the very fringes of the concert and recorded (LP I think- maybe a CD or two...) repertoire i think (so his suite for 4 cellos op.95, and maybe his suite for 3 violins op.133, get a few more performances than his concertos and symphonies because of less competition... and among concertos that for 2 cellos more than those for piano or violin, likewise- though his trio and quartet concertos have not yet been the beneficiaries of this too-general argument! - then again there's a fair amount of competition for a piano trio and orchestra concerto now like his opus 70.
A list of his works is here (http://www.emanuel-und-henrik-moor-stiftung.de/Emanuel/works.shtml) at the Emanuel und Henrik Moor Stiftung. (Links to biography, etc.)
Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 10 October 2011, 00:24
Not Bluebeard's Castle surely?? Nothing "tepid" about that, is there? When Bluebeard opens the Fifth Door to allow Judith to see his whole realm the orchestral representation is one of the most glorious passages in all music!! :)
I'm not really much attracted to atonal opera. Actually, my tolerance for opera is pretty low to begin with. So, I have only listened to small portions of this and have not been drawn in for more.
Atonal if you like, but it's relatively early Bartók (1910-11) and more or less in F-sharp (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebeard's_Castle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebeard's_Castle)).
Quote from: Amphissa on Tuesday 11 October 2011, 23:21
Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 10 October 2011, 00:24
Not Bluebeard's Castle surely?? Nothing "tepid" about that, is there? When Bluebeard opens the Fifth Door to allow Judith to see his whole realm the orchestral representation is one of the most glorious passages in all music!! :)
I'm not really much attracted to atonal opera. Actually, my tolerance for opera is pretty low to begin with. So, I have only listened to small portions of this and have not been drawn in for more.
Bartok isn't actually atonal, although it can be pretty gritty stuff to listen to. He's no more atonal than, say Hindemith.
tonality does get -really- stretched here and there especially in some works but that's true with Hindemith too...
"Bluebeard's Castle" atonal?
Surely not? It is really late Romantic in style is is not?
Maybe it stretches tonality at times in the same way as Schoenberg's "Gurreleider" but to call it atonal would be misleading at best. Anyway there is absolutely nothing atonal about the quite glorious passage to which I referred :)
Everybody has different tastes of course but I find it hard to believe that the opening of the Fifth Door would not be accepted as one of the most viscerally exciting and almost overpoweringly grandiose moments in all opera.
The entire approach of parlando rubato discourages melody. True, Bartok was not entirely opposed to melody. But because of his use of this device and his interest in using patterns of speech in music, there just aren't many melodic passages in most of the Bartok that I've heard. I find this easier to assimilate in orchestral music and chamber music.
Perhaps polytonal would be more accurate way of describing what I hear in Bartok. But to my ears, multiple key centers is, in effect, atonal since there is no one key that anchors the music. This doesn't bother me in instrumental music. I don't love most Bartok music, but I don't find it particularly wonderful either. The string quartets are the exception. I like those quite a lot.
However, I don't really enjoy vocal music without melody or tonality.
But then, as I said, I'm not a real opera lover to begin with and my tolerance for vocal music is limited.
Quote from: Dundonnell on Wednesday 12 October 2011, 01:17
" I find it hard to believe that the opening of the Fifth Door would not be accepted as one of the most viscerally exciting and almost overpoweringly grandiose moments in all opera.
Is there a link (maybe youtube or something) to this section that you can point us to? I have never heard anything by Bartok that I have even remotely liked, and not for want of trying. Maybe this piece will open the door to Bartok for me and he will cease to be a "sung who I just don't get"! (see earlier string on this topic...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdFIFPp64Bk
This is the link to paste into your browser to get the opening of the Fifth Door in a performance conducted by Georg Solti.
I fully understand :) that musical taste is a very personal thing. I am by no means an opera buff-indeed, apart from Wagner, I don't listen to opera at all :(- but when Bluebeard in this opera flings open the door to reveal the extent of his vast domain and the orchestral brass thunder out those magnificent spreading chords, underpinned by the organ and timpani I am always completely overcome ;D
....but-you see-I have a taste for grand/grandiose, over-the-top. orchestral splendour ;D ;D
Bravo, Dundonnell, more sounds!!!!! Yes!! Really liked your direction to Bluebeard, shall now listen to whole thing, some of my overwhelming musical moments: Organ entry last mvt St. Saens 3rd, Mahler Sym No. 8 Beginning VENI!!!, Beethoven's 5th pf cto, towards end, pf and orch quiet, quiet, quiet then PIANO!!! ORCHESTRA!!!!Sorry, can't help myself. Also look for Roentgen's Aus Faust, lovely big stuff. Gotta be in a dark room just oneself and big music and conduct, too, i.e. wave arms madly, try not to get caught...
:) :)
I must confess to having not one but two conductor's batons and have been known to give one a flourish now and then......... ;D
I quite agree about the Saint-Saens Third and-although I happen to think that Rontgen's (new-found) renown is over-inflated-I was impressed by his Faust Cantata.
The other bit of music which totally does it for me would be the final ten minutes or so of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony-as conducted by people like Abbado, Rattle and Bernstein. I am not a Mahlerian but those last ten minutes are my idea of just what sublime heights music can reach :)
Well, we digress (so what else is new???)
but don't forget Alexandre Guilmant's Symphony #1 for organ and orchestra. The finale of this one ALWAYS blows me away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhvEfrxtGmw&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhvEfrxtGmw&feature=related)
A live performance not available anywhere else.
Jerry
Quote from: Dundonnell on Thursday 13 October 2011, 16:04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdFIFPp64Bk
This is the link to paste into your browser to get the opening of the Fifth Door in a performance conducted by Georg Solti.
I fully understand :) that musical taste is a very personal thing. I am by no means an opera buff-indeed, apart from Wagner, I don't listen to opera at all :(- but when Bluebeard in this opera flings open the door to reveal the extent of his vast domain and the orchestral brass thunder out those magnificent spreading chords, underpinned by the organ and timpani I am always completely overcome ;D
....but-you see-I have a taste for grand/grandiose, over-the-top. orchestral splendour ;D ;D
I LOVE it Dundonnell!
I think you should start a string, if you haven't already, of your favourite pieces of "grand/grandiose, over-the-top. orchestral splendour". I think you will find a lot of others share that taste!
I think there is such a string- but not in this subforum (and Guilmant isn't Hungarian, likewise :D)
Quote from: Christopher on Friday 14 October 2011, 14:55
Quote from: Dundonnell on Thursday 13 October 2011, 16:04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdFIFPp64Bk
This is the link to paste into your browser to get the opening of the Fifth Door in a performance conducted by Georg Solti.
I fully understand :) that musical taste is a very personal thing. I am by no means an opera buff-indeed, apart from Wagner, I don't listen to opera at all :(- but when Bluebeard in this opera flings open the door to reveal the extent of his vast domain and the orchestral brass thunder out those magnificent spreading chords, underpinned by the organ and timpani I am always completely overcome ;D
....but-you see-I have a taste for grand/grandiose, over-the-top. orchestral splendour ;D ;D
I LOVE it Dundonnell!
I think you should start a string, if you haven't already, of your favourite pieces of "grand/grandiose, over-the-top. orchestral splendour". I think you will find a lot of others share that taste!
I am delighted that you like it :)
There are indeed many other such "climacteric" moments in music for me....but, yes, probably suited to another thread :)
Yep, let's keep to things Hungarian here...
Quote from: eschiss1 on Friday 14 October 2011, 15:07
I think there is such a string- but not in this subforum (and Guilmant isn't Hungarian, likewise :D)
Can someone provide a link to that thread? I think I will get fired if I am found to be spending time in the office going through lists of threads! :D :D
Quote from: Christopher on Saturday 15 October 2011, 14:51
Quote from: eschiss1 on Friday 14 October 2011, 15:07
I think there is such a string- but not in this subforum (and Guilmant isn't Hungarian, likewise :D)
Can someone provide a link to that thread? I think I will get fired if I am found to be spending time in the office going through lists of threads! :D :D
I have not been a member here for long enough to give you a proper answer....but there are two possibilities in page 30 of The Composers Section.
another request of interest (to me, of course :) ) - music by Ervin Lendvai (1882-1949), his symphony (in D, op.10) or chamber music, for example?
Quote from: Amphissa on Sunday 25 September 2011, 15:14
I've opened a folder for Hungarian composers, beginning with premier performances of a couple of pieces by Miklós Rózsa, who was one of the great composers of Hollywood movie scores.
I find it incredible that no postings for Lászlo Lajtha appear in this folder, he is an extremely gifted composer.
9 symphonies, and much more..
http://www.musicweb-international.com/Balkan_discography/ECE_Balkan_Symphonies1.htm#LAJTHA
hear a sample:
http://www.concertzender.nl/programmagids.php?date=2011-08-22&month=-3&detail=50762
Composities van Lászlo Lajtha. (1892-1963) #6.
- Symfonisch gedicht Hortobagy.
- Variaties opus 44.
- Ouverture tot het ballet Lysistrata. Symfonieorkest van Pécs olv. Nicolás Pasquet. Marco Polo 8.223667, 8.223669 en 223672.
I have discovered recordings in my possession of two works by Liszt with which I was unfamiliar ;D
One is "The Legend of Saint Cecilia" and the other "The Bells of Strasbourg". They are both conducted by Janos Ferencsik.
Are these commercially available?
The Liszt works are both from a 2001 Hungaroton CD, but I don't know if it's still available. I've read about them (and remember the description of the Strasbourg work, I believe) in Walker's biography (volume 3) but haven't heard them.
Ah well...that rules them out then :(
I've just uploaded the complete symphonies (eight of them!) by Pál Kadosa (1903-1983). I don't believe I've encountered any mention or discussion of him on this forum, but in my opinion (and that of various experts on Eastern European music) he's one of the major unsung Hungarian composers of the 20th Century. I don't know why he's so neglected these days in his homeland, but that neglect has certainly translated into ignorance of his music in the rest of the world. I've been very fortunate to be able to amass all eight of his symphonies over the years from various sources, and gladly present them here for the rest of the forum members to investigate, and hopefully to enjoy!
Thanks, Latvian, for the Kadosa symphonies. For me the glaring Hungarian symphonic gap is Gyorgy Kosa with 9 symphonies. There's a Hungaraton cd of 8; a friend sent me a recording of 5, a fine work, which I'd be glad to upload if I knew how.
Somewhere I have recordings of Kadosa's two Violin Concertos, but don't remember them as being particularly impressive.
Thanks for your large Kadosa contribution, Latvian! I have just downloaded the symphonies I still needed (I only had Nos. 6&7 up to now). Just giving the music a listen here and there, I noted that there is something wrong with No. 8 however. The fourth movement sadly suffers from an LP problem, listen to the last two minutes or so (things start at about 6:15): it's all the same! (And the end is missing.) Is there a way to fix this?
By the way, I also have a recording of Kadosa's two violin concertos (but haven't transferred the LP yet).
QuoteThanks for your large Kadosa contribution, Latvian! I have just downloaded the symphonies I still needed (I only had Nos. 6&7 up to now). Just giving the music a listen here and there, I noted that there is something wrong with No. 8 however.
Thanks for letting me know, Holger. Unfortunately, I don't own the LP and don't have access to it, so I can't fix it. Perhaps someone else on the forum has it?
QuoteBy the way, I also have a recording of Kadosa's two violin concertos (but haven't transferred the LP yet).
I have them also, as well as three of the piano concerti, all digitized. I can easily upload if there is interest from the forum.
Re Kadosa: listened to one or maybe two of the symphonies (maybe at least part of the LP with symphonies 6 and 7 and concerto for piano 4?) awhile back on LP at the university library. Looking forward to hearing them again when I get back from vacation. Thanks much!! (Now I wonder what Kosa's symphonies sound like :) )
New York Public Library has Kadosa sym. 8 in the 1971 score - next time I'm there I need to remember to have a look. (Boosey, which now distributes Kadosa, only lists his 1st and 6th symphonies on their site- and other works, but no other symphonies of his, I think.)
Thanks from me, too Latvian, great addition and I am definitely interested in his concertos if you have the time. Best wishes, and more thanks for all the other uploads you have given us.
Thanks for the Kadosa symphonies! However, I notice that in the fourth movement of the eight symphony, around 6:13, the music starts to go into an endless loop, as if the record were skipping, and it continues in that loop until the end.
QuoteThanks for the Kadosa symphonies! However, I notice that in the fourth movement of the eight symphony, around 6:13, the music starts to go into an endless loop, as if the record were skipping, and it continues in that loop until the end.
See my response, above, to Holger's observation of this problem. Sorry! I hadn't listened to this in several years and had forgotten there was a problem.
Thanks for posting the Erod; I have a recording of his viola concerto somewhere around - need to check whether it's a commercial release. Looking forward to hearing his symphony!
Thanks for some interesting items here. Does anyone have compositions by Andras Mihaly, except from the fine Cello Concerto (hungaroton, Perenyi is the soloist) and a string quartet issued by Melodiya ?
I don't, but Worldcat lists several recordings of his music- perhaps most were LPs (only 2 CDs, which seems accurate). Apparently his symphony no.3 was a Hungaroton LP in 1971, and a cantata was also released at another point. (The cello concerto is a reissue on CD of such an LP, I think? Haven't heard his music yet myself, by the way, but will have a listen if posted- thank you. Hrm. Student of Leo Weiner?)
Thanks for the Ranki symphony. A truly kaleidoscopic composer!
Could we have something else by him?
Thanks again!
Quote from: gpdlt2010 on Sunday 08 April 2012, 12:31
Thanks for the Ranki symphony. A truly kaleidoscopic composer!
Could we have something else by him?
Thanks again!
I will upload the side B in a few days, there are also a couple of CD's available for download at classicsonline.com
I've been interested in learning more about the twentieth century Hungarian composers Gyorgy Kosa and Pal Jardanyi. I have a few string quartet scores by both composers, but have not been able to find any recordings of those works. The former wrote music in a very expressionist vein. If anybody has anything from them, I would love to check it out.
Thanks,
Justin
Quote from: caostotale on Monday 09 April 2012, 04:13
I've been interested in learning more about the twentieth century Hungarian composers Gyorgy Kosa and Pal Jardanyi. I have a few string quartet scores by both composers, but have not been able to find any recordings of those works. The former wrote music in a very expressionist vein. If anybody has anything from them, I would love to check it out.
Thanks,
Justin
Hungaroton CD 31742 contains Jardanyi's Violin Concerto, Symphony in Five Sections and Vivente e Moriente.
My thanks to Sicmu for the Ranki. Someone at another blog posted one of his works titled simply "1512", but offered no explanation about this curious title. Is it a significant date in Hungary?
Anyway, any clue would be appreciated.
Quote from: Bill Hayden on Saturday 05 May 2012, 16:25
Dear Elroel
Many thanks for Szabo's oratorio but the three links seems to be identical as contains.
Bill,
no, they aren't. Quite on the contrary, you need to download all three of them to be able to extract the piece! We recently discussed a similar issue in the Czech folder. I already downloaded Szabó's Oratorio and can assure all is fine with the links (and the piece itself is rather interesting as well).
Caostale asked for Jardányi and Kósa.
A couple of compositions of Kósa found their way to the cd (a.o. Symphony #8. My lp copy is from the same tape, alas.
Apart from his 9 symphonies he was, especially in Hungary, best known for his vocal works.
I' ll try to post a couple of them asap: Cantata's "Orpheus,Eurydie,Hermes", "Karinthy', "Solitlak,Hattyu", "Todesfuge'. All these works are rather small cantatas.
Two chamber works I also did not find on cd: 12 Miniaturs for harp trio and a cello sonata.
From Járdanyi I only have a Sonatina for flute and cembalo, but this is on tape, and I have no idea of the qualty of that file.
I posted a minute ago, Ferenc Szabó's Hazatérés [Cto for Orch] in the Hungarian folder.
Happy listening.
Elroel, can you provide information about the singers, orchestra and conductor for the Szabo Oratorio ???
The performers of the Szabó Ferenc's Oratorio Föltamadott a Tenger are:
Róbert Ilosfalvy, tenor
Budapesti Kórus (Chorus Master: Miklós Forrai)
Hungarian State Orchestra/cond: Gyula Németh
There is nothing on the sleeve note about the artists.
I don't know why I didn't provide this information in the first place. Maybe my eyes were more closed than I thought. Sorry.
Greetz
Elroel
Here's a scan of the back cover for the Szabo :
(http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/1bdf/gd9242mn11hy3265g.jpg)
I just gave Szabó's Concerto for Orchestra a listen, that's quite a good piece of music! Despite the fact it is subdivided into a real multitude of little sections as Elroel pointed out in his description, the work really has something which I might call symphonic unity. Interesting composer, thanks for all the further pieces (and the scan) as well.
Quote from: Holger on Sunday 06 May 2012, 17:55
I just gave Szabó's Concerto for Orchestra a listen, that's quite a good piece of music! Despite the fact it is subdivided into a real multitude of little sections as Elroel pointed out in his description, the work really has something which I might call symphonic unity. Interesting composer, thanks for all the further pieces (and the scan) as well.
.....and dreadful man, apparently :(
Are there any private recordings of Dohnanyi's symphonic cantata Cantus Vitae Op.38? I know there was a performance within the last decade or so.
A thousand thanks for the recent Mihalys; I´ve been looking for his orchestral music besides the great Cello Concerto for many years & am looking forward to hearing more by him.
Thanks much for all the Kadosa- enjoyed listening to the LP of 2 of his symphonies at the university library awhile back, good to hear more of his music! The viola soloist- sorry if this has been pointed out -I think is Lukacs, not Lukaca?
Thanks again for all the music and discussion, I must say again (I'm not leaving, but sometimes I notice I... eh... long, long story.) People here are a treasure. Yes.
Quote from: Elroel on Wednesday 16 May 2012, 12:26
Bela Tardos - Symphony (subtitled 'In memoriam martyrum') (1960)
Symphony Orchestra of the Hungarian Radio and Television
Conductor: Miklós Erdélyi
From: lp Qualiton LPX 1199 (The release must be before 1967 I guess, because the composer was still living)
I'm afraid this is not the best quality I ever uploaded. A quick run with filtering was not much better, so I left it unchanged. It's up to you, if you need to do anything with it.
I will check my copy and if it sounds OK I will upload it
I am sorry to be a nuisance yet again, Elroel, but I think there may be a mistake with the link for the Sarai Symphony ??? It does not direct to Mediafire.
Could you re-check please :)
Quote from: Dundonnell on Wednesday 23 May 2012, 00:54
I am sorry to be a nuisance yet again, Elroel, but I think there may be a mistake with the link for the Sarai Symphony ??? It does not direct to Mediafire.
Could you re-check please :)
If you copy the entire link and paste it will work. :)
Thank you for that advice :)
It does ;D
Just a reminder: all you need to do is highlight the link and hit the second icon from the left on the middle row to insert the hyperlink.
I've added in the Downloads board five late works by Karl Goldmark: The Overtures Merlin, Sappho, Ein Wintermärchen and Aus Jugendtagen together with a Ballade for Violin & Orchestra.
About Ranki
QuoteSomeone at another blog posted one of his works titled simply "1512", but offered no explanation about this curious title. Is it a significant date in Hungary?
I had the same problem, but this work could be 1514, fantasy for piano and orchestra from 1962, based on woodcuts of Derkovits (according New Grove). Checking Wikipedia, 1514 is the year of a peasant revolt in Hungary.