Kodály’s orchestral output is not vast, but it includes a few works that have made their way into the standard repertoire: the two sets of dances (Galánta and Marosszék) and, perhaps his best known purely orchestral piece, which consists of a set of sixteen variations on a Hungarian folk tune. Commissioned by Willem Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1937, Fölszállott a páva [The peacock flew] is better known in English simply as the Peacock Variations.
While it’s not, strictly speaking, primarily an orchestral work – the Háry János suite consists of instrumental selections from the Singspiel/folk opera, Háry János – to judge by the number of recordings the suite has received, it’s Kodály’s most popular work.
I. Prelude. The fairy tale begins. 00:27
II. Viennese musical clock 04:36
III. Song 06:42
IV. The battle and defeat of Napoleon 12:40
V. Intermezzo 16:45
VI. Entrance of the Emperor and his court 21:56 ∙
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