Unusually, two works that share the same source of commission and their premiers. Kodály’s Psalmus Hungaricus and Bartók’s Dance Suite were both written for a concert in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the unifying of Buda, Pest and Óbuda to form the city of Budapest. The concert took place on the 19th November, 1923.
In addition to his compositions, Kodály was also well known as an educationalist and an ethnomusicologist (it was he who encouraged Bartók to take a deep interest in folk music). It’s perhaps not surprising then that among his most popular works is an orchestral suite drawn from his folk opera, Háry János (1926). The plot deals with the tall tales of personal heroism told by an old soldier. There is an old Hungarian saying that any tale told before one of its listeners sneezes must be true: Háry János starts with a loud orchestral sneeze!
Kodály: Psalmus Hungaricus
Háry János Suite
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 ∙
Bartók: Dance Suite
00:00 I – Moderato
03:34 II – Allegro molto
05:50 III – Allegro vivace
08:38 IV – Molto tranquillo
11:16 V – Comodo
12:15 VI – Allegro
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Pontarddulais!
The Art of Listening 