Dances of Galanta – Zoltan Kodaly
“The piece was composed on commission for the 80th anniversary of the Budapest Philharmonic Society. It is based on folk music of Galánta (now part of Slovakia), where Kodály lived for several years.[1] The composer remarked: “At that time there existed a famous Gypsy band…This was the first ‘orchestral’ sonority that came to the ears of the child…About 1800 some books of Hungarian dances were published in Vienna, one of which contained music ‘after several Gypsies from Galánta’…the composer has taken his principal themes from these old publications” . . . The clarinet is particularly prominent, representing the traditional tárogató (a type of single-reed instrument). ” Wiki
As an undergraduate music major (1958), I performed this piece with the IU Philharmonic under the direction of Tibor Kozma. To listen to the two excerpts, click on the audio buttons underneath the music.
Mozart‘s Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622, was written in October 1791 for the clarinetist Anton Stadler. It consists of three movements, in a fast–slow–fast succession:
- Allegro (in A major and in sonata form)
- Adagio (in D major and in ternary form)
- Rondo: Allegro (in A major and in rondo form)
In 1964, I performed the concerto with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra.
At the reception following the concert, Clinton Arrowood, principle flute, presented me with this caricature.
The following is a recording and the program for one of my DMA recitals.
Debussy and Hindemith
Stravinsky and Brahms