Performed by Lara Hall and James Tennant of the New Zealand Chamber Soloists
NZ Chamber Soloists (l to r: Katherine Austin, James Tennant, Lara Hall) Photo: New Zealand Chamber Soloists
As far as Hungarian composers go, Kodály is perhaps less well known than his friend and colleague Bela Bartók, but as the programme notes for this concert say: “he forged a musical language that captured the Hungarian spirit like no other.” Even Bartók acknowledged that.
Kodály and Bartók often travelled together, collecting and recording folk music from Central Europe and their music continually quotes or is deeply inspired by the rhythms and shapes of the melodies they encountered.
Kodály wrote his Duo earlyish in his career – he was 32. As well as the obvious folk influences, what’s remarkable about it is his precocious understanding of the technical abilities of the two instruments ... he basically taught himself how to play them both.
Recorded by RNZ Concert in Auckland Concert Chamber, 15 November 2020
Producer: Tim Dodd; Sound Engineer: Rangi Powick
