Hungarian Dances

SKU: BT.EMBZ14737

9x12 inches.

The title of the suite Early Hungarian Dances from Gömör suggests the arrangement and harmonization of dance tunes, but this three-movement cycle is far more than that: in fact, the old court dances that provide the thematic material have been freely thought through and brought to completion. The composer has breathed new life into the 18th-century melodies, as Zoltán Kodály did with the Galanta and Marosszék dances, Antonin Dvo ák with Slav dances, and Johannes Brahms with those of Hungary. The chief virtues of the work are its colourful, varied instrumentation, the tasteful combination of its archaic style with the musical language of our day, and not least the fact thatits every bar is enjoyable to play and easy to listen to.

Der Titel der Suite Alte ungarische Tänze aus Gömör lässt die Bearbeitung und Harmonisierung von Tanzmelodien erahnen, doch der dreisätzige Zyklus ist viel mehr als das: Es ist die freie Weiterentwicklung und Vollentfaltung alter höfischer Tanzmelodien, die den Themenstoff geben. Der Komponist erweckt die Melodien aus dem 18. Jahrhundert in einer Art und Weise, wie das von Zoltán Kodály mit jenen aus Galánta und Marosszék oder von Antonin Dvo ak mit den slawischen oder von Johannes Brahms mit den ungarischen Tänzen gemacht wurde. Die Hauptvorzüge des Werkes sind die bunte und abwechslungsreiche Instrumentierung, die geschmackvolle Verknüpfung des archaisierenden Tons mit derSprache der zeitgenössischen Musik und nicht zuletzt, dass alle Takte gut zu spielen und leicht aufzunehmen sind.

SKU: HL.50510260

ISBN 9790080142493. UPC: 073999664782. 9.0x12.0x0.24 inches. Hungarian, English, French. Ferenc Farkas.

Ferenc Farkas arranged a handful of early Hungarian dance pieces, preserved in various late Renaissance music manuscripts, for several groups of performers. His arrangement Hungarian Dances from the 17th Century for chamber orchestra introduced generations of young music students to the charming world of Hungarian musical history.

SKU: BR.PB-5116-07

ISBN 9790004210086. 6.5 x 9 inches.

From among Brahms' 21 Hungarian Dances, the composer orchestrated three of them himself and conducted them in this version. These three had not been available as study scores to this day.

SKU: BR.OB-3214-30

ISBN 9790004300985. 10 x 12.5 inches.

From among Brahms' 21 Hungarian Dances, the composer orchestrated three of them himself and conducted them in this version. These three had not been available as study scores to this day.

SKU: BT.EMBZ14992

The composer wrote of his work as follows: In the music of Hungary, folk songs are manifestly of great importance, on the other hand our ancient airs and dances play a modest role. For this work I have been influenced by dances of the 17th century, written by unknown amateurs in a relatively simple style. Most of these dances were recorded between the 14th and 18th centuries under the usual form of tablature notation. My interest in this music was first captured in the 1940s. I was so fascinated that I decided to give these melodies new life. I fitted the little eight-bar dances together into ternary and rondo forms, and leaning on early Baroque harmony and counterpoint, Iattempted a reminiscence of that atmosphere of the provincial Hungarian Baroque.

So schrieb der Komponist über sein Werk:

In der ungarischen Musik sind natürlich die Volkslieder sehr wichtig, doch die alten Melodien und Tänze spielen in unserer Musik eine geringere Rolle. Für dieses Werk habe ich mich von Tänzen des 17. Jahrhunderts anregen lassen, die von unbekannten Dilettanten, also ziemlich einfach, geschrieben worden waren. Die meisten waren in der zwischen dem 14. und 18. Jahrhundert geläufigen Tabulaturschrift notiert. In den vierziger Jahren begann ich mich erstmals für diese Musik zu interessieren. Ich war davon so fasziniert, dass ich mich entschloss, sie wieder zum Leben zu erwecken. Ich fügte die kleinen achttaktigen Tänze zu dreiteiligen undRondoformen zusammen. Ausgehend von der frühbarocken Harmonik und Kontrapunktik habe ich mich in einer Art ungarischen provinziellen Barocks versucht.“.

SKU: AP.36-50703012

ISBN 9781628762532. UPC: 660355076503. English.

Brahms composed 21 Hungarian Dances beginning in 1869. All were composed for piano, but many of them have been orchestrated and are performed by symphony orchestras. They are based on Hungarian folk songs and dances, and No. 5 is the most popular. Standard interpretation includes many tempo changes with the Violin 1 part requiring more advanced technique.

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