JoAnn Falletta Finds the Right Approach for Kodaly

This is the second Kodály outing for JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic. And it's the final volume, too. Kodály didn't write that much orchestral music. But he did write was solid gold. 

This release features the Hary Janos Suite, one of his most popular works. Falletta conducts the orchestra with a light touch. The protagonist is a braggart, and his stories aren't meant to be taken seriously. There's a sense of fun embedded in the orchestra's performance. 

"Summer Evening," on the other hand, is perhaps Kodály's least-performed work. I'm hesitant to say "least favorite." I think most folks would fall in love with this music if they heard it. This idyl features a solo cor anglais accompanied by strings and a few other instruments. 

It's a lush, lyrical work. Here Falletta leans into the richness of the harmonies. The strings have a full, warm sound that supports the dark-timbre cor anglais nicely. 

Kodály had worked intermittently on his Symphony in C major. At Toscanini's request, Kodály managed to finish the work two decades after he started it, in 1957. As might be expected, the work's long gestation period precludes any ultra-modern gestures. It has a sense of nostalgia. 

But not for the Late Romantic period. With this work, Kodály seems to be emulating Haydn and Mozart. The orchestra has a translucent sound. And the musicians play with a restraint worthy of Haydn. Nevertheless, Kodály's harmonies and orchestrations root this work in the 20th Century. 

Falletta has forged the Buffalo Philharmonic into a world-class ensemble during her tenure. The result is another outstanding album to add to the BPO's catalog of recordings.

Zoltan Kodály felt that music should be for everyone. The works -- and the performances on this album  -- should have broad appeal. 

Recommended.

Zoltán Kodály
Háry János Suite; Summer Evening; Symphony in C major
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Naxos