Tribute to Zoltan Kodaly (1965)

Abstract There can be no composer of our century who has done more for the musical life of his country than Zoltan Kodaly. He and Bart6k, together and separately, may be said to have re-created Hungary’s whole musical language.When he started to compose, the dominant influences in central Europe were Wagnerian and Viennese; Hungarian music was equated with mere gypsy music. But turning his back on Austria and looking to Paris, where he first met Debussy in 1907, he could free himself for Folk Song and National Expression. His first major international impact occurred with Psalmus Hungaricus, written in 1923, and first performed in England-who that was there will ever forget it?-in 1927. His later symphonic and orchestral works are firmly in the repertoire of every orchestra. In our concerts this Festival we are to hear his rather less well known chamber works, all written before the Psalmus, but wholly characteristic of the man. With these, we shall have audible witness to that other triumph of Kodaly’s later career, the creation of a tradition of children’s choral singing which has already become something mythical.1 ‘Nobody’, said Kodaly, ‘is too great to write for children; in fact, he should try to become great enough for it.’ He started by creating a repertoire for children, and then revolutionised their education; and he based it on active music-making, and not on passive appreciation; thus he has created a new standard in sight-reading, as well as in vocal intonation and in rhythmic vitality, which listeners to the Budapest girls’ choir called after him will recognise as being quite unique.Like many other creators, he has been subjected from time to time to most venomous criticism, but his courage and integrity has triumphed. He is now, at eighty-two, the most honoured and loved man in Hungary, and we are proud and lucky to have him with us.