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Zoltan Kodaly
Life Time
16 December 1882 - 6 March 1967
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Z. Kodai, an outstanding Hungarian composer and musicologist-folklorist, deeply connected his creative, musical and social activities with the historical fate of the Hungarian people, with the struggle for the development of national culture. Long-term fruitful and versatile activity of Kodai was of great importance for the formation of the modern Hungarian school of composers. Like B. Bartok, Kodai created his compositional style based on the creative implementation of the most characteristic and
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Z. Kodai, an outstanding Hungarian composer and musicologist-folklorist, deeply connected his creative, musical and social activities with the historical fate of the Hungarian people, with the struggle for the development of national culture. Long-term fruitful and versatile activity of Kodai was of great importance for the formation of the modern Hungarian school of composers. Like B. Bartok, Kodai created his compositional style based on the creative implementation of the most characteristic and viable traditions of Hungarian peasant folklore combined with modern means of musical expression. Kodai began to study music under the guidance of his mother, participated in traditional family musical evenings. In 1904 he graduated from the Budapest Academy of Music with a diploma of composer. Kodai also received university education (literature, aesthetics, linguistics). In 1905 he began collecting and studying Hungarian folk songs. The acquaintance with Bartok turned into a strong long-term friendship and creative cooperation in the field of scientific folklore. After completing his education, Kodai went to Berlin and Paris (1906-07), where he studied Western European musical culture. In 1907-19 Kodai was a professor at the Budapest Academy of Music (class of theory, composition). During these years, his activity unfolds in many areas: he writes music; continues the systematic collection and study of Hungarian peasant folklore, appears in the press as a musicologist and critic, actively participates in the musical and social life of the country. Kodai's works of the 1910s - piano and vocal cycles, quartets, chamber-instrumental ensembles - organically combine the traditions of classical music, the creative implementation of the features of Hungarian peasant folklore and modern innovations in the field of musical language. His works receive contradictory assessments of the criticism and musical community of Hungary. The conservative part of listeners and critics sees in Kodai only a subversive of traditions, a daring experimenter, and only a few far-sighted musicians associate with his name the future of the new Hungarian composer school. During the formation of the Hungarian Republic (1919), Kodai was Deputy Director of the State Higher School of Musical Art named after F. Liszt (this was the name of the Academy of Music); together with Bartok and E. Donanyi, he became a member of the Music Directory, which aimed at transforming the musical life of the country. For this activity under the chortist regime, Kodai was persecuted and was suspended from school for 2 years (he again taught composition in 1921-40). 20-30-ies - the heyday of Kodai's work, he creates works that brought him world fame and recognition: "The Hungarian Psalm" for the choir, orchestra and soloist (1923); the opera "Sekejskaya spinnery" (1924, 2nd edition 1932); heroic comic opera "Hari Janos" (1926). "Te Deum of the Buda fortress" for soloists, choir, organ and orchestra (1936); Concerto for Orchestra (1939); Dances from Marossek (1930) and Dances from Talent (1939) for Orchestra, etc. At the same time, Kodai continued active research activities in the field of folkloristics. He developed his method of mass musical education and education, the basis of which was the comprehension of folk music from the earliest years, absorbing it as a native musical language. The Kodai method was widely recognized and developed not only in Hungary, but also in many other countries. He wrote 200 books, articles, and manuals, including the monograph Hungarian Folk Music (1937, translated into Russian). Kodai was also president of the International Council for Folk Music (1963-67). For many years Kodai remained creative. Among his works of the postwar period, the opera “Zinka Panna” (1948), “Symphony” (1961), “Kallai Kettesh” (1950) became famous. Kodai also acted as a conductor performing his own works. He visited many countries, twice came to the USSR (1947, 1963). Describing Kodai’s work, his friend and colleague Bela Bartok wrote: These works are the confession of the Hungarian soul. Externally, this is due to the fact that Kodai’s work has its roots exclusively in Hungarian folk music. The internal cause is Kodai’s boundless faith in the creative power of his people and their future.”