Born in Kecskemét on 16 Dec 1882, Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály was brought up in the country. He was surrounded by folk music from an early age and all but taught himself how to play the piano and string instruments, and ultimately, how to compose . In 1900 he went to study under the tutelage of Koessler at the Academy of Music in Budapest, and in 1905 he began to collect folk songs. In partnership with Bartók, he transcribed these folk songs, and the pair also composed new pieces together. In 1907, Kodály visited Paris, and brought the music of Debussy back with him. This proved to be an inspiration to both Kodály and Bartók, and their first concerts took place in 1910.
Kodály accepted folk material in his music, rather than simply analysing it, like Bartók. His style therefore makes less use of counterpoint, and is harmonically simpler and more articulate. Kodály’s major works take many cues from traditional Hungarian folk music, whereas Bartók found inspiration in a more diverse range of material from other countries.
Kodály also did a lot of work on the theory of musical education, and particularly the use of choral singing as a tool to assist the development of musical literacy. He went on to teach at the Budapest Academy, and after World War II his ideas and methods started to be accepted and used in many other institutions throughout the world.
Operas:
Háry János (1926); The Transylvanian Spinning-Room (1932); Czinka Panna (1948)
Orchestral music:
Summer Evening (1906); Háry János suite (1927); Dances of Marosszék (1930); Dances of Galánta (1933); Peacock Variations (1939); Concerto for Orchestra (1940); Symphony in C (1961)
Choral music:
Psalmus hungaricus (1923); Budavári Te Deum (1936); Missa brevis (1944); At the Martyr's Grave (1945); The Music Makers (1964);
Chamber and instrumental music:
2 string quartets(1909, 1918); Sonata, vc, pf (1910); Duo, vn, vc (1914); Sonata, vc (1915); Capriccio, vc (1915); Magyar rondo, vc, pf (1917); Serenade, 2 vn, va (1920); Sonatina, vc, pf (1922); Wind quartet (c 1960)
