Hungarian composer, Zoltán Kodály,wrote several wonderful folk song-inspired works. Kodály and his friend, Béla Bartók, published a comprehensive critical edition of Hungarian folk songs in 1951. Kodály is also known for his contributions to music education. He wrote books on the topic, composed educational music, and constructed a list of principles for music education referred to as the “Kodály Method.”
Kodály’s only symphony has the same folk-song spirit as some of his more explicitly titled works, such as the popular “Dances of Galánta.” The symphony maintains a sense of importance throughout. The first movement is an intentioned dance with nobility and strength. The second has fervor and seriousness. The last movement concludes the piece with heart-pounding energy.
Recordings
Primephonic:
Louisville Orchestra, Robert Whitney, Santa Fe Music Group, LLC.
Spotify:
Louisville Orchestra, Robert Whitney, Santa Fe Music Group, LLC.
YouTube:
Philharmonia Hungarica, Antal Dorati, Decca Music Group Limited, Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
(separate videos for each movement) (first movement below)
Andrew Symington 
Image by Robert Balog from Pixabay
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