Kodály: Orchestral Works

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s exploration of Kodály begins with a vibrant new recording of his Dances of Galánta, full of Hungarian gypsy spirit and seduction. Alternately rhythmic and plaintive, the Concerto for Orchestra is a technical tour de force that shows Kodály as a master of orchestral color and narrative pacing. The Variations on a Hungarian Folksong “The Peacock,” meanwhile, are scintillatingly played, each brief variation a gem—from the Asian-flavored Variation 10 to Variation 16, a miniature film score in its own right. The Buffalo Philharmonic plays with tautness and verve throughout.