KODÁLY, BARTÓK, MENDELSSOHN
At the end of the 19th century it was evident, that Europe was spiritually bleeding and it was necessary to find solutions. The ethnic music and folklore became very effective means of revitalization. Zoltán Kodály worked in this direction at full speed and reached the well-deserved success. The Dances of Marosszék are an essential model of his method of usage of folklore inspirations. Also Kodály‘s rival Béla Bartók dealt with ethnic music. From the folk song and the folk dance he abstracted hidden structural elements and implanted them in a sophisticated environment – e. g. in his piano concertos. The folk element and the ethnicity also did not slip the attention of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. From each of his journeys abroad this enlightener brought a musical souvenir and immediately used it in a symphonic piece – e.g. in the Italian Symphony with the lively Saltarello in the finale.
Slovak Philharmonic
Ralf Weikert conductor
Vadym Kholodenko piano
Zoltán Kodály Dances of Marosszék
Béla Bartók Piano Concerto No. 3, Sz. 119
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 Italian
Concert Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic
21st February 2019 and 22nd February 2019 at 7 pm