László Lajtha (1892-1963), the greatest Hungarian symphonist

Started by kyjo, August 01, 2013, 03:49:09 PM

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André

Indeed ! VW was there first, so it's entirely possible Lajtha was aware of that work. The development seems to take a sinuous, more oriental turn though.

One of my favourite versions of the VW 6th:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkF7-_1EwfY


Eerily similar beginning !

Maestro267

Received my copy of the Pasquet recording of Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6. Within a few minutes of starting No. 5, I'm already entranced. Further marvellous orchestration by Lajtha! While he does have "heavy" passages, a lot of his music I would describe as light and fleet of foot, especially in his use of much-divided strings. The saxophone adds another dimension, and his colouring with harp and percussion is magical!

My one extemely minor bugbear, and it's nothing on the music itself, is...why didn't Naxos order the symphonies properly on the disc? No. 6 is placed before No. 5. Very minor, I know, but I appreciate order in an already chaotic world.

Scion7

Just be glad it is out!  :-)
Apparently, Lajtha is moving enough product (in the Classical record industry scale) that they are investing in recording his material.
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Jo498

The recordings are from the 1990s, reissued on Naxos. So they are not new investments. And the order was already "wrong" on the old Marco Polo issue.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

Maestro267

I didn't ask for a putdown, but OK. Also, I said it was a very minor bugbear.

Scion7

I would never put you down!
I was thankful that this composer was not being ignored.  :-)
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

springrite

I played the Hungariton recording of the Lajtha Symphony #9 today in the car. My 12 year old daughter Kimi said: "What is this music! It is the best I have heard this year!" When I told her it was Lajtha, she said: "How come such a great composer isn't better known and played more?"
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

MusicTurner

Quote from: springrite on October 22, 2020, 09:25:34 AM
I played the Hungariton recording of the Lajtha Symphony #9 today in the car. My 12 year old daughter Kimi said: "What is this music! It is the best I have heard this year!" When I told her it was Lajtha, she said: "How come such a great composer isn't better known and played more?"

Agree, one of the best Lajtha releases, for sure. A more luxurious, complete symphony set would be great.


relm1

Quote from: springrite on October 22, 2020, 09:25:34 AM
I played the Hungariton recording of the Lajtha Symphony #9 today in the car. My 12 year old daughter Kimi said: "What is this music! It is the best I have heard this year!" When I told her it was Lajtha, she said: "How come such a great composer isn't better known and played more?"

What did she say when you asked her why she thought so?

vandermolen

Quote from: springrite on October 22, 2020, 09:25:34 AM
I played the Hungariton recording of the Lajtha Symphony #9 today in the car. My 12 year old daughter Kimi said: "What is this music! It is the best I have heard this year!" When I told her it was Lajtha, she said: "How come such a great composer isn't better known and played more?"
Kimi has good taste  :)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

foxandpeng

Laszlo Lajtha
Symphony 1
Symphony 2
Pecs SO
Nicolas Pasquet
Naxos


I spent some time getting to know the Lajtha symphonies last year, and was really very taken with them. They are such a positive and affirming set of works from a composer I'd never really heard before.

These are so very good! I understand my musical limitations re: anything technical or to be able to speak about structure or form, but it seems to me that these are excellent. I love his ideas and the accessibility of his writing to capture my attention. There is a richness to these works that is very swiftly memorable.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

Karl Henning

Quote from: foxandpeng on March 15, 2023, 10:08:26 AMLaszlo Lajtha
Symphony 1
Symphony 2
Pecs SO
Nicolas Pasquet
Naxos


I spent some time getting to know the Lajtha symphonies last year, and was really very taken with them. They are such a positive and affirming set of works from a composer I'd never really heard before.

These are so very good! I understand my musical limitations re: anything technical or to be able to speak about structure or form, but it seems to me that these are excellent. I love his ideas and the accessibility of his writing to capture my attention. There is a richness to these works that is very swiftly memorable.
I haven't been at all systematic with the Lajtha symphonies, but I always love what I hear.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

foxandpeng

Quote from: Karl Henning on March 15, 2023, 11:00:50 AMI haven't been at all systematic with the Lajtha symphonies, but I always love what I hear.

I'm listening to #4, his Spring symphony now, and it's such a bright and optimistic piece. Amazing, when you consider the political and emotional backdrop he was writing against. Hope can't have felt in much abundance at the time of writing, yet he paints vibrancy and life in this lovely symphony.

Yeah, count me a fan like you, Karl.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

Spotted Horses

This all sounds very tempting, especially since Chandos.net still has Naxos releases on sale for $3 each (lossless download).
There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind. - Duke Ellington

Spotted Horses

There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind. - Duke Ellington

foxandpeng

Quote from: Spotted Horses on March 15, 2023, 04:26:57 PMAny suggestion as to the best place to start?

I think you would really enjoy them, Arthur. I would always encourage previewing via Spotify before any purchase of anything (Caveat Emptor, and all that), but it is such a fine cycle. I think they're all strong.

8 and 9 are pretty turbulent and less light in tone than most of the others. Thoughtfully reflective and darker, certainly. Emotional! 4 is pastoral and optimistic, and really quite lyrical. I know Jeffrey and others really like 2 as an entry point...

Personally? I think I would go in at 5 and 6. Never a dull moment and replete with affirming beauty. Folk tunes, carnival, drama and joy, amongst other threads.

All are immediately accessible and with only a few listens, become very memorable.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

Karl Henning

Quote from: foxandpeng on March 15, 2023, 08:52:12 PMPersonally? I think I would go in at 5 and 6. Never a dull moment and replete with affirming beauty. Folk tunes, carnival, drama and joy, amongst other threads.
Indeed, those have been my first Lajtha symphonies. I think I heard a couple of his quartets first ... where is that CD?...

Quote from: Spotted Horses on March 15, 2023, 12:47:48 PMThis all sounds very tempting, especially since Chandos.net still has Naxos releases on sale for $3 each (lossless download).

Thanks for the pointer/reminder, Arthur. That's just the excuse I needed.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

vers la flamme

Currently listening to the one and only Lajtha disc I have, the first symphony on Naxos. I do like what I'm hearing, though I'm not sure I'm hearing the most distinctive individual voice. Will need to investigate further. Maybe I'll jump on this Naxos download deal before it expires. Anyone care to share what their favorite Lajtha symphony is?

Symphonic Addict

Today I stumbled upon this disc containing Lajtha's Missa in tono Phrygio 'in diebus tribulationis' for chorus and orchestra which I enjoyed. A devotional, gentle work that doesn't feature many dissonances as in other of his compositions, reflecting the spiritual side of the composer.

Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky