Wooden Prince
The world plunges into war, with Hungary at the centre. Donald Macleod explores the life of one of Hungary's greatest composers, who travelled Europe recording folk songs.
The world plunges into war, with Bart贸k's Hungary at the centre.
B茅la Bart贸k was regarded as one of Hungary鈥檚 greatest composers. His fellow countryman, the pianist Andras Schiff, called him 鈥渙ne of the giants in the history of music.鈥� But he was also one of the founders of what we now call ethnomusicology, spending much of his time immersed in peasant life, collecting folk songs. As around him Europe was torn apart by conflict, Bart贸k found relief in rural life and took inspiration from these traditional tunes, incorporating them into his own compositions.
In today's programme, as the world plunges into a war with Hungary right at the centre, Bart贸k finds his 鈥渓ife鈥檚 purpose鈥� of collecting folk songs challenged, to say the least.
The Wooden Prince, Sz. 60
麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard
Village Scenes, Sz. 79
Budapest Radio Choir
Budapest Radio Orchestra, Gy枚rgy Lehel
5 songs Op. 15
Julia Hamari, mezzo-soprano
Ilona Prunyi, piano
Hungarian Folksongs (5), for voice & orchestra, BB. 108, Sz. 101
Magdalena Ko啪en谩, mezzo-soprano
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
Produced by Alice McKee for 麻豆社 Audio Wales & West
On radio
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- Thursday 16:00麻豆社 Radio 3
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