Zádor: Accordion Concerto & Piano Quintet

 

Volume 8 from Naxos' series of orchestral music by Hungarian composer Eugene Zádor is an absolute gem from beginning to end. Lighter in tone, highly melodic, the listener is treated to a more cinematic voice from Zádor, as well as solo instrument concertante pieces with string orchestra, some arranged by conductor Mariusz Smolij.

Yes, it is rare to see an Accordion Concerto on a program, but Zádor does a nice job of it. Whilst listening, I realize the accordion has a similar reedy timbre akin to a harmonica, another instrument with few concertos to its name. The first movement is an absolute delight, and if the last two movements are moodier, it at least shows the range of the unusual solo instrument and its composer.

Smolij orchestrates Zádor's Piano Quintet for piano and string orchestra, making the work sound more as a concerto. I assume Smolij prepared the score for the Budapest Symphony Orchestra to perform in concert, yet it would have been nice to hear the original chamber piece. In its form on this recording, the music sounds as if a mix of Rachmaninov and Gershwin, with big Romantic motions for the string orchestra, a playful Leroy-Anderson lightness, alongside jazzy harmonies, a music genre I haven't really noticed an interest in from the composer before now.

The other big work on the program is a three-movement Suite for Brass Instruments. Here is another swell multi-movement work from Zádor, showcasing his capabilities writing for a brass group. Zádor leans into the fanfare aspect of these instruments in the opening movement, but also displays the melodic and coloristic effects of brass throughout the work.

Three shorter, one-movement concertante works litter the program as well. The Romance for cello and the Berceuse for violin are both arranged to be backed by a string orchestra, originally composed for piano accompaniment. These two are both beautiful evocations for their respective string soloists, both playing aside a lovely cushion of strings. The longer Hungarian Fantasy for violin and string orchestra develops more musical variety across its runtime, allowing Zádor to lean into his Hungarian roots musically.

The soloists are each balanced well with the orchestra here, playing fervently in their pieces, although I am not familiar with any of them. Only pianist Anna Górecka is on my radar as daughter of Polish composer Henryk Górecki; I do not believe cellist Richárd Rózsa is related to the Hungarian film composer.

I was enchanted throughout this program. I am sure the light-music aspect aided in such feelings, but one can't escape the rampant charm present in each of these orchestral and concertante numbers. The Budapest Symphony Orchestra is sonically captured at their very best on this eight volume, with this listener hoping for a ninth. With the appearance of orchestrations in the last two volumes from Mariusz Smolij, one wonders if the conductor is running out of repertoire to record from Zádor. Let's hope not!

 

 

Works
Accordion Concerto (15.35)
Piano Quintet (25.10)
Suite for Brass Instruments (13.20)
Hungarian Fantasy (12.29)
Romance for cello (3.54)
Berceuse for violin (3.05)

Soloists
Klaudiusz Baran, accordion
Anna Górecka, piano
Dávid Pintér, violin
Richárd Rózsa, cello

Ensemble
Budapest Symphony Orchestra MÁV

Mariusz Smolij, conductor 

Label: Naxos
Year: 2024
Total Timing: 73.43

 

 

 

While many of the middle volumes in Naxos' Zádor series punched high and low, volume seven, and now eight, are simply terrific all around.

This program of mostly concertante works is a little lighter in mood, although as always with Zádor, there is variety a plenty.

One can only wish for yet another volume of Zádor from this team! On the other hand, I would be perfectly happy with the bounty of Zádor compositions already provided by Smolij and Naxos.

 

 

 

 

Find more Zádor recordings HERE!