MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             

Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger

REVIEW Plain text for smartphones & printers

Support us financially by purchasing this from

László LAJTHA (1892 - 1963)
Suite pour orchestra, Op.19 [21:38]
In Memoriam, Op.35 [20:32]
Symphony No. 1, Op.24 [19:53]
Pécs Symphony Orchestra/Nicolás Pasquet
rec. 1996, Ferenc Liszt Concert Hall, Pécs, Hungary, May
NAXOS 8.573643 [60.02]

‘How did you enjoy that music?’

‘It was fine.’

‘Are you suggesting it wasn’t that good? You don’t seem too enthusiastic?’

‘No, it was fine, really.’

There is such a phenomenon as well-made music, which has much of interest, and yet, somehow, does not linger in the memory for very long. There is nothing to dislike, nothing less than well-crafted, nothing to give offence. This CD, at least for me, falls rather neatly into that category.

Lajtha was a composer very popular in Hungary. He was a prolific, and on this evidence, very competent composer. As well as the obligatory nine symphonies, he composed in a range of genres, including ten quartets, ballets and film music. One can hear at once why he was so successful at the latter—his late-romantic style, orchestral mastery and sense of colour mean that he can quickly capture a variety of moods, tunefully and giving offence to none.

The First Symphony, a cheerful piece, has much melodic interest, including the use of folk-tunes. Lajtha was, after all, a keen collector of Hungarian folk music and a member of the International Folk Music Council. But I did not find the piece especially memorable or distinctive, even after half a dozen hearings. There is nothing to dislike, but nowhere did I find the composer’s distinctive voice.

The most substantial work on the CD is In Memoriam, written during the Second World War in tribute to its victims. The composer knew what he was writing about, having served for four years as a frontline artillery officer in the First World War. It was dedicated to the BBC and premiered in London by Sir Adrian Boult. The piece has some wide dynamic contrasts and some moments of silence, and is not without interest. Lajtha’s music had some international appeal, with much performed abroad, but it has not established itself in the repertory.

This recording first appeared on the sister label of Naxos, Marco Polo, in the 1990s. Its reissue in a cheaper format may bring it to a wider audience. It fills a significant gap in our awareness of twentieth-century Hungarian music in very good and committed performances by Nicolás Pasquet and the Pécs Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra.
 
Michael Wilkinson

Previous review: Bob Stevenson

 

 



Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing