The composers of this new album are united by their intimate affection for folk music. Thus, as part of the folk song research initiated by Bartók in 1905, Kodály set out on the then arduous path of noting down songs practiced by Hungarian folk music groups and singers at the time, which had in the meantime largely fallen into oblivion. More than 3,500 Hungarian folk songs were collected, whose idiosyncrasies Kodály scientifically examined as "clear proof of the living, creative power of the people. As a result of this field research, more or less clear echoes of Hungarian folk music have found their way into numerous works by the Hungarian master composer. This is especially true of his lesser-known chamber music, such as his Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7, included on this album dedicated to Kodály and Dvořák, which is deeply rooted in Hungarian folk music and reflects it in all its earthiness.

Born of musical parents, Bohemian Dvořák's works combine influences from the Classical and Romantic periods. His last creative periods from 1876 to 1881 and from 1886 to 1891 had an easy-to-listen-to Czech folk influence, such as his popular trio, Op. 90 "Dumky," written for piano, violin and cello. Unlike the classical trio model, the "Dumky Trio" is nothing more than made up of six successive dumkas. The dumka is a dance originally from Ukraine, which belongs to the genre of folk songs. With his "Dumky Trio" Dvořák has thus, in a sense, created a Ukrainian counterpart to his Slavonic Dances. The very rapid mood changes of the Dumky are said to have suited Dvorak's own temperament like no other of his compositions.

The Kodály/Dvořák album was recorded on the occasion of the Lockenhaus Festival 2021 with artists of the first rank who, although not acting as permanent chamber music ensembles, spontaneously grew together in the uniquely inspiring atmosphere of Lockenhaus to form a convincingly acting piano trio and a no less convincingly acting violin/cello duo. The latter, in the persons of violinist Barnabás Kelemen and cellist Nicolas Altstaedt, receives a deeply subtle, playfully perfect rendition with tastefully and skillfully employed rubato gestures that lend spontaneity and authenticity to this Kodaly Trio's folk music derivative and that do honor to the earthiness of Hungarian folk music. The "Dumky" Trio is in no way inferior to the Kodály Duo in terms of authenticity through constant changes of tempo. Alexander Lonquich's piano sound is bursting with multi-layered colorfulness and his two partners, who so brilliantly fashioned the Kodály Duo, bring their stunning musicianship to the "Dumky" Trio as well. The trio recording is supplemented by a sketch of his third movement, which develops quite different musical ideas than this movement of the ultimately valid trio. This look into Dvořák's composer's sketchbook is certainly interesting.

The present Kodály/Dvořák album is a chamber music event of the very highest order that, with the bonus of superb recording engineering, belongs in any serious collection of classical highres-downloads.

Barnabás Kelemen, violin
Nicolas Altstaedt, cello
Alexander Lonquich, piano