Something Korngoldian from Eugene Zádor

[Alan Howe]

Try in particular the sumptuous Dance Symphony on this new Naxos CD:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zador-Symphony-Budapest-Orchestra-Mariusz/dp/B0176N4C2U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448722816&sr=8-1&keywords=Zador

[Mark Thomas]

This is a very enjoyable recording. I found the Festival Overture a mite overblown and lacking in content (as such occasional pieces often are, I suppose), but both the Dance Symphony and the Variations on a Hungarian Folksong are a delight. The Symphony (the last of three), which has more of the air of a suite really, is an unpretentious but very atmospheric four movement piece lasting around half an hour. It's chock-full of Hungarian-tinged melody and orchestrated in the most sumptuous Straussian style. None of the movements lasts a bar longer than it needs to and one's attention is held throughout by Zádor's piquant way with harmony and orchestration. Both here and in the wittily inventive Variations (also around 30 mins long, and the best piece of the three IMHO) I was reminded of Dohnányi in playful mood - the Variations on a Nursery Song, the Op.19 Suite or Ruralia Hungarica for example. To be sure, sometimes one is reminded of film music, but that's because that genre was pretty much established by the likes of Korngold and Zádor after they fled the Nazis in the 1930s. It's good to see that Naxos intend more Zádor issues as I can thoroughly recommend this one.

[Claude Torres]

This is the 3rd CD about Zador's compositions from Naxox

Eugene Zádor (1894-1977)
Budapest Symphony Orchestra MÁV
Mariusz Smolij
Naxos 8.572548
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007N0SW14/
• Five Contrasts
• A Children's Symphony
• Aria and Allegro
• Hungarian Capriccio
• Csárdás Rhapsody

Budapest Symphony Orchestra MÁV
Mariusz Smolij
Naxos 8.572549
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ARL9P8K/
• Elegie and Dance
• Oboe Concerto (Hadady, Laszlo, Oboe)
• Divertimento for Strings
• Studies

From Naxos booklets:

Born in Bátaszék, Hungary, in 1894, Zádor demonstrated an early affinity for music (exhibiting great keyboard virtuosity) and, at the age of sixteen, went to study with Richard Heuberger in Vienna. A year later he moved to Leipzig, where he was a pupil of Max Reger. After completing his doctoral degree at the University of Münster, he returned to Vienna, where he taught at the New Vienna Conservatory through the 1920s. While there, he composed (among other works) a symphony and two operas (both produced by the Budapest Royal Opera). He left the Conservatory in 1928 to devote himself full-time to composition and he never ceased writing until his death in 1977. His final catalogue comprised numerous works for orchestra (including four symphonies), several operas, chamber music, piano pieces, choral works, songs and various concertos for what he liked to call "underprivileged" instruments—including trombone, cimbalom, double bass and accordion.
Zádor was one of many composers with European roots who emigrated to the United States in the 1930s and 1940s and made a living in motion pictures while continuing to write music for the concert hall. Unlike his colleagues Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Franz Waxman and Miklós Rózsa, however, Zádor's original work for films is sparse—and mostly uncredited. Instead, he worked in Hollywood as an orchestrator, turning detailed "sketches" by other composers into full orchestral scores. From 1941 to 1963, he worked almost exclusively for Rózsa, who so admired his fellow Hungarian's skill that he insisted on being given his orchestrator of choice (meaning Zádor) when signing his first contract with M-G-M in 1948.

[sdtom]

Quite familiar with the works of Zador. In fact just by coincidence I was listening to the Five Contrasts which is filled with Rozsa references.

[sdtom]

I received volume three of the continuing series of his works and there is certainly a strong mixture of Korngold, Rozsa, and Hungarian all nicely mixed.

[sdtom]

I'm going to review this one for my website as I found this to be somewhat addictive to me, all three pieces. Perhaps I enjoy his "Festival Overture" more than Mark because I found it to be somewhat of an extension of Ben Hur of the Oscar winning score of Rozsa and Zador. Also included are parts that strongly remind me of the film The Lost Weekend. I have the other two volumes and I'm glad that I do.

[sdtom]

https://sdtom.wordpress.com/

something for you to read about it

[Sharkkb8]

No way of knowing how "Korngoldian" this new issue might be (per thread title) - but more from Zádor on the way Aug 12.  And only £6.95 at MDT.   

http://www.mdt.co.uk/zador-eugene-biblical-triptych-budapest-so-mav-mariusz-smolij-naxos.html

https://www.amazon.com/Eugene-Zador-Budapest-Symphony-Orchestra/dp/B01H5JT0LS/ref=sr_1_87?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1470181625&sr=1-87&refinements=p_n_date%3A1249114011

[JeremyMHolmes]

Some soundbites here:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Naxos/8573529#listen

[JeremyMHolmes]

And an enthusiastic and positive review from the ever-dependable Rob Barnett here:

http://musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/Aug/Zador_orchestral_8573529.htm