Home Composers Zoltan Kodaly

Zoltan Kodaly

Short bio Zoltan Kodaly

Birthday: 1882 in Kecskemét, Hungary
Died: 1967 in Budapest, Hungary
Active: 1910s - 1960s
Genre: Classical,Avant-Garde
Period: 20th Century, Modern

Full biography Zoltan Kodaly

photo Zoltan Kodaly

Zoltan Kodaly was a prominent Hungarian composer, music pedagogue, ethnomusicologist, and linguist. He was born on December 16, 1882, in Kecskemet, Hungary, and studied violin, piano, and composition at the Budapest Academy of Music. In 1906, he wrote a thesis on Hungarian folk song , titled "Strophic Construction in Hungarian Folksong," which explored the unique structure and characteristics of Hungarian folk music.

Throughout his career , Kodaly was a champion of Hungarian folk music and incorporated its elements into his own compositions, which range from orchestral works to choral works and operas. He was also one of the founders of the Hungarian Folksong Recording project, which sought to preserve and document traditional Hungarian folk music.

In addition to his compositions, Kodaly is perhaps best known for his work as an educator and pedagogue. He was a strong advocate for music education and developed the Kodaly method, a teaching philosophy and approach that emphasizes the importance of singing and aural training in early music education. The method has been adopted by many music educators and has had a significant impact on music education worldwide.

Kodaly's contributions to music and music education have been widely recognized and honored. He received numerous awards and honors during his lifetime, including the Kossuth Prize, Hungary's highest cultural honor. Today, his legacy lives on through the continued use and development of the Kodaly method and through performances and recordings of his compositions.

Compositions featuring Zoltan Kodaly

# Name Duration Genre Year
1 Laudes organi, for chorus & organ 20:49 min Choral 1966
2 Epitaphium Joannis Hunyadi, for voice & piano 1:15 min Vocal Music 1965
3 Mohács, for chorus 7:13 min Choral 1965
4 Organoeida ad missam lectam, for organ (revision of Mass for organ) 28:35 min Keyboard 1965
5 A franciaországi változásokra (To the Changes in France), for male chorus 1:18 min Choral 1963
6 An Ode for Music, for chorus 4:30 min Choral 1963
7 The Music Makers, an Ode, for chorus & orchestra 9:49 min Choral 1963
8 Az éneklo ifjúsághoz (To the Singing Youth), for high voice chorus 1:45 min Choral 1962
9 Jövel, Szentlélek Uristen (Come, Holy Ghost), for chorus 1:48 min Choral 1961
10 Sik Sándor Te Deuma (Sándor Sik's Te Deum), for chorus 4:53 min Choral 1961
11 Folksongs (5) of the Mountain Cheremiss for voice & piano 15:06 min Vocal Music 1960
12 Media vita in morte sumus, for chorus ("Homo perpende fragilis") 4:13 min Choral 1960
13 Fancy! (Dal!), for high voice chorus 2:26 min Choral 1959
14 I Will Go Look for Death (Gyászének) for chorus 3:01 min Choral 1959
15 Prelude for violin & piano in C minor (after Bach, Prelude for lute, BWV 999) 1:50 min Chamber Music 1959
16 Hungarian Dances (3) (Kállai kettos), for violin & piano (Kodály authorized arrangement by Fejgin) 4:35 min Chamber Music 1958
17 Méz, Méz, Méz (Honey, Honey, Honey), for double high voice chorus 1:15 min Choral 1958
18 A nándori toronyor (The Tower Watchman of Nándor), for male chorus 0:46 min Choral 1956
19 Emléksorok Fáy Andrásnak (In András Fáy's Album), for male chorus 1:23 min Choral 1956
20 Intermezzo for chorus & piano (from "Háry János") 5:06 min Choral 1956
21 Magyarország cimere (The Arms of Hungary), for chorus 1:17 min Choral 1956
22 Nemzeti dal (National Song), for male chorus 5:01 min Choral 1955
23 Epigrammák (Epigrams), pieces (9) for 2 instruments (or voices) & piano (arranged from vocal work) 12:33 min Chamber Music 1954
24 Epigrammák (Epigrams), vocalises (9) for voice & piano (or female chorus or chorus & organ) 11:15 min Vocal Music 1954
25 Tricinia, progressive songs (28) for 3 voices 36:16 min Vocal Music 1954
26 Zrínyi szózata (Hymn of Zrínyi; Zrínyi's Appeal) for baritone & chorus 19:22 min Choral 1954
27 Békességóhajtás: 1801 esztendo (Wish for Peace: 1801), for chorus 3:25 min Choral 1953
28 Csillagoknak teremtoje (Creator of Stars), for soprano, tenor & piano (Little Duets No. 7) 1:32 min Vocal Music 1953
29 Kiolvasó (Counting Song) for soprano, tenor & piano (Little Duets No. 8) 1:01 min Vocal Music 1953
30 Little Duets (8) for soprano, tenor & piano 11:51 min Vocal Music 1953
31 Minuetto serio, for orchestra (version of piece from "Czinka Panna") 6:39 min Orchestral 1953
32 Gavotte for 3 violins & cello 2:27 min Chamber Music 1952
33 Geneva Psalm 114 (A 114. genfi zsoltár), for chorus & organ 2:54 min Choral 1952
34 Prelude and Fugue, for cello & piano in E flat major (after Bach, BWV 853) 8:47 min Chamber Music 1951
35 Kállai kettos (Kálló Double Dance), for chorus, 2 clarinets, cimbalom & strings (arranged from the song) 3:55 min Choral 1950
36 A szabadság himnusza (La Marseillaise), arrangement for mixed or high voice or male chorus 2:53 min Choral 1948
37 Geneva Psalm 50 (Az 50. genfi zsoltár), for chorus 6:26 min Choral 1948
38 Jelige (Epigraph), for mixed or female or male chorus 1:39 min Choral 1948
39 Missa Brevis for soloists, chorus & orchestra (arranged from version with organ) 32:32 min Choral 1948
40 Naphimnusz (Adoration), for chorus 1:41 min Choral 1948
41 A magyar nemzet (The Hungarian Nation), for chorus 6:46 min Choral 1947
42 Hejh Büngözsdi Bandi (Hey, Bandi Büngözsdi or The Highwayman), for baritone & male chorus 3:16 min Choral 1947
43 Sirató ének (Dirge), for chorus 3:47 min Choral 1947
44 Élet vagy halál (Life or Death), for male chorus Choral 1947
45 Czinka Panna, incidental music (for B. Balázs' Singspiel) Orchestral 1946
46 Gyermektáncok (Children's Dances) (12) for piano (on the black keys) 9:48 min Keyboard 1945
47 Little Canons (24) on the Black Keys, for piano 3:17 min Keyboard 1945
48 Isten csodája (God's Weeping), for male chorus 5:26 min Choral 1944
49 Rabhazának fia (The Son of an Enslaved Country), for male chorus 2:49 min Choral 1944
50 Vejnemöjnen muzsikál (Wainamoinen Makes Music), for high voice chorus & harp (or piano) 3:37 min Choral 1944
51 A székelyekhez (To the Transylvanians), for chorus 4:29 min Choral 1943
52 Adventi ének (Advent song: Veni, Veni Emmanuel), for chorus 4:19 min Choral 1943
53 Cohors generosa (Régi Magyar diákköszönto; Hungarian Students' Greeting), for boys' chorus 1:12 min Choral 1943
54 Csatadal (Battle Song), for double chorus 2:57 min Choral 1943
55 Geneva Psalm 121 (A 121. genfi zsoltár), for chorus 3:35 min Choral 1943
56 Kádár Kata (Mother, listen), for low voice & chamber orchestra 11:29 min Vocal Music 1943
57 Szép könyörgés (Beseeching), for chorus ("Prayer for Honor") 4:04 min Choral 1943
58 Balassi Bálint elfelejtett éneke (The Forgotten Song of the Bálint Balassi), for chorus 5:43 min Choral 1942
59 Elso áldozás (Communion Anthem), for chorus 4:38 min Choral 1942
60 Missa Brevis for soloists, chorus & organ 31:19 min Choral 1942
61 Gömöri dal (Gömör Song), for chorus 2:36 min Choral 1940
62 Norvég leányok (Norwegian Girls), for chorus 3:01 min Choral 1940
63 Concerto for orchestra 17:55 min Concerto 1939
64 János köszönto (Greeting to St. John), for boys' chorus 1:24 min Choral 1939
65 Semmit ne bánkodjál (Cease Your Bitter Weeping), for male or female or mixed chorus 5:37 min Choral 1939
66 Egyetem, begyetem (Hippity, Hoppity), for high voice chorus 1:24 min Choral 1938
67 Esti dal (Evening Song), folksong for high voice or mixed or male chorus 3:02 min Choral 1938
68 Ének Szent István királyhoz (Hymn to St. Stephen), for unison treble chorus & organ (or for chorus) 4:41 min Choral 1938
69 A csikó (The Filly), folksong for high voice or male chorus 1:22 min Choral 1937
70 Bicinia Hungarica, 180 progressive songs for 2 voices in 4 books 156:27 min Vocal Music 1937
71 Felszállot a páva (The Peacock), folksong for male or mixed chorus 3:10 min Choral 1937
72 Folksongs (3) from Gömör for high voice chorus 4:51 min Choral 1937
73 Kállai kettos (Kálló Double Dance) for voice & piano 6:45 min Vocal Music 1937
74 Variations on a Hungarian folksong, "The Peacock" ("Felszállott a páva"), for orchestra 26:12 min Orchestral 1937
75 A magyarokhoz (Song of Faith), canon for 4 voices 2:39 min Vocal Music 1936
76 Budavári Te Deum (Te Deum of Buda Castle), for soloists, chorus, orchestra & organ ad lib. 17:10 min Choral 1936
77 Easy Childrens' Choruses (7) and Humorous Canons (6), for children's chorus Choral 1936
78 Geneva Psalm 150 (A 150. genfi zsoltár), for chorus 2:31 min Choral 1936
79 Huszt (The Ruins), for male chorus 2:41 min Choral 1936
80 Liszt Ferenchez (Ode to Liszt), for chorus 7:52 min Choral 1936
81 Molnár Anna (Annie Miller), for chorus 8:55 min Choral 1936
82 Angyalok és Pásztorok (Angels & Shepherds), for double childen's chorus 3:59 min Choral 1935
83 Justum et tenacem (Rendületlenül, Resolutely), for male chorus 2:32 min Choral 1935
84 Karácsonyi pásztortánc (Shepherds' Christmas Dance), for children's chorus & piccolo 1:54 min Choral 1935
85 Akik mindig elkésnek (Too Late), for chorus 2:59 min Choral 1934
86 Horatii Carmen II. 10 (Rectius Vives), for chorus ("A szép énekszó múzsájához," "To the Muse of Beautiful Singing") 1:40 min Choral 1934
87 Jézus és a kufárok (Jesus and the Traders), for chorus 6:32 min Choral 1934
88 Karádi nóták (Songs from Karád), folksong for male chorus 6:29 min Choral 1934
89 Katonadal (Soldier's Song), for male chorus, trumpet & drum 3:37 min Choral 1934
90 Kit kéne elvenni (The Bachelor), folksong for male chorus 3:13 min Choral 1934
91 Székely keserves (Transylvanian Lament), folksong for chorus 3:47 min Choral 1934
92 Dances of Galánta (Galánti táncok), for orchestra 16:03 min Orchestral 1933
93 Vizkereszt (Epiphany), for high voice chorus 4:53 min Choral 1933
94 Öregek (The Aged), for chorus 7:07 min Choral 1933
95 Italian Madrigals (4) for high voice chorus 10:04 min Vocal Music 1932
96 Mátrai képek (Mátra Pictures), for chorus 10:52 min Choral 1931
97 Nagyszalontai köszönto (A Birthday Greeting), folksong for high voice chorus or mixed chorus 1:03 min Choral 1931
98 Prelude for organ (originally intended as part of "Pange Lingua") 5:17 min Keyboard 1931
99 Symphony in C major 27:02 min Symphony 1930
100 Dances of Marosszék (Marosszéki táncok), for orchestra (transcribed from piano work) 13:20 min Orchestral 1929
101 Gólya-nóta (The Swallow's Wooing), for high voice chorus 1:27 min Choral 1929
102 Pange Lingua for chorus & organ 10:53 min Choral 1929
103 Pünkösdölo (Whitsuntide), for high voice chorus 8:23 min Choral 1929
104 Táncnóta (Dancing Song), for high voice chorus 1:55 min Choral 1929
105 Új esztendot köszönto (A Christmas Carol), for high voice or mixed chorus 2:20 min Miscellaneous (Classical) 1929
106 Cigánysirató (Gypsy Lament), folksong for high voice chorus 2:29 min Choral 1928
107 Tantum ergo, settings (5) for children's chorus & orchestra Choral 1928
108 Hungarian (Magyar) Rondo for cello & piano (transcribed from Old Hungarian Soldier's Songs) 10:40 min Chamber Music 1927
109 Jelenti magát Jézus (The Voice of Jesus), folksong for high voice or male chorus 3:00 min Choral 1927
110 Lengyel László (King Ladislaus' Men or Magyars and Germans), for high voice chorus 3:48 min Choral 1927
111 Theatre Overture (Szinházi nyitány), for orchestra (originally for "Háry János") 14:54 min Orchestral 1927
112 Gergelyjárás (St. Gregory's Day), for high voice chorus 3:41 min Choral 1926
113 Háry János, opera, Op. 15 68:52 min Opera 1926
114 Háry János, suite from the opera for orchestra 21:16 min Orchestral 1926
115 A bereknek gyars kaszási, Himfy dal (The Quick Reapers of the Grove, Himfy Song), for voice & piano 2:26 min Vocal Music 1925
116 Ballet Music, for orchestra ("Dance of the Dragoons" omitted from "Háry János") 5:35 min Orchestral 1925
117 Túrót eszik a cigány (See the Gypsies Munching Cheese), folksong for female chorus or mixed chorus 2:05 min Choral 1925
118 A csitár hëgyek alatt (From Distant Mountains), for high voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 55) 4:12 min Vocal Music 1924
119 A novérek (The Sisters), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 19) 2:45 min Vocal Music 1924
120 A rossz feleség (The Heartless Wife), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 8) 2:05 min Vocal Music 1924
121 Akkor szép az erd (Lovely is the forest), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 15) 3:02 min Vocal Music 1924
122 Apró alma lehullott a sábra (From the Tree an Apple Fell), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 5) 0:43 min Vocal Music 1924
123 Arról alúl (Over yonder), for high voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 33) Vocal Music 1924
124 Asszony, asszony, ki az ágybol (Woman, woman, out of your bed!), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 16) 1:08 min Vocal Music 1924
125 Chorale Preludes (3), transcriptions for cello & piano (after Bach's spurious BWV 743, 762, 747) 14:36 min Chamber Music 1924
126 Cigánynóta (Gypsy Song), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 24) 1:12 min Vocal Music 1924
127 Egy nagyóru bóha (Long-nose), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 10) 1:45 min Vocal Music 1924
128 Elkiáltom magamat (Far across the village green), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 11) 3:00 min Vocal Music 1924
129 Hej, a mohi hegy borának (Hey, the wine of Mohi Vintage), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 48) 2:11 min Vocal Music 1924
130 Hungarian Folk Music (Magyar népzene), folksongs (62) for voice & piano 168:31 min Vocal Music 1924
131 Három árva (The three orphans) folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 6) 6:50 min Vocal Music 1924
132 Ifjúság mint sólyommadár (A little sad song or Youth is like a falcon), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 27) 2:52 min Vocal Music 1924
133 Katona vagyok én (Called to serve my country), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 32) 2:20 min Vocal Music 1924
134 Kitrákotty mese (Cockrikoo!), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 7) 2:51 min Vocal Music 1924
135 Kocsi, szekér (Wheelcart, barrow), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 12) 1:09 min Vocal Music 1924
136 Kádár Kata (Katie Kádár), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 18) 6:56 min Vocal Music 1924
137 Körtéfa (The pear-tree of Gyöngyös), for high voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 41) 2:20 min Vocal Music 1924
138 Labanc gúndyal a kurucra ('Labantz' mocking 'Kurutz'), for high voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 40) 4:07 min Vocal Music 1924
139 Magas kosziklának (Love's Anodyne), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 25) 4:06 min Vocal Music 1924
140 Meghalok, meghalok (Woe is me), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 13) 2:18 min Vocal Music 1924
141 Megégett Rácország (All our homes), for high voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 39) 3:05 min Vocal Music 1924
142 Most jöttem Erdélybol (I have but just arrived), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 23) 2:54 min Vocal Music 1924
143 Mólnár Anna (Annie Miller), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 1) 8:26 min Vocal Music 1924
144 Ne búsuljon sënki mënyecskéje (The Young Wife), for high voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 57) 0:49 min Vocal Music 1924
145 Rákóczi kesergöje (Rákóczi's Lament), for high voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 42) 5:20 min Vocal Music 1924
146 Songs (3) for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 14 12:38 min Vocal Music 1924
147 Szolohegyen keresztül (Kitty and Johnny) for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 30) 0:52 min Vocal Music 1924
148 Szomorú füzfának (The weeping willow), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 9) 2:59 min Vocal Music 1924
149 Székely Fonó (The Transylvanian Spinning Room), opera 58:54 min Opera 1924
150 Tücsöklakodalom (The Cricket's Wedding), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 20) 2:34 min Vocal Music 1924
151 Vasárnap bort inni (Drinking Wine on Sunday), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 50) 0:50 min Vocal Music 1924
152 Verbunk (Recruiting Song), for high voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 36) 4:41 min Vocal Music 1924
153 Virágos kenderem elazott (All the hemp), folksong for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 14) 0:57 min Vocal Music 1924
154 Zöld erdoben (In the Forest), for low voice & piano (Hungarian Folk Music No. 21) 2:59 min Vocal Music 1924
155 Dances of Marosszék (Marosszéki táncok), for piano 11:48 min Keyboard 1923
156 Hegyi éjszakák 1 (Mountain Nights 1), for high voice chorus (textless) 4:27 min Choral 1923
157 Psalmus Hungaricus, oratorio for tenor, chorus, children's chorus ad lib, orchestra & organ, Op. 13 22:19 min Choral 1923
158 Serenade for 2 violins & viola, Op. 12 21:06 min Chamber Music 1919
159 Fáj a szivem (My Heart Aches), song for voice & piano 6:45 min Vocal Music 1917
160 Kádár István (The Ballad of Stephen Kádár), song for high voice & piano (also published as Hungarian Folk Music No. 37) 4:06 min Vocal Music 1917
161 Régi magyar katonadalok (Old Hungarian Soldier's Songs), for chamber orchestra ("Magyar rondó," "Hungarian Rondo") 9:50 min Orchestral 1917
162 String Quartet No. 2, Op. 10 17:26 min Chamber Music 1916
163 Búsan csörög a lomb (Sadly Rustle the Leaves), song for voice & piano, Op. 6/5 3:47 min Vocal Music 1915
164 Capriccio for cello 4:54 min Chamber Music 1915
165 Sonata for solo cello, Op. 8 31:31 min Chamber Music 1915
166 Songs (5) for voice & piano, Op. 9 17:50 min Vocal Music 1915
167 Duo for violin & cello, Op. 7 25:32 min Chamber Music 1914
168 Drinking songs (2) for male chorus 6:27 min Choral 1913
169 Songs (2) for baritone & orchestra (or piano), Op. 5 16:23 min Vocal Music 1913
170 Megkésett melódiák (Belated Melodies), songs (7) for voice & piano, Op. 6 28:17 min Vocal Music 1912
171 Pieces (7) for piano, Op. 11 20:35 min Keyboard 1910
172 Pieces (9) for piano, Op. 3 21:58 min Keyboard 1909
173 Sonata for cello & piano, Op. 4 18:11 min Chamber Music 1909
174 Sonatina for cello & piano 8:24 min Chamber Music 1909
175 String Quartet No. 1, Op. 2 40:18 min Chamber Music 1908
176 Meditation sur un motif de Claude Debussy, for piano 5:29 min Keyboard 1907
177 Songs (4) for voice & piano 12:16 min Vocal Music 1907
178 Songs (16) on Hungarian Popular Words for voice & piano, Op. 1 25:19 min Vocal Music 1907
179 Vékony a pókháló (Slender Is a Silk Thread), song for voice & piano, Op. 1/9 1:58 min Vocal Music 1907
180 A Nád Jancsi csárdában van (At the tavern Janek's hiding), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 14) 2:49 min Vocal Music 1906
181 Azért, hogy én huszár vagyok (As a soldier I must leave you), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 13) 0:33 min Vocal Music 1906
182 Gerencséri utca (Scarlet roses growing), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 16) 0:52 min Vocal Music 1906
183 Ha felülök, csuhaj (Here's my horse), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 15) 1:42 min Vocal Music 1906
184 Hungarian Folksongs for voice & piano, Vol. 1/11-20 (Magyar népdalok, Nos. 1-10 by Bartók, Sz. 33, BB 37) 20:44 min Vocal Music 1906
185 Isten hozzád, szülöttem föld (The prisoner), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 19) 2:12 min Vocal Music 1906
186 Láttad-e te, babám (Poplar leaves are falling), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 17) 1:38 min Vocal Music 1906
187 Magos a rutafa (Green rue), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 12) 3:36 min Vocal Music 1906
188 Songs (3) on poems by Béla Balázs, for voice & piano, Op. Post. 6:34 min Vocal Music 1906
189 Summer Evening (Nyári este), for orchestra 17:35 min Orchestral 1906
190 Törik már a réteket (Now the fields are being ploughed), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 18) 1:02 min Vocal Music 1906
191 Virágom, véled elmegyek (Queen of flowers), for voice & piano (Hungarian Folksongs No. 11) 5:54 min Vocal Music 1906
192 Adagio for violin (or viola or cello) & piano 8:10 min Chamber Music 1905
193 Intermezzo for string trio 5:07 min Chamber Music 1905
194 Valsette for piano 1:26 min Keyboard 1905
195 Este (Evening), for soprano & chorus 5:12 min Choral 1904
196 Miserere (Psalm 51), for double chorus 5:45 min Choral 1903
197 Ave Maria, for high voice chorus & organ 2:02 min Choral 1898
198 Romance lyrique, for cello & piano 5:28 min Chamber Music 1898
199 Stabat mater, for male chorus 2:23 min Choral 1892
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