Friday, March 28, 2014

Erich Wolfgang Korngold - His Music and His Life

Erich Wolfgang Korngold was born in Pruenn, former Czechoslovakia, on May 29, 1897. His father, who lived from 1860-1945, was one of the most popular critics in Vienna and wrote especially for the well-known "Neue Freie Press Wien" (New Free Presse Vienna).

At the age of of 11, Korngold started to compose the music for the mime stage play "The Snowman" (1908). Classic music radio stations, for example in Germany, still enjoy playing Korngold's "Tragedy Overture" (1911) or the overture to "Viel Laerm um Nichts" (Much ado about no nothing - Shakespeare).


1920, Korngold reached his careerHamH's pinnacle with his opera "The Death City" in Hamburg.

But even that, Korngold never became an original music inventor. 1938, he went to Hollywood, where he passed away.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Violin Concerto in D major - Stefan Jackiw

Zoltan Kodaly - His Music and His Life

The Hungarian Zoltan Kodaly was born in Kecskemet on December 16, 1882. Kodaly's way of living was very similar to his best friend Bela Bartok. Together with Bartok, Kodaly collected folksongs in Hungary, the whole Balkan and North Africa.

Kodal's biography shows an incredible career: Professor for music theory, vice conductor, music critic and writer for several local and international publications as well as university editor... .

His most popular compositions have been "Psalmus Hungaricus" (1923), "Dances from Galanta" (1931), the symphonic play "The Spinning Room" (1932) or the hymn praise song ""The Budapest Tedeum" (1936). - His last work was a beautiful symphony, which premiered in 1962 with Kodaly's student Ferenc Fricsay (1924-1963).

Zoltan Kodaly passed away in 1972.