Zoltán Kodály (1882 - 1967)

Zoltán Kodály was a prominent Hungarian composer, educator, ethnomusicologist, linguist, author and philosopher. Along with Bartók and Ligeti, he is one of the three major figures in Hungarian music this century. Kodály's many compositions show a strong affinity with the folk traditions of his country and include ballad operas, orchestral works, chamber music, choral works, songs, folk song arrangements and music for children.

Kodály was born on December 16, 1882 in Kecskemét, a small town in central Hungary. Much of his childhood was spent in the Hungarian villages. It was here that Kodály developed a great love for the Hungarian countryside and for the folk traditions of his culture.

From a young age Kodály showed great aptitude and interest in music. His father, an amateur musician, encouraged this interest, particularly the young boy's interest in composition. By the time Kodály reached secondary school he was composing his own music. After completing his school education, Kodály studied at The Franz List Academy (Hungary's most prestigious music institution) and the University of Hungary where he earned a degree in Hungarian, German and then, later, a Doctor of Philosophy in linguistics.

As a composer, Kodály did much to bridge the gap between Hungarian folk music and the European art music tradition. The political climate of Hungary during the 1900's was such that it had strong economic ties with Austria. The music of the Hungarian upper class was Viennese Classical music and the language spoken by educated Hungarians was German. The peasant population, on the other hand, spoke Hungarian and had a thriving folk music tradition of its own. Yet this distinctly Hungarian music was not regarded highly by both professional musicians and the upper class that made up the concert audiences.

In the early 1900's, Kodály and his colleague, Béla Bartók turned their backs on the European music culture of Hungary and focused their attention on their own native folk music traditions. In 1905 they set off on the first of many expeditions to collect and gather traditional Hungarian folk music. Within a year they had arranged and published a collection of twenty folk songs.

Kodály's work was not immediately accepted by "the establishment" who regarded this folk music to be uncultured, and unrefined. Yet, undeterred, Kodály went on many more expeditions to collect and transcribe folk music. In a number of his compositions he began to incorporate actual folk melodies that he had gathered. In 1921 and 1937, Kodály and Bartók published two significant books on the subject of Hungarian folk music. The quality and scholarship of these works caused them to receive worldwide recognition in the field of ethnomusicology.

Kodály sought to address what he saw as some major weaknesses in the music education offered in his country. These weaknesses were evidenced by a low level of musical literacy amongst Hungarian musicians, an ignorance of the musical traditions of their own heritage and the inadequate training of music teachers.

Kodály wished to see a unified system of music education evolve in Hungary, capable of leading children toward love and knowledge about music from earliest nursery school years to adulthood. His vision stirred the support of a great many colleagues, friends and students. His supporters did much to codify and bring to fruition his goals and philosophy.