Album

Nimbus Records truly has a sound aesthetic that is all its own. Albums recorded on this label tend to have a very diffuse, far away sound, almost with an echo. The recording level is also very low, so the volume really has to be turned up to get any kind of satisfying forte sound. It's really kind of a shame because the artists and ensembles recording on this label are really quite good. The Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, heard here under the direction of Adam Fischer, is clearly a skilled orchestra. The ensemble plays well together and the interpretation, especially of the Háry János Suite, is both thoughtful and energetic. But with a composer such as Kodály for whom rhythm is an important factor, the recording quality itself is a major detractor. Rhythms and articulations become blurred and fast passages become nothing more than a wash of sound. Listeners seeking a recording of these works by a Hungarian orchestra may wish to consider the album made by the Budapest Festival Orchestra under the baton of Ivan Fischer. The interpretation and performance are equally good, but the sound quality is far superior.

© Mike D. Brownell, All Music Guide

CD 1
Zoltán Kodály Composer Háry János, suite from the opera Work 25:20 Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Adam Fischer Conductor
1	1.Prelude: The Fairy-Tale Begins	4:11			$0.99
2	2.Viennese Musical Clock	2:03			$0.99
3	3.Song	5:38			$0.99
4	4.Battle and Defeat of Napoleon	4:42			$0.99
5	5.Intermezzo	5:28			$0.99
6	6.Entrance of the Emperor and His Court	3:18			$0.99
Zoltán Kodály Composer Dances of Galánta (Galánti táncok) Work Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Adam Fischer Conductor
7	Dances of Galánta (Galánti táncok)	17:27			Album Only
Zoltán Kodály Composer Variations on a Hungarian folksong, 'The Peacock' (Felszállott a páva) Work Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Adam Fischer Conductor
8	Variations on a Hungarian folksong, 'The Peacock' (Felszállott a páva)	28:29			Album Only