Composer

:

Zoltán Kodály

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1963

Publication Date

:

1970

First Performance

:

May 31, 1964

Average_duration

:

9:49

The Music Makers is a choral work composed by Zoltán Kodály in 1963. It was premiered on September 22, 1963, in Budapest, Hungary, by the Hungarian Radio and Television Choir and the Hungarian State Orchestra, conducted by János Ferencsik. The work is divided into six movements, each of which is based on a poem by a different poet. The first movement, "We, the Music Makers," is based on a poem by Arthur O'Shaughnessy and sets the tone for the entire work. It is a celebration of the power of music and the role of the artist in society. The second movement, "The Voices of the Dead," is based on a poem by George Meredith and is a meditation on mortality and the power of memory. The third movement, "The Song of the Rebel," is based on a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley and is a call to action for those who would challenge the status quo. The fourth movement, "The Song of the Misunderstood," is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and is a lament for those who are not understood by society. The fifth movement, "The Song of the Earth," is based on a poem by Friedrich Nietzsche and is a celebration of the natural world. The final movement, "The Song of the Eternal," is based on a poem by Walt Whitman and is a meditation on the nature of eternity. The Music Makers is characterized by its use of dense harmonies and complex rhythms. Kodály was known for his use of folk music in his compositions, and this influence can be heard in the use of modal melodies and irregular meters. The work is also notable for its use of orchestration, with the choir often accompanied by a large orchestra that includes percussion, brass, and woodwinds. Overall, The Music Makers is a powerful and moving work that celebrates the role of the artist in society and the power of music to inspire and transform. Its themes of mortality, rebellion, and the natural world are timeless and continue to resonate with audiences today.

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