Composer

:

Zoltán Kodály

Genre

:

Orchestral

Style

:

Suite

Compose Date

:

1926 - 1927

Publication Date

:

1927

First Performance

:

Mar 24, 1927

Average_duration

:

23:33

Movement_count

:

6

Movement ....

Háry János is a Hungarian opera composed by Zoltán Kodály. It was first premiered on October 16, 1926, at the Royal Hungarian Opera House in Budapest. The opera is based on the character of János Háry, a veteran of the Austro-Hungarian War, who tells tall tales of his heroic exploits to anyone who will listen. The opera is divided into six movements, each of which tells a different story from János Háry's life. The first movement, "The Fairy Tale Begins," introduces the character of János Háry and sets the stage for the rest of the opera. The second movement, "The Viennese Musical Clock," tells the story of János Háry's encounter with a magical clock that can play any tune he desires. The third movement, "Song," is a love song that János Háry sings to his sweetheart, Iluska. The fourth movement, "The Battle and Defeat of Napoleon," is the most dramatic of the opera. It tells the story of János Háry's involvement in the Battle of Leipzig, where he single-handedly defeats Napoleon. The fifth movement, "Intermezzo," is a short instrumental piece that serves as a break between the dramatic fourth movement and the comedic sixth movement. The final movement, "The Entrance of the Emperor and His Court," is a comedic piece that tells the story of János Háry's encounter with the Emperor and his court. János Háry tells the Emperor tall tales of his heroic exploits, but the Emperor sees through his lies and exposes him as a fraud. The music of Háry János is characterized by its use of Hungarian folk melodies and rhythms. Kodály was a pioneer in the field of ethnomusicology, and he incorporated many traditional Hungarian elements into his music. The opera is also notable for its use of spoken dialogue, which was unusual for an opera at the time. Overall, Háry János is a lighthearted and entertaining opera that showcases Kodály's skill as a composer and his love for Hungarian folk music.

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