Zádor: Orchestral Songs / Wind Quintets [From the Lonely Wayfarer]

The Hungarian-American composer Eugene Zádor belongs to that generation of European composers whose lives were shaped by the political upheavals of the 20th century. Vol. 9 of the Naxos series of his works is dedicated to the more intimate side of his output: “Ode to Peace,” the song cycle “From the Lonely Wayfarer,” four selected songs, as well as the “Suite for Woodwind Quintet,” the “Brass Quintet,” and the “Miniature Overture” reveal Zádor as a versatile composer with a gift for lyrical expression, characteristic timbres, and rhythmic concision.

Particularly noteworthy is the high number of world premiere recordings: with the exception of the “Brass Quintet,” all these works are available on record for the first time. The songs, originally written for voice and piano, were arranged for voice and orchestra by Mariusz Smolij; the “Miniature Overture” has also been newly edited for this recording. Mezzosoprano Matilda Smolij and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra MÁV, conducted by Mariusz Smolij, thus once again open up a largely unknown chapter in Zádor’s extensive body of work.