Carry on with his excelent integral of Miklós Rózsa symphonic works for the Koch label, conductor James Sedares put together four mixed orchestral pieces, written and corrected by the composer along thirty years. The CD opens with the one which sent him to Fame, the Variations op.13, here presented on its 1943 revision following the suggestions of conductor Bruno Walter, a capital work to understand the subsequent development of the composer. Clearly infuse of an markedly hungarian spirit, from its simple main theme, the own composer adds a clinical analisis on CD's notes. Very different, although equally hungarian in essence, its the Hungarian Nocturne op.28, composed in 1928 when his fame as a movie composer were at its highest: ten minutes of a very beautiful musical development with a prevailing basis of strings, very near to his best romantic themes for the movies. The Three Hungarian Sketches op.14 are the perfect example of the vibrant musical style of Rózsa's first years, on his way to his best works. Premiered in 1938, when he just began his movie career in London, its balanced ternary structure (fast-slow-fast), also reflected on last movement, create a pleasant sensation of stability and joy. The last work on the CD, the Overture op.26a, was composed shortly after his music for Lust for Life (1956), seems like an unconscious emotional response from the composer to the revolt of his hungarian countrymen, which ended with the russian tanks invasion. Very visual on its whole, almost cinematographic, the Overture uses a very evident sonata pattern, and prove then the permanent adhesion of the composer to the classic methods and structures in a moment on which the concert music were suffering a clear transformation. The CD comes with an autograph note from the late composer, taking about the recording and congratulating himself of the achievement.

Theme, Variations anf Finale, op.13a (1933 - Revision of 1943) - 19:22
Hungarian Nocturne, op.28 (1964) - 9:39
Three Hungarian Sketches, op.14 (1938) - 19:30
Overture to a Symphony Concert, op.26a (1957) - 8:45
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra - Conductor: James Sedares
KOCH INTERNATIONAL CLASSICS - 371912H1 / 57'

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