Frigyes Hidas: Folksong Suite No. 1: Blasorchester

Frigyes Hidas was the most prolific Hungarian composer for wind ensembles and his works are the most often performed. His extremely popular folk song suites are the finest examples of Hidas's mature style.Few composers are capable of tackling folk song arrangement in a worthy manner. Bartók himself had the following to say about the challenges with which this genre confronted the 20th-century composer: 'Knowing how to deal with folk melodies is one of the most difficult tasks. I venture to claim that it is as difficult as, if not more dif- ficult than, writing a large-scale original work… This much is certain: for folk song arrangement the appropriate inspiration is just asessential as for the writing of any other kind of work.'The first suite works up nine folk songs of differing character and atmosphere. To perform them a brilliant technique is required, and an ability to shape the music freely. (Hungaroton HCD 31612)