REZSÖ SUGÁR (1919-1988): Suite for Orchestra, Metamorfosi for Orchestra, Partita for String Orchestra.

Description: This 75-minute issue of Hungarian radio recordings from 1968, 1969 and 1974 will provide you with the most enjoyable Bartókian compositions not written by someone named Bela Bartók. Sugár studied under Kodály but as he aged, he plainly felt much more connection stylistically and formally with Bartók. The 1954 Suite is bright, optimistic and colorful - not unlike the brighter movements of Bartók's ballet scores; the 1966 Metamorfosi is for all intents and purposes a Concerto for Orchestra which gives many orchestral instruments - especially in the lower wind and brass - moments of soloistic display; the Partita of 1967 is a more intense work, darker, full of the tension and nervous energy which you might associate with middle European works for strings from the 1930s (like Honegger, most obviously) and which carried over to the works of many Czech composers of Sugár's generation. Hungarian Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra; György Lehel, Ervin Lukács (Suite).