Zoltán Kodály collected Hungarian folk songs along with his friend, Béla Bartók, and his compositions were greatly influenced by these, as well as by church chants and modalities. As an educator, Kodály believed that singing in schools was the best way to acquire an appreciation of music and he developed a teaching system that used song in this manner. It seems a little churlish, then, to criticize this recording for being an excellent amateur production, but perhaps recordings serve a different purpose for many of us than live performance experiences. The choral singing on this CD is earnest and in tune, but the basic sound quality is a little raw and open; this is good, not beautiful, singing. Moreover, conductor William Jon Gray seems to take tempos that are if not slow, a little on the “safe” side. In comparing his performance of the Missa Brevis with Kodály’s own (of the orchestral version) from 1957, the composer is, except in one movement, always a little crisper than Gray. And this when Kodály was well into his 70s! That said, there aren’t nearly enough recordings of this lovely, lyrical repertoire, so this one must be welcomed for its strengths. It has very good sound and benefits from Marilyn Keiser’s authoritative and persuasive organ solos and accompaniments. Although these readings are okay, they make you wish that someone like Robert Shaw had gotten around to recording this music.
