Classical

Bartok

Christopher Breunig  |  Dec 8, 2010

Music for strings, percussion and celesta; Divertimento for strings; Hungarian Sketches Hungarian National Philharmonic Orch/Zoltan Kocsis - Hungaroton HSACD 32510 (SACD hybrid)

Having recorded the concertos and complete piano solo works, Zoltán Kocsis continues to be the torch-bearer for Bartók’s music. And with his native orchestra everything sounds thoroughly idiomatic (whereas, for instance, fellow-Hungarian Solti’s Bartók had a personalised gloss) and full of gusto. The Hungaroton production offers clear separation and a wide soundstage, though this is accompanied by slight stridency in the Divertimento finale. The hapless drunkard in the fourth of the transcribed Hungarian Sketches should make listeners smile.

Sound Quality: 70%



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