#41 Suggested Repertoire from Around the World for Developing Bands

This 41st installment of suggested repertoire is proposed by Dr. József Csikota, president of the Hungarian and Central-Eastern European Wind Band Association. University master teacher, assistant professor in charge of conducting education, research teacher, Alkotó Prize winner, two-time Artisjus Prize winner, Hidas Frigyes Prize winner conductor. He is a state-awarded conductor.

Grade 3

Merry Music (1985) – 8'15" – Purchase at Editio Musica Budapest

Frigyes Hidas (Hungary, 1928 - 2007)

Frigyes Hidas (1928–2007) was a Hungarian composer, known mainly for his wind orchestral works, stage music and film scores. Wind orchestral works played a prominent role in his work, which became internationally popular. He also composed operas, ballets, chamber music, choral works and film scores. His music is characterized by well-structured melodies, rich instrumentation and a clear, yet sophisticated style. Frigyes Hidas is one of the significant figures of 20th-century Hungarian music composition, and his works are still frequently performed in Hungary and abroad. Dr. József Csikota, a state-honored conductor, has presented his life and work in a scientific dissertation.

Frigyes Hidas's work, Merry music, is a light-toned, cheerful character piece, which is a popular piece in the repertoire of wind bands. The work creates a playful, optimistic atmosphere with lively rhythms, easy-to-sing melodies and varied instrumentation. The work is not too difficult technically, which is why it is often chosen as a concert piece by youth and amateur ensembles, but its musical sophistication also offers an enjoyable performance opportunity for more experienced ensembles. Hidas' music is characterized by a plain, melody-centered style, which is also clearly visible in the Merry music.

Grade 3

Four Pictures (1983) – 8'20" – Purchase at Editio Musica Budapest

Árpád Balázs (Hungary, 1937)

Árpád Balázs is an Erkel Prize-winning Hungarian composer, conductor and music teacher, who was born in 1937. His rich oeuvre includes choral works, wind orchestra works, chamber works, film scores and pieces for pedagogical purposes. His works are characterized by their richness of melody, their understandable musical language and their commitment to Hungarian musical traditions. He is a defining figure in Hungarian wind music life, the founder and permanent president of the Hungarian Wind Music Association.

The Four Pictures is a four-movement suite for youth wind band, published in 1983, which is easy to play for young musicians, but is also a musically demanding concert piece. The work consists of four characterful movements: Induló (march), Cantilena, Arietta and Játék (play). The first movement is energetic and cheerful, the middle two movements stand out with their lyrical, singing melodic world, while the final Játék (play) provides a virtuoso conclusion to the cycle with its lively rhythms and varied instrumentation. The work is special in that the wind instruments almost “sing”, thus simultaneously developing the orchestral harmony, expressive performance style and tonal culture. For this reason, Four Pictures is one of the most popular and frequently played pieces of Hungarian youth wind bands.

Grade 5

The Undanced Ballet (four movements) (1989) – 18' – Purchase at Editio Musica Budapest

Frigyes Hidas (Hungary, 1928 - 2007)

Frigyes Hidas (1928–2007) was a Hungarian composer, known mainly for his wind orchestral works, stage music and film scores. Wind orchestral works played a prominent role in his work, which became internationally popular. He also composed operas, ballets, chamber music, choral works and film scores. His music is characterized by well-structured melodies, rich instrumentation and a clear, yet sophisticated style. Frigyes Hidas is one of the significant figures of 20th-century Hungarian music composition, and his works are still often performed in Hungary and abroad. Dr. József Csikota, a state-honored conductor, presented his life and work in a scientific dissertation.

The Undanced Ballet is a four movements piece by Frigyes Hidas written for a symphony orchestra, which was composed in 1989. The composer later, in 1996, also created a wind band version of it, which contributed to the work becoming more widely known in the wind band repertoire. The title – “The Undanced Ballet” – refers to its programmatic nature: the work evokes the story or atmosphere of an imagined ballet without any actual stage choreography. Hidas’ music is characterized by its easy-to-follow form, rich instrumentation, and alternating dramatic and lyrical parts, which is why the listener can easily imagine dance scenes to it. The work occupies an important place in the composer’s oeuvre, as it exemplifies his stage thinking and ballet-like musical dramaturgy.

Grade 4

Dome in the Catacomb (2026) – 7' – Purchase at Editio Musica Budapest

Iván Madarász (Hungary)

Iván Madarász is a Hungarian composer who has won the Kossuth Prize. During his career, he has composed in many genres: operas, orchestral, chamber, choral and solo instrumental works, as well as electronic compositions. His works are characterized by dramatic expression, original soundscapes, the application of modern compositional techniques and rhythmic innovations. He taught at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music for several decades and also played a significant role in the professional organizations of Hungarian music life. His work has been recognized with the Ferenc Erkel Prize, the Bartók–Pásztory Prize and the Kossuth Prize, among others.

The Dome in the Catacomb is a contemporary work by Iván Madarász, the title of which already has a symbolic meaning: the dome evokes light, ascension, while the catacomb evokes the underground, closed, dark space. The work depicts the meeting of these opposing worlds with musical instruments. The composition alternates between different timbres, varied rhythms and tense musical processes, creating a meditative and dramatic atmosphere at the same time. The piece reflects Iván Madarász's individual compositional style, in which modern soundscapes and rich musical expression play a prominent role.

Grade 4

Festive Music (1985) – 8'27" – Purchase at Editio Musica Budapest

Frigyes Hidas (Hungary, 1928 - 2007)

Frigyes Hidas (1928–2007) was a Hungarian composer, known mainly for his wind orchestral works, stage music and film scores. Wind orchestral works played a prominent role in his work, which became internationally popular. He also composed operas, ballets, chamber music, choral works and film scores. His music is characterized by well-structured melodies, rich instrumentation and a clear, yet sophisticated style. Frigyes Hidas is one of the significant figures of 20th-century Hungarian music composition, and his works are still often performed in Hungary and abroad. Dr. József Csikota, a state-honored conductor, presented his life and work in a scientific dissertation.

Frigyes Hidas' Festive Music is a work for wind band with a festive atmosphere. The piece is characterized by elevated, fanfare-like themes, rich harmonies and dynamic rhythms. The work alternates between dignified, festive sections and faster, energetic parts, which enhance the dramatic effect of the music. The instrumentation highlights the power of the brass, while the woodwinds and percussion instruments add color to the soundscape. The optimistic, festive character of the work makes it one of the most popular pieces in the Hungarian wind band repertoire.

Grade 6

Wind Symphony for wind band (2008) – 23' – Purchase at Editio Musica Budapest

Kamilló Lendvay (Hungary, 1928 - 2016)

Kamilló Lendvay (1928–2016) was a Kossuth Prize-winning Hungarian composer, conductor and music teacher, one of the defining figures of 20th-century Hungarian music composition. During his career, he also worked as a conductor, music director and university professor, and for many years he headed the music theory department of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. His rich oeuvre includes operas, oratorios, orchestral, chamber and wind band works. His music is characterized by respect for classical forms, modern soundscapes, and the influence of Béla Bartók and 20th-century Hungarian music.

The Wind Symphony is a nearly 23-minute work for wind orchestra composed by Kamilló Lendvay in 2007–2008. The piece combines the formal world of the traditional symphony with modern musical instruments. Its rich instrumentation allows for the full wind band to perform in a colorful manner, while the work offers a varied musical experience with its alternation of lyrical and dramatic sections. The composition is technically demanding, and is therefore primarily in the repertoire of high-quality youth and professional wind bands.