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László Lajtha (1892-1963) was one of the greatest Hungarian composers the first half of the twentieth century, and he also made important contributions to ethnomusicology, music pedagogy, and international cultural diplomacy. During his lifetime he was mentioned (predominantly in France) together with Bartók and Kodály, who were a decade older: 'les trois grands hongrois' - the three great Hungarians. Because of his opposition to communism, after 1948 his works were hardly ever played in Hungary. In recent decades, musicians, scholars, and the public have begun to rediscover his distinctive oeuvre. Orchestral works form one of the main strands in László Lajtha's oeuvre. The 1941 composition bearing the subtitle Les Soli bears the title 'Symphony', though the forces used differ from those of his nine symphonies: strings, harp and percussion, with no winds. Thus it was written not for a symphony orchestra, but for an extended string orchestra, and its closest relatives would be the two sinfoniettas for string orchestra. The title refers to one of the characteristics of the work, the instrumental solos. In terms of technical and musical bravura, Les Soli stands out even from Lajtha's generally very difficult works, and perhaps for this reason it is one of the composer's most rarely performed pieces. This is the first ever disc to be made of this work. In the Sinfonietta No.1 the influence of Hungarian folk music and classical western art music (particularly Bach, Haydn, and Mozart) are felt equally. This classically balanced, three-movement 'little symphony' with its divertimento style, playful mood, is not without reason one of the most popular, most often played of Lajtha's works. The Sinfonietta No. 2 from 1956 bears the baleful mood of one of the most difficult periods of Hungarian history. The three movements are laid on a broader canvas and have more weight than in the earlier sinfonietta. The sound is denser, has more body, and there are no solos.

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Press Quotes

As an introduction to Lajtha's music, this fascinating and well-recorded release is as good a place as any to start. A further bonus is the excellent accompanying annotations which supply detailed background to the music, setting it within a biographical context.

     —Stephen Greenbank, musicweb-international.com

It is also very nice to be able to hear this music played with such zest, confidence and commitment by musicians who have this music in their blood.

     —Hubert Culot, musicweb-international.com

The Budapest Chamber Symphony does an excellent job giving music of real distinction the care and attention that it so richly deserves. The sonics are also consistently fine, the live audiences dead quiet.

     —David Hurwitz, classicstoday.com

This is a well-recorded and nicely presented album from the Budapest Music Center... the performances are committed and highly enjoyable. This is a valuable contribution in raising the profile of one of Hungary's best composers.

     —Dominy Clements, musicweb-international.com