Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 29, Rhapsody, Op. 3, Notturno Ungherese, Op. 28

Rozsa (1907-1995) retains his notable popularity by virtue of his scores for Hollywood films, but this Hungarian composerenjoyed a thorough musical grounding at the Budapest
Academy. His Op. 3 Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra (1929)marks his musical break-through, a piece composed for virtuoso Klaus Munch-Holland of Leipzig.

In 1958, having finished the score for Ben-Hur, Rózsa worked on a “double concerto” for friends violinist Jascha Heifetz and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, his Sinfonia concertante for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra, Op. 29. The piece makes use of the Hungarian, edgy. ethnic style employed by fellow composers Bartók and Kodaly.The cello sets the tone for the 2nd mvmt lyrical theme-and-variations, which gained a life of its own, Op. 29a.The last mvmt is aggressive and militant, reliant on the brass and orchestra percussion to complement the interchange of the two solo instruments. A gypsy allure enters the writing, in which the harp and strings permit some softer reflection. A 3rd tune emerges, an animated, fiery, gypsy dance in uneven meters.

In 1961, Rózsa had completed the score for the epic El Cid, and he left for Rome to compose his Notturno ungherese, Op. 28. The short work features a clarinet melody of some nostalgicbeauty, a night-piece meant to re-awaken the composer’s youth. The music builds gradually to a large climax and then fades away.