# Am I crazy or do I hear Kodaly in Varèse?!



## Semyon Kotko (Mar 3, 2016)

The other day I was listening to Varèse's "Arcana" and was quite struck by some of the musical quotations. The similarities between the short riff found on page 13 of the score and "The Infernal Dance" from Stravinsky's "The Firebird" was not all that surprising as Stravinskian quotations in Varèse's music have been well-documented. But, on page 21 in the score I swear to god we hear a passage that sounds almost identical to the "Entrance of the Emperor and His Court" from Kodaly's "Hary Janos Suite"! Could this be a coincidence?! Could Varèse seriously have quoted a piece of music so diametrically opposed to his own?! I can't seem to find anything on the web either confirming or denying this.....Any ideas? You can hear the passage I'm referring to at about the 3:30 mark in the Boulez recording of the work found on Youtube.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Keep up the good work


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## Semyon Kotko (Mar 3, 2016)

I try. 

Care to way in, Mr. Varese? Seems like you would be the ideal hub of information for this particular issue!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Admit knowing I say, the memory wanes these days. Will give it a listen


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'm confused by the claim of Janecek and Varese music being diametrically opposed. Is it? Is the opening brass riff of Sinfonietta all that different from the opening timpani riff of Arcana?


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## Semyon Kotko (Mar 3, 2016)

I was talking of Kodaly, not Janáček, but I suppose your point still remains and I agree that a legitimate argument could be made for your view. Truly, Janáček and Varèse could probably have some sort of tête-à-tête and end up saying to each other, "We're not so different after all...you and I."


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Speaking of Kodaly, isn't it great that classical music draws on such diverse styles and cultures? It really has been "world music" all along.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Semyon Kotko said:


> I was talking of Kodaly, not Janáček, but I suppose your point still remains and I agree that a legitimate argument could be made for your view. Truly, Janáček and Varèse could probably have some sort of tête-à-tête and end up saying to each other, "We're not so different after all...you and I."


Wow! How could I mix up Kodaly and Janecek in my head? Thanks for being a good sport about it.


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## Semyon Kotko (Mar 3, 2016)

No problem. I feel like the whole Eastern European multi-nationalist movement (Janáček, Kodály, Bartók, Semtana, Enescu, Suk, etc.) can easily get muddled up in my head too sometimes.


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