Zoltan Kodaly (1882 - 1967):
JESUS AND THE TRADERS
(Jézus és a kufárok)
Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is best known internationally as the creator of the Kodály Method.
Kodály wrote this choral piece for 4-part choir in 1934. The text is based on bible verses: The story about Jesus arriving in Jerusalem, where he drives the traders out of the temple. In Mark (chapter 11, 15-18) the incident is described as follows:
And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
Debrecen Kodaly Chorus
Conducted by Péter Erdei