Mihaly Mosonyi (1815-70) is a pivotal figure in the history of Hungarian music, and these 32 varied miniatures allow us as many glimpses into how gipsy (as opposed to authentic Hungarian) melodies served as the solid basis of his educational piano works. However, Mosonyi only entered his Hungarian 'phase' once he had abandoned both his original name (Michael Brand) and a markedly German style of composition. Brand was responsible for two symphonies, four Masses, six string quartets, a Grand Nocturne for piano trio and various other works; 'Mosonyi', for two Hungarian operas, cantatas, 'Festival' music and various transcriptions and orchestrations.
The Hungarian Children's World (1859), which was originally issued in three separate collections, serves as a nationally-flavoured introduction to the world of concert music for piano, painting stories in sound (''The Little Cowherd'', ''Orphan Girl'', ''Death of a Little Playfellow'' and so on) and confronting various technical problems en route. His 20 Studies for Development in the Performance of Hungarian Music (1860) is similar in concept, and even more intent on spreading ''a knowledge of true Hungarian style'' (to quote Marco Polo's excellent annotator, Dr Dezso Legany), although my ears tell me that this is more in the style of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies than of Bartok's various sets of Hungarian melodies. Attentive listeners will spot thematic similarities (some specific, others oblique) between these pieces and the Rhapsodies, and Dr Legany is surely justified in claiming that ''the whole series [of Studies] is an admirable introduction to the performance of these well-known compositions of Liszt'', i.e. the Rhapsodies. As 'an admirable introduction to the performance... ', yes; but whether or not they make for worthwhile listening will depend largely on who is playing them.
Kadosa-pupil Istvan Kassai offers crisp, unaffected readings that 'deliver the goods', so to speak, even if they don't exactly set the world alight. I could imagine someone like Cherkassky or Stephen Hough igniting some of the more extrovert pieces with rather more flair, but Kassai is a worthy player and his cleanly-recorded performances should be welcomed by students of romantic piano repertory—especially those interested in Liszt and early Bartok.'