János Starker and Contemporary Music

János Starker performing Kodály Sonata 3rd Movement, 1989 at a recital in Tokyo, Japan.

János Starker‘s performance of the Kodály Sonata 3rd Movement will make the jaws of even those who find classical music boring drop in awe. Actually, the Kodály Sonata isn’t classical at all–it’s an unpredictable composition typical of the 20th century Modernism characterized by random absurdity. The piece reminds me of a Jackson Pollock painting, its incisive notes exploding out of order and intertwining in an irrational yet beautiful melody. This is why I love the Modernist movement–how everything doesn’t make sense but makes sense at the same time. The genius lies in the artists’ unique ability to make aesthetic beauty out of the broken, to create meaning within the chaotic.