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BELA BARTOK

Béla Bartók was one of the leading Hungarian and European composers of his time, proficient also as a pianist. He joined his friend Zoltán Kodály in the collection of folk-music in Hungary and neighbouring regions, including, in his case, Anatolia. His work in this field deeply influenced his own style of composition, which is, however, very much more astringent in its apparent mathematical organisation than much of what Kodály wrote. He was out of sympathy with the government that replaced the immediate post-1918 republic in Hungary, where he was held in less official esteem than abroad, and moved in 1940 to the United States, dying there in relatively straitened circumstances in 1945.

Orchestral Music

Probably the best loved of Bartók’s orchestral compositions is the Concerto for Orchestra, commissioned by Koussevitzky for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The two Violin Concertos are important additions to the solo violin repertoire, as is the Viola Concerto, now to be heard in two possible reconstructions. This last and the Third Piano Concerto were left in various stages of incompleteness when Bartók died. Both are moving works, while the earlier two Piano Concertos have much to offer. Other important orchestral works that form not infrequent parts of concert programmes are the Divertimento for strings and the challenging Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta. The energetic Romanian Dances appear in various versions, including one for solo violin and string orchestra, arranged from an original piano composition.

Stage Music

Bartók wrote relatively little for the theatre. His opera Duke Bluebeard’s Castle was first staged in Budapest in 1918, a year after the première of the ballet The Wooden Prince. The pantomime The Miraculous Mandarin enjoyed a succès de scandale in Cologne, where it was first staged in 1926.

Chamber Music

Bartók’s six String Quartets are a significant and important part of repertoire, extending the musical and technical range of the form. The 44 Duos for two violins are primarily educational compositions, but make attractive concert pieces in various groupings suggested by the composer, while the Sonata for solo violin follows, in a modern idiom, the example of J.S. Bach. Bartók’s two Violin Sonatas date from the early 1920s, while Contrasts, for violin, clarinet and piano, was written in America for Szigeti, Benny Goodman and the composer.

A work of some importance is the spectacular Sonata for two pianos and percussion, later rescored by the composer for two pianos and orchestra. The original version makes use of three kettle-drums, a xylophone, two side-drums, cymbals, suspended cymbal, bass drum, triangle and tam-tam, with the two pianos. It has an extended first movement, a night-music second and a tautly rhythmic third. Written in 1937, the sonata experiments fruitfully with the varied percussive sonorities of pianos and percussion instruments.

Piano Music

Mikrokosmos consists of six books of pieces of progressive difficulty, intended to be used for teaching, with the last two volumes including more demanding pieces possible for concert use. Folk melodies form the basis of 85 Pieces for Children, while the 'Allegro barbaro' shows the composer in a more aggressive mood.

View by Role: Arranger | Classical Artist | Classical Composer
Role: Arranger 
Album Title  Catalogue No  Work Category 
BARTOK: Piano Transcriptions Marco Polo
8.223663
Instrumental

Role: Classical Artist 
Album Title
Catalogue No  Work Category 

Role: Classical Composer 
Album Title
Catalogue No  Work Category 
20TH CENTURY COMPOSITIONS - ORFF, C. / RACHMANINOV, S. / RAVEL, M. / REGER, M. / STRAUSS, R. / STRAVINSKY, I. / RESPIGHI, O. / PROKOFIEV, S. Capriccio
C49007
Concertos, Orchestral, Chamber Music, Film and TV Music, Choral - Secular
20TH CENTURY STRING MUSIC Naxos
8.550979
Concertos, Orchestral
A TO Z OF CLASSICAL MUSIC (The) (3rd Expanded Edition, 2009) Naxos Educational
8.558212-13
Concertos, Ballet, Orchestral, Chamber Music, Vocal, Instrumental, Choral - Sacred, Choral - Secular, Wind Ensemble/Band Music, Opera
ARGERICH, Martha: Live at the Verbier Festival (2007-2008) (NTSC) Medici Arts DVD
3078928
Classical Concert
BARTOK (THE BEST OF) Naxos
8.556693
Concertos, Orchestral, Chamber Music, Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: 2 Portraits / BLACHER, B.: Orchestral Variations on a Theme by Paganini (Berlin Radio Symphony, Fricsay) (1952, 1953) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80807
Orchestral
BARTOK, B.: Concerto for Orchestra (Reiner) (1955) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80403
Orchestral
BARTOK, B.: Contrasts / Rhapsody No. 1 / Mikrokosmos (excerpts) (Bartok, Szigeti, Goodman) (Bartok Plays Bartok) (1940) Naxos Historical
8.111343
Chamber Music, Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: Divertimento / BERG, A.: 3 Pieces from the Lyric Suite / STRAVINSKY, I.: Apollon musagete (Camerata Salzburg) Capriccio
C10300
Ballet, Orchestral
BARTOK, B.: Divertimento / Romanian Folk Dances / ROZSA, M: Concerto for Strings (Csaba) Ondine
ODE919-2
Concertos, Orchestral
BARTOK, B.: Instrumental Music (Songs and Dances of Life) (Popovici, Nas, Ketler) Solo Musica
SM113
Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta / STRAVINSKY, I.: Song of the Nightingale (Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Beinum) (1955, 1956) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80677
Orchestral
BARTOK, B.: Piano Concerto No. 3 / PROKOFIEV, S.: Piano Concerto No. 3 (Katchen) (1953) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80509
Concertos
BARTOK, B.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / The Miraculous Mandarin Suite (Kocsis, Budapest Philharmonic, Lehel) Capriccio
C71044
Concertos, Orchestral
BARTOK, B.: Piano Music, Vol. 1 (Jando) - Suite for piano / 7 Sketches / Piano Sonata Naxos
8.554717
Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: Piano Music, Vol. 2 (Jando) - Dance Suite / Romanian Folk Dances Naxos
8.554718
Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: Piano Music, Vol. 3 (Jando) - Out of Doors / Ten Easy Pieces / Allegro Barbaro Naxos
8.555329
Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: Piano Music, Vol. 4 (Jando) - For Children Naxos
8.555998
Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: Piano Music, Vol. 6 (Jando) - The First Term at the Piano / 4 Piano Pieces / Petits morceaux / 2 Elegies Naxos
8.572376
Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: Rhapsody No. 1 / WEINER, L.: Lakodalmas / KODALY, Z.: Cello Sonata (Starker) (1950) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80564
Chamber Music
BARTOK, B.: Sonata for 2 pianos and percussion / For Children (excerpts) (Bartok, Pasztory-Bartok) (1940, 1945) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80806
Chamber Music, Instrumental
BARTOK, B.: String Quartets Nos. 1-6 (Hagen Quartet) Newton Classics
NC8802011
Chamber Music
BARTOK, B.: String Quartets Nos. 2, 4, 6 (Euclid Quartet) Artek
AR-0053-2
Chamber Music
BARTOK, B.: The Miraculous Mandarin Suite / Dance Suite / Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (Stuttgart Radio Symphony, Marriner) Capriccio
C10417
Orchestral
BARTOK, B.: Violin Concerto No. 2 / Violin Sonata No. 1 (Menuhin) (1947, 1953) Naxos Historical
8.111336
Concertos, Chamber Music
BARTOK: Bela Bartok - A Portrait (JOHNSON) Naxos Educational
8.558200-01
Concertos, Ballet, Orchestral, Chamber Music, Instrumental
BARTOK: Bluebeard's Castle Naxos
8.660928
Opera
BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra / Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta Naxos
8.550261
Orchestral
BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra / MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition (Koussevitzky) (1943-1944) Naxos Historical
8.110105
Orchestral
BARTOK: Mikrokosmos (complete) Naxos
8.557821-22
Instrumental
BARTOK: Mikrokosmos (Selection) / Hungarian Peasant Songs, Sz. 71 Naxos
8.550451
Instrumental
BARTOK: Mikrokosmos, Vols. 1 and 2 (Farnadi) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80193
Instrumental
BARTOK: Mikrokosmos, Vols. 3 and 4 (Farnadi) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80194
Instrumental
BARTOK: Mikrokosmos, Vols. 5 and 6 (Farnadi) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80195
Instrumental
BARTOK: Miraculous Mandarin (The) (Complete Ballet) / Hungarian Pictures / Dance Suite Naxos
5.110088
Ballet, Orchestral
BARTOK: Miraculous Mandarin (The) (Complete Ballet) / Hungarian Pictures / Dance Suite Naxos
6.110088
Ballet, Orchestral
BARTOK: Miraculous Mandarin (The) (Complete Ballet) / Hungarian Pictures / Dance Suite Naxos
8.557433
Ballet, Orchestral
BARTOK: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta / Divertimento and other works BIS
BIS-CD-740
Orchestral
BARTOK: Piano and Vocal Music BIS
BIS-CD-182
Vocal, Instrumental
BARTOK: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Naxos
8.550771
Concertos
BARTOK: Rhapsodies Nos. 1 and 2 / Piano Quintet Naxos
8.550886
Chamber Music
BARTOK: String Quartets (Complete) Naxos
8.557543-44
Chamber Music
BARTOK: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 2 (Vegh Quartet) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80085
Chamber Music
BARTOK: String Quartets Nos. 3 and 4 (Vegh Quartet) (1954) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80017
Chamber Music
BARTOK: String Quartets Nos. 5 and 6 (Vegh Quartet) (1954) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80018
Chamber Music
BARTOK: Viola Concerto / 2 Pictures, BB 59 Naxos
8.554183
Concertos, Orchestral
BARTOK: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 Naxos
8.554321
Concertos
BARTOK: Violin Sonata, Sz. 117 / 44 Violin Duos, Sz. 98 Naxos
8.550868
Instrumental
BARTOK: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 / Contrasts Naxos
8.550749
Chamber Music
BARTOK: Wooden Prince (The) Naxos
8.570534
Ballet
Cello Recital: Kosower, Mark - BARTOK, B. / DOHNANYI, E. / KODALY, Z. / LISZT, F. / (Hungarian Music for Cello and Piano) Naxos
8.570570
Chamber Music, Instrumental
Classical Music Start-Up Kit, Vol. 2: 1825-1945 Naxos Educational
8.550835
Orchestral, Instrumental, Music Education
CONCERT FOR LIDICE BIS
BIS-CD-578
Concertos, Orchestral, Choral - Sacred
COREA / BURTON: Chick Corea and Gary Burton TDKDVD
DV-JCCGB
Contemporary Jazz, Jazz DVD
DISCOVER CHAMBER MUSIC Naxos Educational
8.558206-07
Concertos, Chamber Music, Vocal, Instrumental, Contemporary Jazz
Discover Music of the Twentieth Century Naxos Educational
8.558168-69
Orchestral, Film and TV Music, Music Education
DISCOVER OPERA Naxos Educational
8.558196-97
Music Education
Discover the Classics, Vol. 2 Naxos Educational
8.554246-47
Orchestral, Music Education
DISCOVER THE CLASSICS, VOL. 3: The Concerto Naxos Educational
8.554486-87
Concertos, Music Education
DISCOVERING MASTERPIECES - BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra (NTSC) EuroArts
2056098
Classical Concert
DVORAK, A.: Symphony No. 8 / MOZART, W.A.: Bassoon Concerto, K. 191 / BARTOK, B.: Concerto for Orchestra (Los Angeles Philharmonic, Mehta) (NTSC) Medici Arts DVD
2072248
Classical Concert
EUROPA-KONZERT 2003 FROM LISBON (NTSC) EuroArts
2053078
Classical Concert
EUROPA-KONZERT 2003 FROM LISBON (NTSC) EuroArts
2053079
Classical Concert
Flute and String Orchestra Arrangements - BRAHMS, J. / PORUMBESCU, C. / ENESCU, G. / DOPPLER, F. / BARTOK , B. (Nagy, I.-Z., Budapest Strings) Capriccio
C67185
Chamber Music
FRAUTSCHI, Jennifer: Solovision Artek
AR-0016-2
Chamber Music, Instrumental
GOEB: Symphony No. 3 / BARTOK: Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion (Stokowski) (1952) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80215
Orchestral, Chamber Music
Habanera and Other Violin Favourites (Qian Zhou) Marco Polo
8.225909
Chamber Music, Instrumental
JANSONS, Mariss: In Rehearsal (NTSC) Arthaus Musik
100318
Classical Documentary
KODALY, Z.: Dances of Galanta / BARTOK, B.: Dance Suite (London Philharmonic, Solti) (1952) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80572
Orchestral
KODALY, Z.: Hary Janos Suite / BARTOK, B.: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (Solti) (1955) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80217
Orchestral
KODALY, Z.: Peacock Variations / BARTOK, B.: Miraculous Mandarin Suite (Dorati) (1954) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80115
Orchestral
LEAVING HOME: Orchestral Music in the 20th Century (NTSC) Arthaus Musik
102073
Classical Documentary, Choral - Sacred
LEAVING HOME: Orchestral Music in the 20th Century, Vol. 4: 3 Journeys Through Dark Landscapes (NTSC Arthaus Musik
102039
Classical Documentary
MENDELSSOHN, F.: Symphony No. 3 / BARTOK, B.: The Miraculous Mandarin Suite / STRAUSS, R.: Burleske (Dohnanyi) (NTSC) Medici Arts DVD
2072208
Classical Concert
Music for Kids CD 7: Music from Planet Earth Naxos Educational
8.558020
Music Education
OD (Orphei Drangar) Highlights BIS
BIS-CD-383
Choral - Sacred, Choral - Secular, Opera
PALSSON, Hans: I Doda Mastares Sallskap, Vol. 4 Naxos
8.553934
Instrumental
PANDA CLASSICS - Issue Nos. 1-3 (3CD box set) Naxos
8.503204
Concertos, Ballet, Orchestral, Instrumental, Wind Ensemble/Band Music
PIANO MUSIC FOR STUDENTS - Associated Board Piano Examination, Grade 8 (1994) Marco Polo
AB-80801/2
Instrumental
PIANO MUSIC FOR STUDENTS - Associated Board Piano Examination, Grades 1-7 (1994) Marco Polo
AB-80101
Instrumental
PIANO MUSIC FOR STUDENTS - Associated Board Piano Examination, Grades 5 - 7 Piano (1995) Marco Polo
AB-80501
Instrumental
Piano Recital: Biro, Sari - MUSSORGSKY, M. / KABALEVSKY, D. / KODALY, Z. / BARTOK, B. (1951-1952) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80452
Instrumental
PORTER, Q. / BARTOK / RAVEL: Violin Sonatas (Druian) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives
9.80257
Chamber Music
PROKOFIEV / BLOCH: Violin Concertos (Szigeti) (1935, 1939) Naxos Historical
8.110973
Concertos, Orchestral
REVOLUTION DER KLANGE (DIE): Musik im 20. Jahrhundert (NTSC) Arthaus Musik
102072
Classical Documentary
REVOLUTION DER KLANGE (DIE): Musik im 20. Jahrhundert, Vol. 4: 3 Schicksale (NTSC) Arthaus Musik
102038
Classical Documentary
ROMANTIC PIANO FAVOURITES, Vol. 6 Naxos
8.550215
Instrumental
ROMANTIC PIANO FAVOURITES, Vol. 6 Naxos
8.570087
Instrumental
ROMANTIC PIANO FAVOURITES, Vol. 9 Naxos
8.550218
Instrumental
ROMANTIC PIANO FAVOURITES, Vol. 9 Naxos
8.570090
Instrumental
ROMANTIC PIANO FAVOURITES, Vol. 1 Naxos
8.550052
Instrumental
ROMANTIC PIANO FAVOURITES, Vol. 1 Naxos
8.570082
Instrumental
SALZBURG FESTIVAL 2008 OPENING CONCERT - RAVEL, M. / BARTOK, B. / STRAVINSKY, I. (Barenboim, Boulez) (NTSC) C Major
702508
Classical Concert
SCHOENBERG, A: Verklarte Nacht / BARTOK, B: Divertimento / WEBERN, A: Langsamer Satz (Moscow Virtuosi, Spivakov) Capriccio
C67104
Orchestral
SCHUMANN / DEBUSSY / TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Music for Children BIS
BIS-CD-158
Instrumental
SZEKELY, Z.: Violin Sonata / VERESS, S.: Violin Sonata No. 1 / BARTOK, B.: Violin Sonata (Lessing) Capriccio
C10847
Instrumental
VERBIER FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS 2007 (NTSC) Medici Arts DVD
3078058
Classical Concert
Violin and Piano Recital: Eichhorn, Friedemann / Findeisen, Peer - POLYAKIN, M. / LISZT, F. / VECSEY, F. / BARTOK, B. / HUBAY, J. (Encores and More) Solo Musica
SM130
Chamber Music
Violin Recital: Barnabas Keleman Naxos
8.557541
Chamber Music
Violin Recital: Little, Tasmin - KREISLER, F. / BACH, J.S. / MOZART, W.A. / GRIEG, E. / TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I. / BARTOK, B. (Partners in Time) BIS
BIS-CD-1744
Chamber Music
WOMEN AT THE PIANO - AN ANTHOLOGY OF HISTORIC PERFORMANCES, Vol. 2 (1926-1950) Naxos Historical
8.111121
Instrumental
WOMEN AT THE PIANO - AN ANTHOLOGY OF HISTORIC PERFORMANCES, Vol. 3 (1928-1954) Naxos Historical
8.111217
Instrumental
XIAO HONG-MEI : The Art of Viola Marco Polo
8.225945
Concertos, Orchestral, Chinese Music
ZILBERQUIT, Julia: 3 Centuries of Bagatelles Naxos
8.570237
Instrumental





 
 
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