Bartok

[fnork]

I seem to have a period now when I'm exploring Bartoks music. I've only played a few of his pieces before - simple ones, like "Evening in transylvania" and "Bear dance". I just started learning the first Romanian dance, op 8a, which is a lot of fun to play. I borrowed a book with sheet music from the library, and found another piece, the left-hand study, which is a great piece of music too.

I still haven't heard too much of his music though, and I was wondering what Bartok pieces you would recommend? I'm mostly interrested in the solo-piano stuff, although I've heard some really good violin - piano pieces. All of the pieces I've played so far are quite "tuneful" and not very atonal, but from what I understand, a lot of his music is... well, harder to listen to. What do you think? I don't know very much about him really, but I'm looking forward to hear more of his music.


Also, what pianists do you recommend for his music?

[Lance Morrison]

i'm not going to be too helpful, sorry, but thought i'd offer a few words

I traditionally look down a bit upon him since he is along with Debussy and Stravinsky and Ravel the other very popular and accepted 20th century composer, but I shouldn't hold that against him. don't know that much about him, but if people think Bartók is hard to listen to, I must proceed to laugh......maybe that is a bit rude, but in any case he gets a bit dissonant, but nothing too unpleasant--really I think he uses dissonance quite tastefully anf effectively, and it is much easier to digest because of his rhythmic and pecussive use of the piano. his sonata is very splendid though...one of my favourites, other than that, his out of doors suite is very nice

going to see Pierre Boulez conduct Bartók and Debussy next week!

[fnork]

I'm really just passing along what others have been saying about him, it's not my opinion since I haven't heard much of him. Almost everything I've heard have been good, I think, but I haven't heard much. And about him being hard to listen to - I started practicing the Romanian dance no 1 op 8a today, and it didn't take much time until my mother became annoyed and asked what the hell I was practicing... Obviously, she didn't like it, but I think it's a bit hard to listen to. Or, rather, if you're at home and trying to think of something else while listening to Bartoks "Bear dance" or something like that, the music will really annoy you...

It's usually a good idea to practice Beethoven sonatas at home or chopin ballades, and to practice modern music somewhere else 

[ravel]

bartoks, piano sonata is out of this world, specially the first and third movements. listen to kocsis play it, i dont think any one can beat him on that.  also his suite opus 14 is really good as well, for his piano works the best pianists are kocsis, sandor, kovacevic and geza anda ( for his piano concertos anda is the best i have heard till now),

[lostinidlewonder]

I agree with the Bartok Sonatas, I have seen people jump out of their seats after a good peformance of it, although very very tough. It is played in international competitions quite often.

His Roumanian Dance (1911) with 2 movements is absolutely fantastic, still very tonal though. Better than his more popular 6 movement one in my opinion. www.prs.net has midi recordings of them both. I've played before, always with great response.

[fnork]

I think that's the Romanian dances that I'm playing now... it starts with fifths in the left hand really low, right?

Have you played the second dance too? I've heard the first one on record, but not the second one - is it good too? The sheet music look a bit awkward, but it's hard to judge without having heard a recording.

Did he write several piano sonatas?

[lostinidlewonder]

Yep thats the one. I always play them together. The second one is awesome of course, ill have to ask for a mp3 from a mate of mine(who has like everything) or ill get off my ass and record it for you.

He wrote a lot of sonatas, but only for 1 piano alone if im not mistaken. He wrote sonatas for piano/percussion too since he was very interested in the percussive nature of the piano(it is a percussion afterall). The piano sonata trasforms the piano into this big percussion instrument, causing the entire instrument to shake in resonation as well as having sections where it is almost xylophonic in its hardness. You need incredible strength to play it right.

[fnork]

hehe, thanks, but I can try to find it in a CD store with a REAL pianist playing it instead of some unknown pianoforum guy      just kidding....

anyway, the piano sonata, was it composed in 1926? if so, I just found a recording of it online, have to listen to it soon.

[Lance Morrison]

YES 

[lostinidlewonder]

I was just offering you a listen to it if you never heard it before. Not trying to say here ill play it better than any ones else recordings of it  buttt thats what you get for offering charity, thrown back in your face lol. i think ill go cry now boo hoo lol

[DarkWind]

i'm not going to be too helpful, sorry, but thought i'd offer a few words

I traditionally look down a bit upon him since he is along with Debussy and Stravinsky and Ravel the other very popular and accepted 20th century composer,

Huh? Let me guess this straight, since he's famous and accepted, he should be looked down? At least, that's how I interpret your message.

Anyways, try out his Three Etudes, and the infamous Allegro Barbaro. For orchestral things, try the Piano Concerti, and, above all, the Concerto for Orchestra. It's powerful stuff.

[Lance Morrison]

i don't think he should be looked down upon, i just do it anyways to a certain extent as a natural response. i didn't say i thought it was right

[Corsair]

Bartok was one of the greatest C20th Composers, i've just recently played in the sonata for 2 pianos and percussion... absolutely superb music- not for the faint hearted or the schubert lover though

Anyway, apart from the etudes and the allegro barbaro which, i believe have already been mentioned, i suggest you hunt out two lesser known pieces called "ket elegia" and see what you think of those.

[steinwayguy]

I'm shocked nobody's mentioned the Out of Doors suite. Arguably his greatest solo work, in my opinion. The three piano concerti are definitely worth checking out, as is the Concerto for Orchestra, the sonata, op. 14 suite and Allegro Barbaro.

[Corsair]

I'm shocked nobody's mentioned the Out of Doors suite. Arguably his greatest solo work, in my opinion. The three piano concerti are definitely worth checking out, as is the Concerto for Orchestra, the sonata, op. 14 suite and Allegro Barbaro.

out of doors completely slipped my mind, but i agree, it is a great piece of piano writing- also the piano version of the symphonic poem "kossuth" (sp?) is worth a listen