“Quasi cornamusa” – Quasi means “almost”, and cornamusa refers to an old 16th century instrument usually identified with a bagpipe, sometimes with the crumhorn (have you ever seen one? Google it! They have a pretty weird sound
).
In this case, it refers to bagpipes. In February 1910, Bartok heard the bagpipers in Bihar county. Later in November he heard a competition between bagpipes and swineherd’s horns in Ipolysag. And in 1913 he heard a young illiterate Romanian playing the bagpipe in Hunedoara. He recorded these experiences as high points of his ethnomusicological research and later made use of them in his compositions (in the finale of the 15 Hugarian folksongs as you noted, but also in the final movement of his ‘Concerto for Orchestra’ which is full of references to the instrument.
The “15 Hungarian folksongs” are arrangements of actual folksongs (up to a point). Originally these are all monophonic tunes (that is, just a melody), and Bartok was fascinated by the challenge of harmonising such (folklore music was a lifelong passion). He was very careful however not to reduce the implicit harmonies into the major/minor system.
Compositionally, they sit halfway between the “Romanian Christmas Carols” (where the folksongs are clearly heard and the harmonizations are simple chords or uncomplicated counterpoint) and the Improvisations Op. 20 (where the harmonies take the centre stage and the folksongs can barely be heard, let alone recognised.). In the 15 HFS, the melodic material is clearly centre stage, but the harmonic elaboration is considerable.
The cycle is also conceived as a classical four-movement sonata, with the first our pieces (“Four Old Laments”) making up the first – moderato – movement; the fifth piece (“Scherzo”) making up the, er, scherzo or second movement; the sixth piece [“Ballade (tema con variazone)”] corresponding to the third, slow movement, and the last 9 pieces (“Old Dance Tunes“) the last movement – the quick finale.
Old laments:No. 1 – Rubato
Lyrics: “I tie my horse to a weeping willow and bow my head toward him in grief.”
Key: D – Mode: Aeolian. Two variations, each using melody with strumming accompaniment. Traditional folksong.
No. 2 – Andante
Lyrics: “Stay, stay, you little bird. My ailing heart has long awaited you; sick I am with love, comfort, the sadness of my soul. The flower given by my love did not wither yet when he left me for another woman; alas may God punish her alas!”
Key: D – Mode: Dorian – Two variations with introduction, interlude and coda. The folksong is formed by the high notes of the several chords, and in this case it was not a traditional folksong, but one invented by Bartok (at this point in his development as a composer he had adopted the attitude of not distinguishing anymore between traditional and invented folk tunes).
No. 3 – Poco rubato
Lyrics: “Sun, oh sun, shine in all thy brightness, not in midst enshrouded. Ah, where are you going, you three orphans? We embark on a long journey to find work as servants.”
Key: F# - Mode: Phrygian – One variation.
No. 4 – Andante.
Lyrics: “If you did know, my angel, you loved me not, why did you not write me a farewell letter?”
Key: F# - Mode: Dorian – One variation, mixed time signatures.
ScherzoNo. 5 – Scherzo
Lyrics: “My wife is so clean, she washes only once a month; All amy life I’ll regret getting married!”
Key: C – Moe: Dorian – Four variations.
BalladeNo. 6 – Ballade – Andante.
The “Ballade” is the arrangement of a famous folk song: ‘Angoli Borbalia’ of Roza Okros, a tragedy of 23 verses ending up with the death of two lovers.
Key: F – Mode: Dorian. Ten variations.
[to be continued…]
Topic: Bartok: 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs - Quick Question