From the Diary of a Fly

[gaer]

This is number 124, Book VI from Bartok's Microkosmos.
 
It's called "From the Diary of a Fly".
 
If no one comments at all, I may edit this to "How I wasted a perfectly good Sunday playing strange music."
 
For those who don't know the piece, which I think may include most people, it starts softly. The fly just "does his (or her) thing" until a crisis point is hit as the music gets louder and louder, marked "molto agitato e lamentoso", with "Ouch! A cobweb!", marked at 40 seconds into the piece. The tempo is supposed to increase a bit, from around 146 to around 160 to the quarter. 11 measures later, at 50 seconds, "con gioia" (with joy) marks the fact that the fly has escaped the web, so he flies away.
 
Gary

[ted]

I am strongly attracted to this music and to the idea of creating a microcosmos of tiny pieces myself, perhaps initially through improvisation. It is the sort of thing we all probably assert we COULD create but never actually get around to doing. You have given me an idea - a session of microcosmic improvisations - the polar opposite of Jarrett's lengthy excursions. Come to think of it, I suppose Milhaud's "Madame Bovary" and "The Household Muse" are essentially microcosmic in form.

The conundrum would be whether or not to give them names and ,if so, whether the music would come first or the names. I don't find this music in the least strange; please let us hear some more.

[berrt]

A great piece, Gary! Thank you for the perfect sunday!

B.

[gaer]

A great piece, Gary! Thank you for the perfect sunday!

B.

Thank you Bertt, Ted. It really is terribly difficult to upload files when so few people say anything. For instance, I see that this recording has been downloaded 28 times (at this moment). I am always shocked that people won't take just a moment to say something, even if it is to say, "Well, I don't really like this piece." To me, no feedback is worse than negative comments, provided that the negative comments are fair.

Gary

[justliam]

Ditto Gaer, that is annoying lol, I've just downloaded but will have to listen later so will comment then.  I love bartok however and have microcosmos 5 and 6 with me but so far the only piece I have learned is 153* the very last one, I was gonna perform it for A - level but opted for the safer (and lengthier hehe) clair de lune

[raymond_]

I loved that.  Thank you.

[virtuoso_735]

Nice.

First time I heard that piece, although I read a lot about that particular piece. Very nicely played from what I can hear.

[kelly_kelly]

Very interesting and well played. Pieces like that aren't always easy to listen to, but I enjoyed and  thought you did a good job  Thanks for taking the time to share it with us!

[totallyclassics]

awesome!  I just recently became introduced to the different style of Bartok.  I love it!
Can't wait until i am good enough to play them myself.   Learn some more Bartok, and play it!   Also, I love the dynamics!   You were perfect. How long have you been playing?
just curious. 


tc

[gaer]

As always, thanks for all your comments. There are other pieces in the Mikrokosmos that are much easier to listen to, some actually very pleasant, I think. I can't help but think that much of Bartok's music for piano would immediately be of interest to the majority of people, not just pianists, if they were written for other instruments. Just think, for instance, of the "Concerto for Orchestra".

I think it would sound horrible, reduced for two pianos, because all the tone color of the different instruments makes all the difference in the world.

[applelover]

awesome piece, thanks

[arensky]

Crystal clear articulation, great tone and phrasing. An excellent performance!

Lucky fly;    but the poor hungry spider, he should have written that too...

[wzkit]

Great stuff! Thanks for posting this up!

[jason2711]

nice playing! thanks!

i played this several years ago for my grade 8, was an interesting contrast to the scarlatti and haydn i was playing with it 

[bearzinthehood]

Hah on first hearing I didn't really pay much attention to this piece.  Now that I hear it again I think it's awesome! 

[pianistimo]

that piece has to be just as hard as the OC!  to play it flawlessly (as far as i could tell) is a great feat.! I happened to find that piece while digging around at wcu library for some things for a student.  i gave him the first few measures to work to get used to hand positions at the keyboard.  i especially like bartok's creativity at the keyboard - starting with one hand comfortably over the other.  when you place one hand over the other - it gives you a sort of feeling of security.  then, to do it slightly touching and barely, and possibly not at all is like a fly grazing over. 

the swiftly changing accents make this piece quite more on the difficult level than i first realized - but it is an EXCELLENT sight- reading piece for beginning adults.  just reading the notes!  as far as playing it, it's probably more on the advanced level - to get through and play well.  glad you showed us how it's done!  And, with a great tempo, dynamics, and movement.  gaer, yur cool.