Bartok - Roumanian Dance No. 1, Op 8 (Work in progress)

[perfect_pitch]

Greetings again... Today was yet another day I thought I would try and upload a piece I have been working on for a little while. Unfortunately I have had played almost no Bartok in my life (yes, I know - it's a bloody travesty) so I'm looking for some advice on my playing so far. Again - my goal is to try and get the piece up and running before the end of February - and have the next 4 1/2 weeks to try and get it much more performable.

Again, any advice on interpretation, phrasing & texture would be great... and any mistakes I make I blame again on the bloody heat... It's friggin' hot here!!!

[perfect_pitch]

Again... after a day of rigorous practice, I'd REALLY appreciate it someone could give me a little advice on Bartok - I've only ever played one piece by him before this, and could do with some help on phrasing, character, pedalling etc...

I know there's probably a couple of 20th century fans who might have some advice for me???

[barnardo]

Again... after a day of rigorous practice, I'd REALLY appreciate it someone could give me a little advice on Bartok - I've only ever played one piece by him before this, and could do with some help on phrasing, character, pedalling etc...

I know there's probably a couple of 20th century fans who might have some advice for me???

You could consider increasing the 'pesante' qualities of your interpretation. Early Bartok can be particularly raw and exciting and I would want to imagine and convey an actual celebratory (probably drunken!) folk dance, with inhibitions of the men and women long forgotten, as they express themselves in a kind of joyous and earthy way!
So while your tempi and articulation make for plenty of contrast and excitement already you might go a lot further in exaggeration, rubato and energy and dynamic. Sometimes the main theme could include a steady slight accel (mini sorceror's apprentice, or fingals cave style) to build the excitement. In the final octaves section, consider broader rubato on the final beat of each phrase of the main theme (these three notes becomes the repeated motif in the last bar which needs to cry out somehow like a shout. An accented stamping quality to the first beats would not be out of place in the melody from time to time.
It takes weight and depth of tone to sustain those melodies (especially in that middle, passionate slow section... this might be an interlude of melodramatic emotional outpourings between the imagined dancers , though i also imagined rivalry and drinking challenges!) so your tone won't lose its richness while maximising the dynamics, so I think the thrill of the music would gain with less ballet shoes and more boots! You already have the notes and rhythms learnt so my suggestion here is to imagine your own dramatic scene to complement Bartok's notations (which I don't even have here in front of me!). It's a glorious little piece! I hope you find some expressive possibilities in my programmatic suggestions.

[perfect_pitch]

I think it's an absolute shame you've only had 12 posts on this site Barnardo... judging by your previous posts, you sound like you have a lot to offer in terms of advice.

And this post seems to be quite intriguing. The only reason that I think I don't take more liberties, is because I've never really ever played ANYTHING by Bartok, so I'm dis-inclined to play with his works too much in case I destroy it (like people who use a lot of Pedal in Bach).

The only reason I was also sparing with the first beat stamps, is because there seems to be very few appearances of accents on the 1st beats, and that if I were to, it may detract from the copious appearances of accents on the 4th beat.

I've got a long way to go with this piece - I know that, so I'm glad you managed to give me some food for thought.

[barnardo]

Perhaps there is more than one way to draw attention to the fourth beat (and you rightly notice that the theme has a kind of interplay between the importances of beats one and four!)  Sometimes a virtuoso crisply executed 4th beat accent is good (particularly when the dance is freshly starting) but I would certainly consider bringing that beat towards a broader almost triplet rubato as the ending approaches.
The most popular late pieces of Bartok (String Quartet 6, Piano Concerto 3, Concerto for Orchestra) sound more glossy and slick, but I find the fresh rhythm and spikiness in earlier pieces like this opus 8 full of character. Your recording reminded me that I first discovered this it in a pile of dusty piano music as a boy. The densely printed sheet music looked a bit scary, but I remember bashing out the tune at the start.

[perfect_pitch]

Again Barnardo - thanks for the great comments. I think the thing that completely stumped me in my attempt to learn the notes was all the fricken accidentals. Trying to commit them to memory took a little longer than it normally takes me.

Will definitely work on this piece a little more. I've got a few days dedicated to this piece, so hopefully by early February I've got something more to show for it.