How to play Bartok pieces

[faa2010]

I am learning, studying and playing some pieces of Bartok For children: no 1,8,17 and 37.

They seem easy and nice, but they have some challenge which I can't surpass like the speed and how to control the pianos and fortes.

Could you give me some indications?

PS Is Bartok very difficult to play?

[huaidongxi]

Bartok intended these compositions to have pedagogical purpose and provide a national standard (he was the national director of piano education) for instruction.  they're supposed to be challenging, in other words. the recommended tempi for the pieces in Mikrokosmos can be very tough to attain as well.  take them as slowly as you require to get the rhythm (as distinct from tempo) and expressive dynamics and touch (there's attention in the 'easiest' pieces in learning to control both).  it might help to listen to recorded performances including Bartok's. [have never been an instructor, but this is my experience in relying on Bartok to study piano fundamentals].