
Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
Composer
Eminent Hungarian composer and pianist. He was initially much influenced by the music Liszt and Wagner but it was his collection of the folk music of Hungary and Romania, which he made with Kódaly, that most influenced his own compositions, such as his Six Romanian Folk Dances, the Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta and the much of his work as well as the more lyrical side. His six String Quartets are acknowledged as the twentieth-century masterpieces of this form. The spread of Nazism forced him to leave Europe for America, but he did not flourish there and he died in reduced circumstances in New York.
Browse: Bartók
Further Reading: Bartók
Recording of the Week, Bartók's Violin Concertos from Renaud Capuçon
Renaud Capuçon performs Bartók's two violin concertos, accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra under conductor François-Xavier Roth.
Recording of the Week, Kopatchinskaja and Jansen perform violin concertos by Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and Bartók
David enjoys two new discs of violin concerto repertoire, from Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Janine Jansen.
Popular Works: Bartók
- 3 Hungarian Folksongs from Csik, BB 45b, Sz. 35a (24)
- Allegro barbaro, BB 63, Sz. 49 (38)
- Concerto for Orchestra, BB 123, Sz.116 (149)
- Contrasts for violin, clarinet & piano, BB 116, Sz. 111 (47)
- Dance Suite, BB 86, Sz. 77 (65)
- Divertimento for Strings, Sz. 113 (76)
- Duke Bluebeard's Castle, Sz. 48, Op. 11 (40)
- Hungarian Peasant Songs for piano (15), BB 79, Sz. 71 (31)
- Hungarian Sketches, BB 103, Sz. 97 (29)
- Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, Sz. 74, Op. 20 (36)
- Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta, BB 114, Sz. 106 (101)
- Out of Doors, Sz. 81, BB89 (44)
- Piano Concerto No. 1, BB 91, Sz. 83 (70)
- Piano Concerto No. 2, BB 101, Sz. 95 (79)
- Piano Concerto No. 3, BB 127, Sz. 119 (96)
- Piano Sonata, BB 88, Sz. 80 (63)
- Piano Suite, BB 70, Sz. 62, Op. 14 (39)
- Rhapsody for Violin & Orchestra No. 1, BB 94b, Sz. 87 (30)
- Rhapsody for Violin & Orchestra No. 2, BB 96b, Sz. 90 (27)
- Rhapsody for Violin & Piano No. 1, BB 94a, Sz. 86 (31)
- Romanian Folk Dances for orchestra, Sz. 68, BB 76 (31)
- Romanian Folk Dances for piano, Sz. 56, BB 68 (94)
- Romanian Folk Dances, Sz.56 (arr. Székely for violin & piano) (35)
- Sonata for Solo Violin, BB 124, Sz. 117 (93)
- Sonata for Two Pianos & Percussion, BB 115, Sz. 110 (62)
- Sonatina, BB 69, Sz. 55 (36)
- String Quartet No. 1, Sz 40 (Op. 7) (45)
- String Quartet No. 2, Sz 67 (Op. 17) (44)
- String Quartet No. 3, Sz 85 (46)
- String Quartet No. 4, Sz 91 (50)
- String Quartet No. 5, Sz 102 (47)
- String Quartet No. 6, Sz 114 (46)
- String Quartets Nos. 1-6 (27)
- The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73 (ballet) (26)
- The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73 (suite) (58)
- Viola Concerto, BB 128, Sz. 120 (34)
- Violin Concerto No. 1, BB48a, Sz 36 (49)
- Violin Concerto No. 2, Sz 112 (94)
- Violin Sonata No. 1, BB 84, Sz. 75 (65)
- Violin Sonata No. 2, BB 85, Sz. 76 (48)