Béla Bartók (1881-1945)

[Rons_talking]

This two piano arrangement Of Miraculous Manderin is both revealing and exciting. While the orchestra adds another dynamic to this great, great work, this recording displays the harmonic and rhythmic genious of Bartok without distraction. And it won't blow out your speakers.

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[vandermolen]

I don't listen to much Bartok but I recently picked up a second hand Decca CD of Solti conducting the Concerto for Orchestra and Dance Suite which reinvigorated my admiration for both works.

[Mirror Image]

I don't listen to much Bartok but I recently picked up a second hand Decca CD of Solti conducting the Concerto for Orchestra and Dance Suite which reinvigorated my admiration for both works.

Bartok is one of the more fascinating figures of the 20th Century, IMHO. He's certainly a composer that I've admired since I began to seriously listen to classical music seven years ago. What would be your 'Top 5' favorite works of his, Jeffrey?

[Scion7]

I don't listen to much Bartok but ___

You might also like the first violin concerto.
The first movement is one of the best documents of a man pining for a love he can never have (violinist Stefi Geyer) ever written.
He kept it unpublished and stuffed in a desk drawer throughout his life.
Guess it was just too painful, both for him, and for his wife if she would ever hear it.
It's in a more Romantic vein than most of his other works, but still Bartok!



  Available on CD in a couple of different editions.

[vandermolen]

Many thanks John and Scion 7

My favourites are:
Piano Concerto No.3
Concerto for Orchestra
Dance Suite
Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste
Violin Concerto 2

However, I am ignorant of much of his work. Clearly I need to investigate Violin Concerto 1 and the string quartets for starters. At the moment, however, I am engrossed in my new Morton Gould Chicago SO boxed set. (See the Miaskovsky thread below)

[Mirror Image]

Many thanks John and Scion 7

My favourites are:
Piano Concerto No.3
Concerto for Orchestra
Dance Suite
Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste
Violin Concerto 2

However, I am ignorant of much of his work. Clearly I need to investigate Violin Concerto 1 and the string quartets for starters. At the moment, however, I am engrossed in my new Morton Gould Chicago SO boxed set. (See the Miaskovsky thread below)

All of those are magnificent works, Jeffrey. Bartok composed my favorite opera: Bluebeard's Castle. Even if you're not a fan of opera (like me), this made the genre much easier to love.

No love for the ballets: The Miraculous Mandarin and The Wooden Prince? I'm sure you've heard these works before.

[vandermolen]

All of those are magnificent works, Jeffrey. Bartok composed my favorite opera: Bluebeard's Castle. Even if you're not a fan of opera (like me), this made the genre much easier to love.

No love for the ballets: The Miraculous Mandarin and The Wooden Prince? I'm sure you've heard these works before.

Opera is a bit of a blind spot for me with the exception of 'Riders to the Sea' and 'Pilgrim's Progress' by Vaughan Williams (which I increasingly think might be his greatest work) and 'Boris Gudunov' by Mussorgsky. The suite from the Miraculous Mandarin is also on the Solti disc mentioned above so I shall be giving that a listen. I do love many ballets such as those by Arthur Bliss and Stravinsky as well as 'Job' of course although I have only ever heard it in concert.

[Mirror Image]

Opera is a bit of a blind spot for me with the exception of 'Riders to the Sea' and 'Pilgrim's Progress' by Vaughan Williams (which I increasingly think might be his greatest work) and 'Boris Gudunov' by Mussorgsky. The suite from the Miraculous Mandarin is also on the Solti disc mentioned above so I shall be giving that a listen. I do love many ballets such as those by Arthur Bliss and Stravinsky as well as 'Job' of course although I have only ever heard it in concert.

The problem I have with the suite from the Mandarin is it cuts a chunk of music from it (I believe about 20 minutes worth --- I could be misremembering) and also there's no wordless chorus like there is the complete version. Do give Bluebeard's Castle a listen preferably Boulez's earlier recording on Columbia or Kertesz's recording on Decca. Either of these performances are my favorites (and I own most of them on record).

[vandermolen]

The problem I have with the suite from the Mandarin is it cuts a chunk of music from it (I believe about 20 minutes worth --- I could be misremembering) and also there's no wordless chorus like there is the complete version. Do give Bluebeard's Castle a listen preferably Boulez's earlier recording on Columbia or Kertesz's recording on Decca. Either of these performances are my favorites (and I own most of them on record).

Will certainly look out for those works. Many thanks John.

[Mirror Image]

Will certainly look out for those works. Many thanks John.

You're quite welcome, Jeffrey.

[Mirror Image]

Cross-posted from the 'Purchases' thread:

Just bought:



I'm not sure how this recording is or even what it sounds like as there's no audio samples available but from what I've read these are great performances. It also helps that the recording was dirt cheap. Has anyone heard this recording? Any good impressions of it?

[jlaurson]

Classical CD Of The Week: Bartók & Kodály, Toothsome Hungarian Twosome

[Guido]

Did anyone get the full score to Bluebeard's castle before it was taken down in imslp?

[snyprrr]

I've mostly been a "Top40" Bartok fan, liking the obvious, indifferent or reactionary to what I don't like.


So all of a sudden, his massive Complete Piano Music Box (always awesome Kocsis) has tempted me, more for the playing and the crisp Philips sound, than anything I might actually hear within. 8 CDs on Bartok Piano Music?? I mean, it's cheap, so why would I kvetch? Well... it's EIGHT discs of Bartok Piano Music. As I looked it over, and perhaps compare his "Box", with that of, say, Busoni, or Debussy-Ravel-Szymanowski,

We're Talking Piano Music Here,... @1906-1953...

Stravinsky... Copland...


WHY WOULD I WANT THAT BARTOK BOX RATHER THAN ... SOMEONE ELSE??

Again, it comes back to Kocsis and Philips for me. BUT, if that's the case, I seem to find Ranki a bit even more delicate and refined than Kocsis (!!),  though he only has a few Big Pieces.

Ahhh,...

What say ye? Ask me a question?

[Todd]

What say ye?

Buy.  Now.

[snyprrr]

Buy.  Now.

followed by resistance is futile

[snyprrr]

I'm going to need just a little more confirmation on that massive Kocsis Box. How do you feel about these two pianists? It seems to me Ranki has an even more delicate touch, if that's possible,... but it is!....

Can you give me a paragraph on why you love Bartok's Piano Music.... or?......??.......

[Parsifal]

I'm going to need just a little more confirmation on that massive Kocsis Box. How do you feel about these two pianists? It seems to me Ranki has an even more delicate touch, if that's possible,... but it is!....

Can you give me a paragraph on why you love Bartok's Piano Music.... or?......??.......

Can you give a paragraph on why you need Bartok CD's more than heating oil in January?

[Spineur]

Kocsis Ranki together in the most interesting Bartok composition

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[JCBuckley]

Anybody have a view on Tiberghien's recordings of the piano music?