Full Description
A virtuoso himself at the piano, Béla Bartók was also responsible for over 300 compositions for his beloved instrument. Yet, of all the books exploring his life and music, this is the first to depart from the realm of complex music theory. Written from the vantage point of a pianist and active performer rather than a theorist or musicologist, Bartók and the Piano: A Performer's View readily addresses the artist's exceptional relationship with the piano, paying special attention to form, structure, and the foundation and roots of his musical vocabulary. Using universal terms that the most novice of music lovers will find appealing, the book focuses on Bartók's approach to his music, his pianism, and the discipline and preparation required for performance. It serves as a guide to more informed listening, and will enable its readers to appreciate not only the work of Bartók, but that of countless others. In the midst of recording Bartók's complete works, renowned pianist Barbara Nissman has explored the very roots of his creative processes. To further aid readers in understanding the elements of the repertoire at hand, a CD insert of Bartók's music performed by the author is included. A perfect companion to Benjamin Suchoff's Bela Bartók: Life and Work, the first in-depth biography of the artist and folklorist.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Traditionalist
Sonata (1898, Unpublished)
Four Easy Pieces (1903)
Rhapsody Op. 1 for Solo Piano (1904); for Piano and Orchestra (1905)
Piano Quintet (1904)
Scherzo, Op. 2 for Piano and Orchestra (1904-1905)
Two Elegies, Op. 8b (1908-1909)
Additional Repertoire to Explore
A New Piano Style
Fourteen Bagatelles, Op. 6 (1908)
Ten Easy Pieces (1908)
Three Hungarian Folksongs from the Csik District (1907)
Seven Sketches, Op. 9b (1908-1910)
Additional Repertoire to Explore
Bravura, Virtuosity, and Pianism
Etudes, Op. 18 (1918)
Two Rumanian Dances, Op. 8a (1910)
Allegro Barbaro (1911)
Folk Music: The Perfect Union
Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, Op. 20 (1920)
Other Solo Compositions Using Folk Material
Form and the Sonata
Sonata (1926)
Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion (1937)
Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion, and Orchestra (1940)
The Evolutionary: Out of Doors (1926)
"With Drums and Pipes"
"Barcarolla"
"Musettes"
"Musiques Nocturnes"
"The Chase"
Back to the Suite
Suite Op. 14 (1916)
Dance Suite (1925)
Petite Suite (1936, revised 1943)
Suite for Two Pianos Op. 4b (1941)
Ten Plus Nine Plus Two Plus...
Three Burlesques, Op. 8c (1908-1911)
Four Dirges, Op. 9a (1909-1910)
Three Rondos on Folk Tunes (1916-1927)
Nine Little Piano Pieces (1926)
Two Pictures (Deux Images), Op. 10 (1910-1911)
The Composer as Teacher
Mikrokosmos
For Children (1908-1909, revised 1944-1945)
First Term at the Piano (1913, published 1929)
The Three Piano Concertos and the Piano Chamber Repertory
Piano Concerto No. 1 (1926)
Piano Concerto No. 2 (1936)
Piano Concerto No. 3 (1945)
The Piano/Chamber Repertoire
Clarity and Rubato: Bartok as Pianist
Discography of Bartok Piano Recordings
Completed Piano Works
Other Major Works in Chronological Relation to Piano Repertory
Afterword
Annotated Bibliography
CD Track List
General Index
Index of Bartok's Works
About the Author
