Commentary on the Entire First Volume

In Bartók's works, it is crucial to read the score thoroughly. Tenuto, accents, articulation slurs, etc., are meticulously indicated, and there is a rich variety of accent and staccato types. It is no exaggeration to say that the quality of the performance depends on how these are differentiated. Forte and piano are clearly defined, and the proportion of mezzo is smaller compared to other composers. It is important to play with a distinct character. Normally, phrases begin quietly, build to a climax, and then resolve, but in Bartók's case, accents are often placed on the first or last notes. This aligns with the characteristics of the Hungarian language, so the music should be clearly shaped from the first note, and the final note should conclude with a distinct and impressive pitch. A characteristic feature is the continuous variation of accompanying chords and rhythmic patterns for repeated melodies, but in fact, many contrapuntal elements are also included, making their accurate reproduction challenging. There are also many experimental elements, such as highly novel and striking chords (chords not heard in Western music until then) and dynamic rests. The extent to which one can 'empathize' with these experiments is key to playing Bartók in a truly Bartókian manner. There are many repeated notes, and the mechanics to play them with a stable touch are also important. Since it is also acoustically excellent, solfège skills are naturally required. It is conceivable that thoroughly studying this collection from childhood will develop considerable skill, but re-studying it carefully as an older student or adult will deepen one's understanding of music even further.

This is a masterpiece by Bartók, inspired by Schumann's Album for the Young, with the aim of creating artistic and truly educational works for children.

No.1 Children at Play (Allegro)

It appears to be a charming piece but is quite challenging. The first half employs the same technique as the first piece, 'Melody,' from Schumann's Album for the Young. The left-hand bass notes should sound like a second voice with the right hand. The G played by the first finger of the left hand should be played softly, but with stable repeated notes. The second half becomes a dialogue, but since the intervals between both hands at the beginning of the measures are often seconds and sevenths, one should accustom the ear to them. Study the difference in performance between tenuto and accent.

No.2 Children's Song (Andante)

The same children's song melody is repeated three times. In each repetition, the left-hand chords and rhythms differ. Although written in C major, the absence of the leading tone (B) makes the tonality ambiguous, which is charming. The right hand is written in 4-measure phrases, but the left-hand phrases are offset from the right hand, making it difficult. Do not let the dialogue with the left hand become dull by only focusing on the right hand's phrasing. Also, be careful not to lose the stability of the melody by being distracted by the left-hand chords.

No.3 Quasi adagio

This can be considered an etude for the left hand in relation to the repeated melody. Initially, the same left-hand phrase is repeated five times, followed by a total of three varied phrases. Practice playing each with the same touch. Repeating 'exactly the same' is mechanically more difficult than 'varying,' making it a good exercise for the left hand. The strength of the accents in the latter half of the right hand can be determined effectively by calculating backward from how much volume you want the tied note to sustain until its end.

No.4 Pillow Dance (Allegro)

A technically difficult piece. The right-hand theme and the left hand in the coda are like Hanon exercises. Furthermore, in the second measure after the theme begins, the left hand suddenly drops out for one measure; to withstand this without losing balance, the right and left sides of the body must be well-separated, and each must play with stable mechanics. Also, the repeated A-G in the left hand in the prelude not only needs to be played as a single unit of two notes, but the 1st and 2nd fingers must also move independently for A and G separately for it to work well. It is good to practice repeated notes with the 1st finger while holding down the 2nd finger.

No.5 Play (Allegretto)

Note that sections A and B are composed with entirely different musical characters. A is built on the contrast between mf and mp, while B is built on the contrast between f and p. A is dolce with slurs, giving it a gentle expression. B has no slurs, many repeated notes, a fast tempo, and frequent use of tenuto, indicating a harsh and intense character. Therefore, it would be interesting to consider A and B as completely different dances or games, allowing for a bold and quick change in performance.

No.6 Study for the Left Hand (Allegro)

It features repeated chords reminiscent of the opening of Liszt's Mephisto Waltz. First, ensure these chords can be played with great stability. This is an important exercise for developing the outer muscles of the hand, which are crucial for playing chords. Practice repeated notes with only the 1st finger and only the 5th finger (so that the strength, touch, and duration remain absolutely consistent). Once you can produce a stable forte sound, gradually decrease the volume. Maintaining stability at softer volumes becomes much more difficult to control. Continue this down to pppp (pianississimo). The right hand should also be able to play the same pattern in 2-measure units. Then, play with both hands; maintaining tempo without wavering requires very solid mechanics.

No.7 Play Song (Andante grazioso)

Despite the right hand being identical in the upper and lower sections, the left hand undergoes significant changes. The upper section is written in treble clef, includes eighth rests, and has short slurs, so it is best played with a compact rhythmic feel and a lovely character. The lower section is written in bass clef, has longer notes and longer slurs, so it is best played with a broad, relaxed rhythmic feel, creating a sense of expansion. Since the beginning of each right-hand phrase always has a tenuto, play it as if speaking, being conscious of the pitch.

No.8 Children's Game (Allegretto)

Sections A and B alternate, but a short phrase is always inserted between them. A and B are clearly some kind of dance, and the inserted phrases suggest other actions during the dance, such as 'changing partners' or 'greeting'. In the final B section, the left hand rushes up furiously with the same pattern, and the dance gradually becomes more intense, so strengthen the outer muscles of the hand and play with a firm grasp of the fifth intervals.

No.9 Song (Adagio)

Phrases with completely different musical characters, A and B, appear alternately. Consider A and B as entirely different actions and clearly differentiate them. Since the tempo changes, first establish each tempo precisely, and it is crucial to be able to play them exactly the same when they reappear (tempo practice). Be careful not to let the tempos change according to your mood at the time. A is molto espr. with long slurs, so play it broadly and expressively; B is poco scherzando with many articulation markings, so it works well if you keep it rhythmically compact.

No.10 Children's Dance (Allegro molto)

It is very difficult to play the rhythms accurately with both hands. The right hand has 4-measure units, and the last measure features a quarter note with tenuto, creating a stomping rhythm. Practice patterns so that the left hand can always play consistently, even when it becomes difficult. The first bass note played by the 5th finger of the left hand has a > accent. Never try to play with a stiff hand; instead, aim to play the 5th finger independently, like a percussion instrument. Also, the 5th finger and the group of fingers 1-4 should be separated, as if played by two hands. Once this is mastered, play while feeling the subtle changes in the inner voices of the 1-4 finger group. In the first half, play the A with the 5th finger of the left hand with a slightly harder timbre, and in the second half, play the C with a fuller, resonant timbre to create good variation.

No.11 Lento

This is a 4-measure phrase piece, during which the right hand repeats the same melody twice, while the left hand repeats 2-beat phrases, delayed by one beat. This arrangement ensures that the left hand strongly reinforces the parts where the right-hand melody might weaken, allowing for long, rich phrases to be sustained even at a lento tempo without losing breath. Therefore, the left hand, acting like a hinge, is extremely important. The cadential part of the melody has two tenutos on the quarter notes, which is where the full, expansive feeling of lento is best expressed. The coda's main melody is fragmented and expanded, making it impressive, so listen carefully to each note and play with precision.

No.12 Allegro

A technically very difficult piece. The accompaniment parts (for both hands) require strong finger separation and independence, so practice the mechanics thoroughly beforehand. Unless the accompaniment can be played almost on 'autopilot' as a result of practice, accurate melodic expression will be difficult. The piece consists of three sections: the end of the first is dominated by G#, the second by C#, and the third by B (achieved with pedaling). Expressing these notes, which suddenly appear within a C major piece, with good acoustic resonance will result in an impressive performance.

No.13 Ballad (Andante)

A melancholic and sorrowful piece. The dominant note throughout is A, so play it with a gloomy and dark timbre. The repeated syncopated notes in the right hand, played regularly and simply with a touch like a distant funeral bell, will make the left-hand melody's expression stand out even more. The sense of balance between both hands is difficult. Consider the first half as a male voice and the second half as a female voice. In the second half, since the constraint of syncopation is removed, make good use of the greater freedom to sing compared to the first half. The arpeggio in the third measure from the end has a strange sound, but it is good to interpret it as 'representing an unreal, eerie atmosphere'.

No.14 Allegretto

This is an interesting piece with an inverted dotted rhythm, so try playing it with a slightly stricter rhythmic feel. The theme is repeated four times in 2-measure units (the second time as a sequence a fifth higher). The inserted phrases appear twice, and these should be treated as one 3-measure phrase. One might be tempted to play it as 2 measures + 1 measure, but this would cause the musical flow to stagnate and make it difficult to create contrast with the theme, so be careful.

No.15 Allegro moderato

A piece with challenging tempo setting. The Allegro Moderato theme appears three times, with Sostenuto sections in between appearing twice. Consider the theme as the real world, maintaining tempo and playing with a clear, transparent timbre that is not rough. It works well to think of the inserted phrases as if they were dreams or memories. Play them broadly, dreamily, with a soft timbre and rich expression. If the two tempos are firmly established beforehand, the performance will be unwavering.

No.16 Old Hungarian Tune (Andante rubato)

The rests written above the bar lines every two measures are interesting. Bartók even indicates the 'length of breath' as if singing! After the first two measures, there is a sixteenth rest, so take a light breath; after the next two measures, there is an eighth rest, so take a larger breath. Play as if accompanying a song, not as a piano solo. The right-hand 'singer' chants freely, but the left hand should not aim to perfectly match the melody; rather, it works well to play with a sense of grasping the musical flow and supporting the song. The piece is in 4-measure phrases; the first half has accents, tenuto, and f indications, so express it boldly, while the second half is p with no other indications, so it is good to express it as quietly resolving.

No.17 Round Dance (Lento)

An etude where the actual tempo and the perceived tempo differ. First, it's interesting that the indication is Lento, yet the tempo is ♩=70. While cherishing the heavy, broad Lento atmosphere, play at a tempo that is not excessively slow and is suitable for dancing. In short, it can be interpreted as an instruction to play so that the actual tempo is not too slow, but the perceived tempo feels broad and slow. It is good to produce a rich sound with a calm, never sharp, slow attack and deep touch. From measure 8, it becomes difficult to handle, but it would be more effective to play measures 5-10 (6 measures) in one go, maintaining the tempo while respecting the tenuto in measure 2, without ever stopping there. However, maintaining tempo here is an extremely difficult task.

No.18 Soldier's Song (Andante non troppo)

A piece that sounds like a brave soldiers' chorus. The melody is formed by a combination of inverted dotted and dotted rhythms; emphasizing these dotted notes sharply and clearly creates a powerful feeling. Overall, it is a piece with a strong upward tendency; the sudden octave ascent from D1 to D2 at the beginning of the theme, and the right-hand chords ascending like a scale over the 10 measures from measure 17 to the end, are very impressive, so it is good to play them effectively. There might be resistance to playing the high-register chords in the right hand strongly, but one should play them clearly without hesitation.

No.19 Allegretto

A piece in AABABA form. A characteristic of A is that only the beginning is in 2/4 time. If this 2/4 section is expressed fully for two beats, rather than flowing like an anacrusis, the entire 4-measure phrase will be well-unified. Section B frequently uses tenuto, and it can sound like a scene where a drunk person repeatedly and persistently tries to rephrase something. Since it consists of 3 measures, play the first two measures with a tenacious, deep touch to convey persistence, and then close the last measure somewhat disappointedly and quietly, which will lead smoothly to the next section. When teaching this section to children, it might be good to reframe it as a child pleading with their mother.

No.20 Drinking Song (Allegro)

An absolutely cheerful piece. It depicts people happily making merry while drinking. This is Bartók at his best, repeating the melody (sometimes raising it an octave, giving the impression of a voice cracking) and freely and unrestrainedly adding chords to it. The right hand is in 3-measure phrases, but the third measure ends with a ♪♩ rhythm, which should also be played boldly. This piece cannot be played without a sense of playfulness and boldness, so it is recommended for those who wish to discover a new side of themselves.

No.21 Allegro robusto

This is the final piece in Bartók's For Children, Vol. 1, Based on Hungarian Folk Tunes, and it is technically very difficult. It requires the mechanics to play chords accurately with both hands. Furthermore, not only must the chords be played accurately, but their highest notes must also be brought out as the melody. The off-beat rhythm of the inner voices is also difficult. In the first half, practice playing one chord with both hands as an arpeggio, listening to how each note resonates with the others, which will result in well-blended chords. Consider the middle section as a three-voice piece and the latter section as a four-voice piece; practice each voice part and various combinations of voice parts to achieve a secure touch. For the left hand in the latter half, it is effective to practice playing the bass with the left hand and the chords with the right hand to accustom the ear to clear pitches.