Bartók, Béla : Mikrokosmos BB 105 Sz 107
Work Overview
Composition Year:1926
Instrumentation:Piano Solo
Genre:Educational works
Total Playing Time:26 min 50 sec
Copyright:Public Domain
Commentary (1)
Author : Wada, Mayuko
Last Updated: July 1, 2007
[Open]
Author : Wada, Mayuko
Composed between 1926 and 1939, a period when Bartók's creative drive was at its peak. It consists of 153 pieces across 6 volumes. It was conceived as piano etudes for pedagogical purposes for his son Péter, born from his remarriage to Ditta Pásztory (Volumes 1 and 2 are dedicated to his son).
- Volume 1: 36 pieces (Nos. 1-36)
- Volume 2: 30 pieces (Nos. 37-66)
- Volume 3: 30 pieces (Nos. 67-96)
- Volume 4: 25 pieces (Nos. 97-121)
- Volume 5: 18 pieces (Nos. 122-139)
- Volume 6: 14 pieces (Nos. 140-153)
Volumes 1-3 can be used by piano beginners. Volume 4 is recommended to be used in conjunction with other pedagogical materials of a similar level. The collection increases in difficulty and artistic merit with each successive volume; particularly from Volume 5 onwards, the pieces reach the level of concert repertoire. Characteristic features include the use of folk melodies, modes, pentatonic scales, whole-tone scales, irregular rhythms, changing meters, and dissonance. It would be ideal as a challenge for familiarizing oneself with these modern elements, which differ from traditional teaching materials.
Volume 6
- 140. Free Variations
- 141. Subject and Reflection
- 142. From the Diary of a Fly
- One of the most popular pieces in the collection. The dense musical movement evokes the buzzing of a fly.
- In the middle, “the fly's monologue” is written.
- 143. Divided Arpeggios
- 145. Chromatic Invention
- 146. Ostinato
- A very fast-paced and rhythmic piece. A concert-worthy miniature.
- 147. March
- 148-153. Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm
- Bulgarian rhythm refers to rhythms frequently used in Bulgarian folk music. It involves dividing eighth notes within a measure into unequal units, and this rhythm has already appeared in Nos. 113 and 115.
- It is also well-known that this rhythm appears in the central movement of the String Quartet No. 5.
- This piece was dedicated to the female pianist Harriet Cohen.
- Bartók himself performed this piece at a concert in Budapest.
- Other folk-inspired pieces include:
- 15. Peasant's Song
- 40. In Yugoslavian Mode
- 43. In Hungarian Style
- 68. Hungarian Dance
- 74. Hungarian Song
- 109. From Bali
Movements (9)
144. Minor Seconds, Major Sevenths
Total Performance Time: 4 min 36 sec
148~153. Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm
Total Performance Time: 9 min 04 sec
PTNA & Partner Channel Videos(4items)
Sheet Music
Scores List (3)

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