Bartók, Béla 1881 - 1945
Author: Kikuchi, Tomoko
Last updated：January 1, 2010
Author: Kikuchi, Tomoko
Born in 1881 in what is now southern Hungary, he received his first piano lessons from his mother. At the age of 18, he entered the Budapest Academy of Music, where he studied piano and composition. While distinguishing himself as a pianist, he resonated with the prevailing sentiment for Hungarian national independence from the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy and began to dedicate himself to the study of unique Hungarian music. He actively engaged in collecting and analyzing folk songs, making their preservation through recordings and publications his lifelong work.
While many of his piano works are based on folk song motifs, he incorporated serial techniques and unique overtone scales into his compositions, establishing himself as a leading figure in contemporary music internationally. He regarded sound as raw material, and his rhythms and melodies expressed themselves powerfully; yet, his style never leaned excessively towards the avant-garde, successfully blending classical elements with distinctive individual characteristics.
As the shadow of Nazism fell over Europe and political conditions became unstable, he decided to emigrate to the United States. From 1940, he continued his composition and research at Columbia University, and passed away in New York in 1945.
Works(55)
Concerto (1)
concerto (4)
Konzert für 2 Klaviere,Schalagzeuge und Orchester BB 121 Sz 115
Composed in: 1940 Playing time: 27 min 00 sec
Piano Solo (14)
pieces (12)
suite (2)
for children (9)
transcription (2)
Educational works (6)
Folk and ethnic music arrangements (7)
Piano Ensemble (1)
sonata (1)
Chamber Music (2)
folk music (3)
3 Hungarian Folksongs from the Csik District (arr. for clarinet and piano) BB 45b
Playing time: 3 min 40 sec
3 Hungarian Folksongs from the Csik District (arr. for flute and piano) BB 45b
Playing time: 5 min 30 sec