Bartók Interview from the Ask the Composer series

[Noshirm]

BLESS YOU for sharing this with us! Hearing Bartok speak...what a thrill!

[niemandwillswissen]

wow. this nearly makes me cry. haha.

[warhols25]

Bartok speaking in English and Penderecki in German, I would never have guessed that there is a place out there somewhere to hear that ! /:)

[kosmischesynth]

Interview questions had a long way to go when this was recorded

[mjsjazz]

Incredible to hear the master' voice!!!

[hotplate85]

Wow! It really is like hearing the voice of a musical god before me! Nice recording quality and impressive English (to me at least), considering he wasn't the most cosmopolitan of composers. What a great teacher he would have been, though, I suppose Mikrocosmos covers the diadactic angle.

[chainstoking]

Thank you so much for posting this.

[MarcheseCadmio88]

Viva Bartók!

[sahaiel]

amasing, thank you for the post! finally something of value!

[RobertoeLilia]

meraviglioso ascoltare il commento di Bela Bartok. Fondamentale per la compensione della sua musica.

Is it possible to buy a book with the text?

Many thanks for your reply.

Roberto

[bbbartolo]

I like the way he responds to the expression, "abstract music." correcting it to "absolute music," non-programmatic music." As if most music isn't "abstract."

[keeelane]

@bbbartolo well, music "isn't" abstract, since you are able to hear it. you making something abstract is a projection of your own mind.

[bbbartolo]

@keeelane To take myself as an example, in common parlance I'm called an abstract painter. This doesn't mean I don't exist, keeelane, it means my work is non-figurative, consisting of formal elements, shapes, colors, brush strokes, etc. etc. "Abstract" doesn't mean non-sensory, nor should it in music.

[keeelane]

@bbbartolo you missed my point

[bbbartolo]

@keeelane not at all. I was using one definition of "abstract;" you were using another. both are in the dictionary.

[Kotrabalebful]

Emouvant d'entendre la voix de Bartok pour la première fois alors que je l'écoute depuis 30 ans. Merci beaucoup, Thanks a lot. Je cherche les références d'un film ou le film s'il existe sur le web où l'on voit Bartok mais on ne l'entend pas. Il joue je crois au piano. Qui connait ?

[JosephGlaser]

wow, you can really tell how sick he is in this recording.

[alarihos81]

so moving............ I didn't know this even existed.... a million thanks!!!!

[soldyx]

He makes me sooo proud of being hungarian!!!! (Kodály as well)

[Kotrabalebful]

@soldyx you can be proud, Bartok is for me a great great composer, so great that I have learned hungarian language (I am french) just to appreciate his opera Bluebard's castle, and a few years ago, I could read and speak with the singers at the same time in hungarian, I used to know it by heart !

[potassiumchlorate]

This is wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing this! Bartok was a genius.

[TheUsuarioyo]

I can´t believe it,,,,,, I listened the Bartok´s voice

[TheDecadant]

I agree with everyone else, Thank you so much for posting this. Great to hear the voice of the genius.

[tonytrilex]

He sounds like Dracula

[Mangaliga]

@tonytrilex

That's not an accident. Béla Lugosi was from Hungary as well.

[olmaleo]

I cannot express my gratitude for this: the voice of Bartok is great as him.

[Bagas]

This should be national archive

[Kitsua]

I can't believe I just heard Bartok speak! Wonderful.

[polyushkopolye]

I've transcribed the dialogue into 13 parts (I had to break up the transcript of Dr. Bartok's first answer into two parts) as best as I could after repeated listening of the clip. I hope that this helps people get more out of this video clip.

[polyushkopolye]

1) Interviewer: "Dr. Bartok can you tell us something about the movements about the Sonatina which Mrs. Bartok is going to play for us first. The title suggests that there is some reference to Hungarian folklore or everyday scenes from Hungarian life. I refer of course

to the names of the first movement "The Bagpipe Players" and the second movement called "The Bear Dance"."

[polyushkopolye]

2a) BB: "This [piece] "Sonatina" was originally conceived as a group of Romanian folk dances for piano. The three parts which Mrs.

Bartok will play were selected from a group and given its present title of "Sonatina". The first movement which is called "Bagpipe Players" is a dance... these are two dances played by two bagpipe players. The first by one, and the second theme by another."

[polyushkopolye]

2b) BB: The second movement is called "Bear Dance". This was played for me by a peasant violinist on the G and the D strings. On the lower strings in order to have it more similar to a bear's voice. Generally the violin players used the E string. And the last movement contains also two folk melodies played by peasant violin players."

[polyushkopolye]

3) Interviewer: "Dr. Bartok, do you consider the Suite Op. 14, which Mrs. Bartok is going to play next, representative of your abstract piano

compositions, and if so what qualities make it so?"

[polyushkopolye]

4) BB: "By abstract music do you mean absolute music? Without programmes?"

[polyushkopolye]

5) Interviewer: "Yes"

[polyushkopolye]

6) BB: "The Suite Op. 14 has no folktunes. It is based entirely on original themes of my own invention. When this work was composed

I had in mind the finding of piano techniques, the changing of piano techniques into a more transparent style. A style more of bone and muscle opposing the heavy chord style of the latter Romantic period. That is unessential ornaments like broken chords and other figures are omitted and it's a more simpler style."

[polyushkopolye]

7) Interviewer: "Dr. Bartok, is there any essential difference between the next number on our programme, "The First Rondo" composed comparatively recently in 1932 and your early works?"

[polyushkopolye]

8) BB: "Actually there are no... it is of the same period as the Suite that we just heard. In its original form there were three separate pieces all based on Slovakian folk material. Much later in 1932 there were welded together to make one complete movement in rondo form."

[polyushkopolye]

9) Interviewer: "Following the first rondo, Mrs. Bartok has two other piano pieces in her group and the first one is of course "In Bulgarian Rhythm". The second one, the piano pieces "Evening in Transylvania" suggest that it may have been composed with some special situation or event in mind. And I know that your music is never meant to be personal. Can you tell us about it Dr. Bartok?"

[polyushkopolye]

10) BB: ""Evening in Transylvania" is an original composition that is with themes of my own invention but the themes are in the style

of the Hungarian Transylvania folk tunes. There are two themes. The first one is a parlando rubato rhythm and the second one

is more in the dance-like rhythm. The second one is more or less the imitation of a peasant flute playing and the first one

the parlando rubato is an imitation of sung, vocal melody. The form of it is A-B-A-D-A."

[polyushkopolye]

11) Interviewer: "The Mikrokosmos cycle which Mr. Serly has transcribed for piano and string orchestra is such a vast work, I wonder if you

can tell us briefly what it comprises."

[polyushkopolye]

12) BB: "The Mikrokosmos is a cycle of 153 pieces for piano written with didactical purposes. These piano pieces which can be used from the very beginning and then going on it is graded according to difficulty. And the word "cosmos" can be interpreted...

from "microcosmos" it may be interpreted as a series of pieces in all different style to represent a small world. Or it may be

interpreted as "world" or "musical world" for the little children."

[dalecampbl5]

one of the greatest composers of the 20th century....truly a pioneer and he was famous before he even died.

[nemost01]

please! someone put a subtitle for nonenglish speakers can understand this!!!!!! i have to listen many times! the audio is terrible!

[ThePiano1991]

Some times i have trouble hearing it but its only because of the recording, his english is perfect and dont forget, this was recorded 66 years ago its bound to be bad quailty.

[miciofilippo]

Wonderful document !!! Thanks!!!

[balbulus840]

I also think that it is a priceless recording - and his English is absolutely not bad, yet, he had a strong Hungarian accent. His words and thoughts are well understandable. He is one of the greatest Hungarians.

[mahler151]

Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly was the "Ask a Composer" series?

[dizisgay88]

Cool!

[ViewerNotes]

someone can write what he says...?

[Czeppelin]

Barók and Lugosi are the two greatest Béla ever. :D

[wayneredhart]

@Czeppelin after Bella Emberg.

[konzolmester]

Too bad I cant hear him speak hungarian,he would have spoken more clearly that way too,due to his bad english.

[p2p4all]

His accent like Albert Einstein's. :)

[Marmalade000000]

I never thought I'd ever come across Bela Bartok himself speaking - this is amazing!!!

[djrbfm]

this man deserved much more when he was alive.

at least now, ppl are recognizing the true greatness

of this man.

up with Stravinsky, for sure.

John Robinson.

[thatmusic]

I have heard his voice.

[gogurt2]

This is a priceless recording--a historical document.

[unmusica]

Awesome post. Thank you. Previously I had heard only a small bit of this on the video "After the Storm."

The greatness of this man is almost incomprehensible- having loved and studied his music for over 35 years, it only becomes more meaningful and beautiful over time.

One feels fortunate to know his music in such an age as this, when that calibre of musicianship and humanity is actually despised by the vast majority.

How encouraging to see his work gain popularity despite all that!

[gnolti]

Amazing, rare recording. Bartok comes across as that vanished species, a cosmopolitan European at ease in both the old and the new world.

[lexmagic1]

cheers, i have an exam on this soon.

[NorceCodine]

The "Microcosmos" that he talks about towards the end, is the standard learning-repertoire for young children that they must master (hundred-fiftyfive pieces) in Hungary's training of elite pianists - imagine.

[NorceCodine]

I just love when he says (around 1.23) - "similar to the...bear's voice" - its just so sweet, maybe a little sad, and funny! at the same time.

[NorceCodine]

I never knew that Bartok could speak English so well - including pronunciation - I wonder if this is also (somehow) a sign of a person's musical talent in general; language itself is composition and intonation, afterall.

[jazzer4]

Thank you SO much for posting this - can't believe I'm hearing Bartok's voice............Amazing!

[vintekla]

one can imagine better the personality of the great artist, if one listens to his voice. yes, his voice fits in the picture I formed of him in my mind by playing his music and reading his biography, although his style of speaking is different how I imagined it. however it was a great and exciting experience to hear these legends come closer to us, to our time by hearing them speak

[RobertDaniel1926]

thank you very much for uploading this gem.

[totaldynamix]

To hear one's favorite composer speaks is awesome.Thanx!

[keybawd]

Absolutely fascinating. Thank you for posting. I believe there are fragments of Bartok playing his own second concerto out there somewhere. Does anyone have these?

Bartok's cough sounds very much like the beginning of his cancer. How sad.

[pianopera]

Very interesting, thanks for posting!

The "Transylvanian Evening" that he mentioned is no. 5 of the "Ten Easy Pieces" that you recently uploaded.

I have a recording of Bartok playing a Brahms piece together with his wife (I think on two piano's), but the sound quality is so poor that it's not worth it to put on YT.

[Leibo07]

Too bad ! PLease try? I've got some pretty old ones on it, too.