Béla Bartók at the piano Sonatina

[doroppulokkupoppu]

In order to further appreciate Bartok's interpretation of his own piece, I recommend that you listen to Hungarian folk songs. You'll see where the rhythm and emphasis is coming from.

[MaestroTJS]

Those criticizing this interpretation (how ridiculous, really) should realize the folk elements in Bartok's music mean that he's playing it with that sound in mind. Have any of you heard eastern European folk music? They don't play with metronomes in mind, especially when it's just one person playing! Furthermore, the rhythms they use sometimes have a stuttering sound to them, slightly off-beat.

But then, most people play minuets incorrectly, so why would they understand this?

[sdegrace]

Well I discover the pianist Bartok so in my taste.

[lagaremer]

This is a very difficult piece. Hard to learn, technically and musically challenging. My daughter, who just turned 10 is assigned to learn this sonatina. I can see this is going to be hard for someone who is used to Beethoven's Sonatinas.

[123xPerfection]

I don't know who is playing, but I know that is not the good way to play this ....

It's too bad. The right way is better

[umbrellashotgunman]

@123xPerfection *facepalm* It's being played by the same guy who wrote the damn piece. You have to understand that Bartok learned his craft from 19th-century Romantic pianists, whom as a rule generally took A LOT more liberties with the music (not just tempo and dynamics, but even the notes) than modern pianists do today.

[TehSorso]

@123xPerfection i hate these words ---> *epic goddamn fail*

[xNaN3x]

i played last piece here when i was younger, but he plays it so much better, as you would expect ahaaa.

[blendingbone]

He certainly had a sense of humour. And what a Beethovian coda at the end (aside from it's shortness)!

[umbrellashotgunman]

One of the things listeners should understand about Bartok is that he studied piano under a student of Liszt; basically, he plays in a similar style to the 19th century Romantic pianists, who as a rule tended to stress both heavy use of rubato and making the melody "sing"; you can hear that same tendency in pretty much any recording made of pianists who learned their craft in the latter part of the 19th century.

[nelyud]

I'm neither a composer nor an instrumentalist, but even I can see that the way Bartok played this one was deliberate and not because of a fault or blunder on his behalf.

[pjauw]

@MATTDUNCAN1 and marcparella, even if it wasn't bartok playing, isn't everyone entitled to do with a composition what they see and feel in it? That's what I believe in at least.. Also, I think this piece has loads of playfulness in it, and it suits it to play it freely.

[lakshwadeep]

+1 to andryan. One version of the sheet music makes a note of "Transylvanian ardeleana", which, if you search for ardeleana, shows a lot of grace notes. This is similar to the cuts/taps used in Celtic music, including the various Celtic bagpipe instruments. Here's one example:

ZFAdtOOOzqw

[andryan1]

Bartók had in mind the unevenness of the peasant bagpipe player´s performance, just as one can hear on the original phonograph rolls...it is not lack of practice!!

[marcparella]

The playing is woefully uneven. I can't imagine Bartok asking a performer to stray so far away from anything that resembles a beat. The first page is so uneven; it is unlistenable. When a composer wants a stark deviation from a tempo, he or she should mark "senza misura", or "molto rubato", or something that tells the player to be more free.

[MATTDUNCAN1]

@marcparella ..is this not bartok himself at the piano..???.surely he is entitled to do whatever he desires with his own composition

[daniel15671]

@MATTDUNCAN1

Bartok may have recorded this toward the end of his life, when ill health and lack of practice had compromised much of his playing ability. There is still much to be learned from his performance, but perhaps it's wise to filter our listening. His last years in America were very difficult, to the point of being tragic.

[umbrellashotgunman]

@marcparella Actually, most pre-modern (and even many early modern) pianist-composers apparently rarely followed their own markings; Rachmaninoff is far more liberal in recordings with his tempo than what the markings on his music would suggest, and even Mozart was known to use a decent amount of rubato on pieces that nowadays tend to be played with a relatively steady tempo. Bartok was one of the last survivors of a tradition that EXPECTED pianists to (tastefully) change the music they played.

[jacartrette462]

@marcparella I hate pretentious people who think they know everything. Music can be interpreted in many different ways otherwise it would be very boring. I'm sure you're one of those people who learn to be a copy cat player rather than a musical player.

[TheBasilio]

Why dont you like my interpretation?  -Sorry my english- what i want to say, is that the players must dont copy the performances from 100 years. say me which do you like. thank you by your words.

[Strindberg07]

En stor tonsättare och personlighet. Jag älskar hans musik...

[tomestubbs]

I have Giorgi Sandor's version of this. It is wonderful to hear it again.

[mamaiatataia]

beautiful

[ismaelgz00]

gordos404, yes, I't is normal, that tipes of changes of time is normal in piano

[Gordos404]

I don't know Barók yet....but is it normal that the tempo changes like this?

[Chromometron]

I think it's really time signature changes that you are hearing.

[DarknessHowls]

There are no changes in time in this piece--it's 2/4 all the way through. Whoever's playing this (is it a piano roll of Bartok himself?) is pretty jumpy. I guess you could say it's "rubato", but I don't find the jumpiness tasteful at all, especially in "Bagpipres".

[Mr2sexy4you]

Don't mind my name. (my friend made it for me)

But in the 'B' section of the First Movement "Bagpipes" the time signature switches from 2/4 to 3/4 a few times. So it does change time signatures, at this section. However, there is a lot of rubato that i actually like. lol

[luvtoluvyababy]

@DarknessHowls Please know that my comments are given with respect to your view. Movement 1 is in ABA form, and Bartok derived his inspiration from 2 different Romanian folk tunes. The jumpy feel is intentional. Also, Form A is allegretto (qtr. note approx.=86) and Form B is Allegro (qtr. note approx.=150) As I said, it was inspired by Romanian indigenous folk tunes. Hope you will hear it played again with a different perspective. Enjoy!

[DarknessHowls]

@luvtoluvyababy - Hmmm...that's interesting. I still don't like the choppy rhythm, whether it's "supposed" to be played that way or not, but I suppose to each his own. Maybe my ears just aren't used to this sort of thing.

[luvtoluvyababy]

@DarknessHowls I understand. It took me a bit before I was able to appreciate the intended style of Chopin's Muzurkas. Now after playing them a while, I'vd grown to appreciate them tremendously. I challange you to listen to differnet rhythms and styles. I agree though, people do have different tastes. Thanks for your reply. Good luck and happy listening.

[TheBasilio]

@ DarknessHowls , las interpretaciones tambien evolucionan, hoy nadie tocaria como hace 100 años, todo este periodo fue para madurar el estilo y dimensionar aun mas la obra de bartok.

[DarknessHowls]

@TheBasilio - Certainly interpretations do change over time, and over time performers' interpretations become more mature and measured as their skills develop (Is this what you said? My understanding of Spanish is limited.). I just don't really like this interpretation very much in comparison to some others I've heard.

[dalecampbl5]

yeah....this is not one of his great works..i'd try the piano concertos no2 and no.3

[luvtoluvyababy]

@Gordos404 I have loved Bartok for many years, and may I suggest you start with his Mikrokosmos (Boosey & Hawkes). Studying and playing pieces from this collection will give you an even greater appreciation for the color, feel and flavor of his compositions-as well as his genious (I am partial to the old Eastern European music).

[septiemakkoord]

Marvellous pieces, so original,so unique and brilliant like everything Bartok composed, We are lucky that Bartok gave us such beautiful music.

[Pulin85]

It is amazing: in the first movement there really are hornpipes!!!

[Musicplayah123]

I've always loved Bela Bartok! This is amazing!

[endofsocialmutation]

I love it!

[grubsas]

me 2 ;]

[mrbrianmccarthy]

What a nice student piece---good job Bela!

[careinn10]

I'm playing this piece right now. I just got it.

[agyi2]

brávóóó Látyátok a magyarok is tudnak.......

[kissodon]

nekem is rossz a helyesírásom! ezért használok, ilyen beépülőszótárat, letöltöd a firefoxba vagy mozzilába és pirosan aláhúzza a hibás szavakat mint a word, és jobbgombal ha kattintasz akkor javaslatokat is ad!

[tabitwin]

i know that he is not one of the most popular composers but i love him!

[LoopeyLizi]

grr, this isn't the version i am learning. >:(

[missaznperfectionist]

actually...it might be the same

bartok just doesn't have a strict tempo

he swings it in a way

[brokentoken]

Bartók rulezz!

[missaznperfectionist]

if only all the composers wanted their pieces played without a constant/strict beat...i would excel at piano

[gta661610]

what a rhythmical freedom in his interpretation! Nice. He's the owner, he can do what he wants.

[dukeraul47]

I think this interpretation is imitative of the Hungarian folk music style with it's free flowing rhythms and swing-like rhythms.

[rodrigodemarsillac]

He plays with a "swingy" interpretation! This uneven eighth and sixteenth notes are not written in the sheet music. If you want to find the right way to play this piece, you must listen to this recording thousands of times. There is also a video of this piece arranged by Bartok for string orchestra named "Transylvanian Dances"

[osebheikhian]

the most beautiful bartók

Egyszerűen..zseniális

[RoberTastic]

is there any way to give him money i royalties from all the modern hollywood composers who ripped off his style and themes? drill a hole i the ground to dump the cheques in?

[ssyreeni]

One of the preeminent composers of the past century, not only displaying his virtuoso piano skills, but a composition of his that was once again bound to break a couple of boundaries in his time. Especially given the signature influence from Hungarian folk music, what with all of the rapid trills, unusual meters, and the *highly* charged, almost *linguistically significant* accents.

[bomberchicken]

I likes

[konzolmester]

The second movement(Bear Dance)is the hardest. Thou confusing as it is there is also another composition (Bear Dance) from Bartok: watch?v=bPyuGuCU2mY

[davis1337]

I think the song from that link is called Hungarian Sketches Part II - Allegro Vivace (Sz.97, BB103, 1931). This video is the right version; it corresponds with the sheet music I have of it.

[Onagerman]

Thanks so much for the posting! A great and illuminating performance.

[konzolmester]

Hmm Im learning this piece this summer.

To zhang189 GO BACK TO THE HIPPIES YOU HOOLIGAN!

[jutaipeter]

no, zhang, you are stupid. Bartok is the greatest hungarian composer. You hear joy in this music, that is build upon hungarian folktunes. Why do people like You listen to music they cannot understand? Featherbrained man. GR

[AndreiM999]

No, this is another Bartok,s composition from romanian folk inspiration. The original song he inspired, is another romanian folk dance.

[jutaipeter]

Yeah, Andrei, You are right, of course, these are rumanian tunes, that ispired this piece. Bartók collected them in Hungary, but were played by rumanian peasants.

[AndreiM999]

8000 recordings in a huge region from Slovakia to N Africa ..3500 recordings of romanain music from Tranylvania. The thracian music roots...that he was looking for.

[zhang189]

This song is stupid

[urns100]

sorry man, but this its other world, its not your pop music 4/4

[luvtoluvyababy]

@urns100 Welcome to my world

[jazzecca2007]

lol. nice =D. im playing this as my B piece for my Gr.8 Violin exam =P

[konzolmester]

Wonderfull!!

[Znethru]

Magical touch. Brilliant rhythmic inflections. Now this is how to play the piano! Memorable tone. A little wit/humour in there too.

[plak78]

it's a wonderful performance. it realy ear like as a bagpipe. so hard to make feel this influence with piano. magnificant.

[Alvarordonez]

Thank you for sharing this performance by Bartok. I use to play this sonatine some years ago.............

[crusadesong]

I also am working on the Sonatina. I enjoyed hearing what he wanted it to sound like. This is nothing like some of the other recordings I've found. Thanks.

[ReginaNoctis91]

I am working on the first movement of this piece and I must say it is fabulous to here what the composer himself wanted the piece to sound like. Many thanks for posting this video!

[khargushoghli]

I played this in a high school recital.

I shudder to think how I butchered it in public when I hear this.

He plays with such ease, so care-free...

[skillphiliac]

Wonderful.

[ConFuocoPiano]

What a pianist he was! I cannot thank you enough for posting this.