Béla Bartók - Piano Concerto No.1 - Allegro Molto

Vladimir Ashkenazy
Sir Georg Solti
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
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The Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Sz. 83, BB 91 of Béla Bartók was composed in 1926. It is about 23 to 24 minutes long.

The concerto comes after an increased interest on Baroque music on the part of Bartók, which is demonstrated by such devices as the increased use of counterpoint. The work, however, retains the harshness and dissonance that is characteristic of Bartók. Here, as elsewhere in Bartók's output, the piano is used percussively.

The first movement is based on two motives, an ostinato rhythm first introduced by the timpani and a narrow-ranging melodic fragment played by the horns; while it begins with brass clusters and harsh dissonances, the melodic element gains greater and greater importance throughout the movement. The second movement is an example of what is known as Bartók's "night music". The strings and brass are silent; a duet for piano and percussion becomes the backdrop to an eerie and dissonant woodwind melody, and then recurs to bring the movement to a cadence. The third movement follows immediately as percussion take up its rhythm; it is a fast and lively rondo in which the returns of the main theme are greatly varied.

Movements: 1. Allegro moderato - Allegro 2. Andante - attacca 3. Allegro molto
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Painting: "Small Pleasures", by Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bela
• Bartok
• Piano
• Concerto
• No
• Allegro
• molto

[Simon0]

i find this music very original and constantly interesting..

[IncaRoad01]

To this day I have yet to hear a piece as exhilirating, tumultuous, explosive, creative and masterful as this ...

[TheFeuillesMortes]

@Simon0 Yes Indeed!

[iif5]

I found Bartok music is so subtle and strong.

[ragtimest]

this is cool, never heard before!

[Simon0]

@IncaRoad01 Bartok was freakishly talented!

[textthing]

What a fantastic conclusion to this masterpiece.

[777cc777]

can't hear it v well here, but the piano from 2:59 ( to 3:13) is just whirling!