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Great Selection
This is an excellent book, with a wonderful selection of pieces. For anyone learning to play the piano this pieces will keep you happy at the piano. On the other hand, they are also great compositions that will move your creativity.

Excellent Introduction To Bartok
As this edition contains many pieces for beginners and intermediates, it is a valuable introduction to the tonal world of Bela Bartok.Would be good for recital pieces for students or just to sight read through for more advanced pupils.Some of the pieces sound much more difficult than they are!Highly recommended! ... Read more

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Contents: Four Old Sorrowful Songs * Scherzo * Ballade (Tema con Variazioni) * Old Dance Tunes. ... Read more

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Batok is the man!
I am a music composer and I have found the essays by Bartok compiled in this book very interesting and helpful.For example, there are several essays describing how Bartok organized many of his compositions.There are also several essays describing different types of folk music such as American, Rumanian, and Hungarian.There is an essay on the 'So-called Bulgarian Rhythm.'I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in learing about different types of folk music or anything about Bela Bartok and is compositions. ... Read more

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Treasury of rewarding piano works from one of the 20th century’s most influential composers. Includes the dancelike Allegro Barbaro, a sonorous, boisterous piece of power and bravura; 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs; six Rumanian Folk Dances; 20 Rumanian Christmas Carols; and eight Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs. Musical gems for pianists at intermediate and advanced skill levels.
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Bartok the Ethnomusicologist
Bartok was the first composer who really got me interested in what one could still technically call "Classical music." I remember hearing his Piano Sonata No. 1, Sz. 80 for the first time and being completely blown away by it. It was so primal and yet still refined in a musical sense. It was like listening to a man lose his mind at the piano while still retaining enough intellect (musically) to function.

But onto the review:

To my dismay, this collection does not contain the Sz. 80 sonata, but it does contain a myriad of other Bartok works which perhaps define him as an artist even better. Bartok was truly our first ethnomusicologist. His experiments with recording the folk music of his homeland (Hungary) and other Eastern European countries and arranging it in the Western tradition brought Western music as far East as it had been up until that point. Sure, there were Russian composers before Bartok who integrated their own folk music into Western styles (The Five, Tchaikovsky, even Rachmaninov), but Bartok's Eastern European studies are a different animal all together.

For starters, Bartok studied Western music under the care of Hugarian teachers at the Royal Academy of Music at Budapest. Here he was perpetually influenced by teachers (Franz Liszt [indirectly], Janos Koessler) and other students (Zoltan Kodaly) who had already begun studies of their own folk music in comparison to Western styles. This book contains great examples of these folk influences translated into the Western style in the intellectual and profound way that Bartok was known for.

This book features Bartok's shorter works like the Romanian Christmas Carols and Hungarian Peasant Songs that offer the average Western listener an abstract approach to Bartok's homeland. The seemingly unnatural rhythms (which the pianist will undoubtedly have trouble with at first) come second nature to the folk music of Eastern Europe. And by reading and playing through this book, the music student will see that Bartok's fundamental understanding of music is unbelievably far removed from the understanding of music that Westerners are raised in. ... Read more

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This compilation of essays spans a wide range of individual perspectives within the varied disciplines related to Bartok's life and work. The nineteen chapters together constitute a broad yet integrated picture of the Hungarian composer's contributions to twentieth-century music and scholarship. While self-contained, each chapter contributes to a larger scheme of interrelated subjects that provide a coherent view of the Bartok field. The book also contains integrative theoretic-analytical approaches to Bartok's musical language that demonstrate relations between the modalities and rhythms of folk music and his more abstract musical principles. ... Read more

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The basic principles of progression and the means by which tonality is established in Bartk's music remain problematical to many theorists. Elliott Antokoletz here demonstrates that the remarkable continuity of style in Bartk's evolution is founded upon an all-encompassing system of pitch relations in which one can draw together the diverse pitch formations in his music under one unified set of principles. ... Read more

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Bartok = The Man
This book is incredibly in-depth, often so in-depth that I had to take breaks and listen to his music and remember the days when I listened to Bartok in total bliss. ... Read more

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Bartók's music is greatly prized by concertgoers, yet we know little about the intellectual milieu that gave rise to his artistry. Bartók is often seen as a lonely genius emerging from a gray background of an "underdeveloped country." Now Judit Frigyesi offers a broader perspective on Bartók's art by grounding it in the social and cultural life of turn-of-the-century Hungary and the intense creativity of its modernist movement. Bartók spent most of his life in Budapest, an exceptional man living in a remarkable milieu. Frigyesi argues that Hungarian modernism in general and Bartók's aesthetic in particular should be understood in terms of a collective search for wholeness in life and art and for a definition of identity in a rapidly changing world. Is it still possible, Bartók's generation of artists asked, to create coherent art in a world that is no longer whole? Bartók and others were preoccupied with this question and developed their aesthetics in response to it. In a discussion of Bartók and of Endre Ady, the most influential Hungarian poet of the time, Frigyesi demonstrates how different branches of art and different personalities responded to the same set of problems, creating oeuvres that appear as reflections of one another. She also examines Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle, exploring philosophical and poetic ideas of Hungarian modernism and linking Bartók's stylistic innovations to these concepts. ... Read more

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a truly eye-opening explanation of Bartok and his works!
I am a fan of history-and-criticism books (especially on musical topics),but ONLY when they read with the clarity of logic and the authority ofresourced research which is demonstrated by this wonderful book.Thepurposes and meanings which underlie so much of Bartok's work and music,from folk-song research to Cantata Profana and all of the stage works, arebeautifully revealed. It is a true inspiration to read about the milieuwhich helped to create the great sense of purpose which drove Bartok to hisgreatness. (Derrill Bodley, Professor) ... Read more

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This text analyzes the major aspects of Bartok's music - his harmonies, melodies, forms and rhythms. ... Read more

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If you like Bartok's music, buy this!
Lendvai is an expert on Bartok and he has insights that make compositional sense too, so not just any old reviewer.

Fundaments of post-romantic music
I have been a lifelong student of composition, and this book opened up a whole new realm of musical thought for me.There are brilliant observations regarding chromatic tonality, atonality, and structure that (although they are presented largely in the context of an analysis of Bartok's music) shed light on the development and future of modern music in general.

The book serves also as a fitting tribute to Bartok, a genius who all too often is written off as merely the modern adaptor of Hungarian folk-song.In this book the author demonstrates how the folk-song interest, and other fundamental Bartok building blocks, have a deep basis in the fundaments of life and the world.

If you've known Bartok's music speaks to you in ways you can't explain or understand, or if you just want to wrap your head around one of the most important contributions to the development of music in the modern era, then this book is for you.

I hope this review is more helpful than the one below, which seems to be more of a jumble of random thoughts, most of which appear to be associated with some other, more biographical work.

Fundamental testimony !
The peaceable existences do not use to be genius ` man patrimony . We have come to life for getting our bliss and the most of times you must to fightfor reaching it .

Few times a tragic destiny as Bartok was , a man will have treated with such implacable symmetry . In last instance , Bartok argues talking about The bluebeard castle , we enter to worldwith tears and with tears we come out from it . The teardrops point our existence ...

Grillparzer ` s epitaph on Schubert `s tombstone could not be more appropriate to resume Bartok `s life : "The art of music here entombed a rich possession , but even fairer hopes".

For curious circumstances I have been involved with Bartok `s music and this fact has enriched my life gaze .

This book is a passionate, intense and vivid B.B. ` s portrait . The author penetrates with frantic commitment to the interfolds of the soul of this unique musician .

More than a simple advise , it `s impossible for you to abandon your life without reading this biography .

I had the enormous privilege of talking briefly with György Sandor - the maxim exponent of his piano music - in that unforgettable December 9 1982 night in Caracas after his performance and he told me among other issues the huge human quality , his shamanwisdom , the domain of fourteen idioms and the profound influence through his entire life .

And these words of Bartok will talk by themselves : "An ideal folklorist of popular songs should be poly historian , polyglot and linguist , phonetic specialist to watch and observe the minor hues of the several dialects and jargon . Something like a phonograph , in his exact description about the interferences between the music and the popular dances"

It can sound speculation but I have always thought the profound esteem felt by the Russian people to Dimitri Shostakovich must be parallel to the Hungarian people to Bela Bartok

This book changed my musical life.
This is the most concise musical analysis I have ever read. The examples are clear and without ambiguity.The logical progression of discussing the simple building blocks of Bartok's style leading on to the complex aspects of his writing is perfect.However, the pinnacle achievement of this book is the section that explains the natural progression of harmonic structures from Bach through Bartok that dispells any rumors or theories that 20th century music is merely a mathematical aberration or a gratuitous construct.If you want to discover why modern Jazz owes much of it's theory to Bartok, read this book. ... Read more

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The definitive edition (1987) of the piano teaching classic. Includes an introduction by the composer's son Peter Bartok. (English/French/German/Hungarian text). In 1945 Bela Bartok described Mikrokosmos as a cycle of 153 pieces for piano written for "didactic" purposes, seeing them as a series of pieces in many different styles, representing a small world, or as the "world of the little ones, the children".Stylistically Mikrokosmos reflects the influence of folk music on Bartok's life and the rhythms and harmonies employed create music that is as modern today as when the cycle was written. The 153 pieces making up Mikrokosmos are divided into six volumes arranged according to technical and musical difficulty. Major teaching points highlighted in Mikrokosmos 2: Staccato, legato, accompaniment in broken triads, accents ... Read more

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Bartok plays mind games with these etudes
I don't think I will ever be a fan of Bartok's etudes, but they do serve a purpose. This is the second book in a series six (I think). They are his compositions, none of which one would have ever heard. He uses scales that are no longer used in western music, they were used in early Catholic church music in Europe, e.g. Gregorian chants and high masses. He throws in "tricks" in every etude. I am not sure yet if he is improving my piano playing, but he definitely forces me to think about what I am playing. ... Read more

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First published in 1953, and again in 1964, Stevens's study is a classic text, combining an authoritative, balanced account of the Hungarian composer's life with candid, insightful analyses of his numerous works, particularly the chamber works. The work now appears in a third edition, prepared by the Bartok scholar Malcolm Gillies.A comprehensive chronological list of works is added, together with a select bibliography and discography.Minor revisions to the text are suggested and a new collection of rare photographs is included. ... Read more

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first serious and comprehensive study of the life and works of Béla Bartók
Well, I have to respect this book since it is the first serious and comprehensive study of the life and works of Béla Bartók. Overall, I give this 3.5 stars, with the hope that more books like this will surface with even more depth on this important composer.

General info: Only a third of the book is dedicated to biographical study, its primary concern is critical analysis of Bartók's music.

Representation of works: I found there was too much emphasis on vocal music, not enough on more important works, e.g. Mikrokosmos (less than a page -- whaat!!).

Musical analysis: there is no attempt to define Bartók's concept of tonality, no general analysis of his melodic and harmonic language. For being such a comprehensive book, I find that a bit strange -- especially in the 2nd edition.

Big, huge disappointment: Very little mention of Bartók's life long friendship and work with Kodály.

A must-buy for every Bartok fan.
An excellent book on the great Twentieth-Century composer, being both a biography in the usual sense, but also providing definitive analyses of his major works. The detailed description of Bartok's six string quartets, leaves little more to be said of them -- unless you want to go to monographs like Prof. Leo Treitler's Ph.D dissertation on the Fourth Quartet alone. A must for any Bartok lover. [updated email address] ... Read more

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Bartk's Concerto for Orchestra was the biggest public success of his career. He had previously been considered a minority interest, an uncompromising modernist. But the concerto was approachable and brilliantly effective; typical of the relatively straightforward style of his last works. It remains today his most performed work.

The use of the term concerto was intended to signify something similarto the Baroque concerto grosso, with different sections of theorchestra being displayed in turn. The five-part form is unusual, butrelates to the symmetrical or "arch" forms that Bartk had used inmany earlier works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The one to get!
Larger size for failing eyes. I bought my first copy in the mid-60s, the miniature score, and paid almost 50% more for a score 50% smaller.If you collect scores, add this one to your collection!

Solid score
This is a good full score of one of Bartok's most famous pieces.It includes some notes about the piece as well as the composer's original program notes.It also includes both the original and alternate endings to the 5th movement.I used this for study with a high school music class.

B&H Masterworks Library version of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra
This is THE edition to buy. Good print, adequate size, everything you need is there. ... Read more

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BÉLA BARTÓK - MIKROKOSMOS VOLUME 1 (BLUE)(English/Spanish/Japanese/Portuguese text)153 Progressive Piano PiecesSeries: BH PianoPublisher: Boosey & HawkesMedium: BOOKPianoComposer: Béla BartókThe definitive edition (1987) of the piano teaching classic. Includes an introduction by the composer's son Peter Bartók. (English/Spanish/Japanese/Portuguese text). In 1945 Bela Bartók described Mikrokosmos as a cycle of 153 pieces for piano written for "didactic" purposes, seeing them as a series of pieces in many different styles, representing a small world, or as the "world of the little ones, the children". Stylistically Mikrokosmos reflects the influence of folk music on Bartok's life and the rhythms and harmonies employed create music that is as modern today as when the cycle was written. The 153 pieces making up Mikrokosmos are divided into six volumes arranged according to technical and musical difficulty. Major teaching points highlighted in Mikrokosmos 2: Staccato, legato; Accompaniment in broken triads; AccentsBrought to you by MindaMusic Store in NC ... Read more

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Great as a method course for adults
Mikroksmos is not a complete course; it's simply pieces of music that become increasingly challenging. If you're an absolute beginner, you'll need a reference on music theory, where notes are on the piano, etc., from another source, or the guidance of a teacher. The pieces are not popular favorites in the happy key of C, but, if you're tired of "adult beginner" piano courses consisting of dumbed-down versions of elevator music like "Theme from Love Story" or popular classics like Pachebel's Canon using only the left and right index finger, this series (ironically, written by Bartok for his young child) will be a refreshing change. ... Read more

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The definitive edition (1987) of the piano teaching classic. Includes an introduction by the composer's son Peter Bartok. In 1945 Bela Bartok described Mikrokosmos as a cycle of 153 pieces for piano written for "didactic" purposes, seeing them as a series of pieces in many different styles, representing a small world, or as the "world of the little ones, the children". Stylistically Mikrokosmos reflects the influence of folk music on Bartok's life and the rhythms and harmonies employed create music that is as modern today as when the cycle was written. The 153 pieces making up Mikrokosmos are divided into six volumes arranged according to technical and musical difficulty. Major teaching points highlighted in Mikrokosmos 1: Unison melodies, Question and answer, Imitation and Inversion.Volume with pink covers have text in English, French, German, and Hungarian. ... Read more

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great book!
It is a great book but at the same time the most depressing one that I have ever read. ... Read more

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16 pp. Three rondos based on folk tunes. ... Read more

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Bela Bartok's (1881-1945) reputation as a key figure in twentieth-century music is well-established, but to understand the singular nature of his genius and the originality of his contribution, this biography is essential reading. The wide range of illustrations, showing contemporary photographs of people and events, help to bring the reculsive composer to life, and his story is set firmly into its social, cultural and historical contexts. Born into the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bartok worked through his youthful nationalism to a clearer understanding of his native culture, setting off with his friend Zoltan Kodaly to record the folklore of Hungary before it was destroyed by the march of progress. He ventured further into Romania and North Africa in pursuit of original cultures. These sounds and experiences helped him to find his voice as a composer.Despite his nationalism, however, Bartok was a humane and moderate man, whose distaste for authoritarian rule brought him into conflict with a crypto-Fascist government in Hungary and with the Germany of Adolf Hitler.While composing some of his outstanding works, he felt increasingly pressured and in 1940, after the death of his beloved mother, he tore himself away from Hungary and migrated to the United States. Homesick, short of money and stricken with leukaemia, he composed the magnificent Concerto for Orchestra and, on his deathbed in 1945, was completing a poignantly nostalgic Third Piano Concerto. He had never compromised his ideals, nor lost his innocence.Amazon.com Review
The 19th century saw the flowering of modern nationalism asthe various peoples of Europe who had previously been culturallysilent began to make themselves heard. Along with the invigoratingeffects on art, nationalism also led to provincialism and occasionalbigotry. Examining Bartók, author Kenneth Chalmers uncovers anintellectual whose research into folk music was genuinelynationalistic and, at the same time, broad-minded. Bartok's researchcovered not just Hungarian sources; it also reached out to otherEuropean ethnic groups--even as far as North Africa. Just as Bartok'snationalism managed to be cosmopolitan, his compositions served as acontemporary idiom that escaped the sterile orthodoxy ofserialism. Chalmers's portrait of this proud and withdrawn mancaptures his single-minded commitment to his music and explains whyBartok's works are among the most accessible contemporary scores toenter the repertory after WWII. ... Read more

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A VALUABLE STUDY OF A GREAT MODERN COMPOSER
Bela Bartok (1881-1945) was a very important 20th century Hungarian composer; Chalmers has written the most extensive biography available of Bartok.

The book is filled with insights into Bartok's life and music; e.g., "In March 1906 Emma Gruber introduced him to the man who was to become his firmest friend and ally, Zoltan Kodaly."

Concerning his religious beliefs, "He expresses a faith in nature and science, and sees atheism as the natural successor to Christianity ('distorted into Catholicism'), which in turn ('with its splendid code of ethics') had taken over from the faiths of the ancient world."Nonetheless, "Bartok was still nominally Catholic, but when his son reached school age in 1917 he joined the Unitarian Church, to exempt the boy from Catholic religious instruction at school."

Concerning Bartok's famous invention of the "arch" form (i.e., of the form ABCBA), Chalmers states that this "characteristic Bartok structure was actually a late decision on the part of the composer."He notes that "after the Fourth Quartet, (it) was becoming Bartok's regular choice of construction."

Bartok's famous Mikrokosmos pieces for beginning pianists were actually written because he was "dissatisfied with the music his son Peter was being given to play at his lessons."

Bartok wrote his famous Concerto for Orchestra (which was "symphony-like"), although he felt that "the symphony was dead."

This book is an excellent reference for anyone interested in Bartok or his music.

Review
This product was in ideal condition when it arrived and it came in a very timely manner.I was extremely pleased and would definitely use the sender again!

Excellent Information, Poor Delivery
This publication offers excellent biographical information on the life of Béla Bartók.Chalmers eloquently describes the composer's most famous compositions, concentrating on the aspects of his personal life that influenced their genesis rather than their fastidious technical complexities.If you are interested in the theoretical aspects of Bartók's music, I instead recommend Elliott Antokoletz's "The Music of Béla Bartók: A Study of Tonality and Progression in Twentieth-Century Music."The most unfortunate element of the book reviewed here is the authors prose.The publication is littered with incomplete, run-on and just plain terrible sentence structure.Overall, this is a quaint and interesting book, but Chalmers' prose is incredibly difficult to comprehend.I, personally, do not enjoy having to read a simple sentence two and three times to understand a simple thought that could have been portrayed in a straight-forward form.

An wonderful introduction to a complex composer
This book is a fabulous introduction to the music of a man whose compositions are often a bit difficult to understand.Kenneth Chalmers eloquently takes the reader on a journey through Bartok's life and music. In spite of the fact that there are some musical details, Chalmers did notget bogged down in alot of the compositional jargon that might dissuade oneto read this particular biography.

All in all, this book gets my highestpraise and I enthusiastically encourage anyone who wants to learn a littlemore about Bartok, one of the most celebrated composers of the 20thCentury, to read it. ... Read more