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Thread: Bartok binge!

  1. #1
    chalkpie
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    Bartok binge!

    I'm riding the Bartok train right now. I own a whole mess-load of recordings, but the one that I am hitting like a ton of bricks is the 8-CD set with Boulez on DG (mainly large scale orchestral compositions). Amazon (yes, the evil Amazon) has a new copy for around $25 including shipping - man that is a hard bargain to beat for such quality recordings of exquisite music. I am finding some love for the lesser known pieces such as Dance Suite, Two Pictures, Hungarian Sketches, Divertimento for Strings, etc. Good lord this is such incredible music! If you love the whole-tone scale, order immediately

    71AxQBDv85L._SY450_.jpg

  2. #2
    I listened/watched this a few weeks ago, and it really gave me a deeper appreciation for this great work.




    I only have two of the Boulez DG recordings, but I've got several Philips Bartok CDs, the piano concertos on Sony (Gyorgy Sandor) and the complete piano works box by Zoltan Kocsis.

  3. #3
    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    If you love the whole-tone scale, order immediately
    Well you could say the same for Debussy.

    I'm only familiar with the more well known stuff like "The Miraculous Mandarin," "Concerto For Orchestra," "Music for Percussion, Strings and Celeste," "Violin Concerto" (was there more than one?) and the string quartets. But yeah, it's great stuff! He was the king of rubbing opposing harmonies against each other and making it work!

  4. #4
    Speaking of THE MIRACULOUS MANDARIN:

    Frankie, if you don't know this white knuckler version, run don't walk. Breakneck tempos. Truly bad-ass.


    bartok.jpg

  5. #5
    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    The string quartets are great pieces for upcoming Autumn nights.

    Spooky stuff..
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

  6. #6
    Boo! walt's Avatar
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    Heard this piece for the first time on WKCR-FM recently.I'll have to check if its available on cd.Outstanding.

    "please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide

  7. #7
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    I love Béla Bartók's music, he's one of my favorite composers. He went through about three phases: started out as a Richard Strauss devotee, wrote stuff in that lush, late-romantic vein. A perfect example is his incredible opera (sadly, his only one), Bluebeard's Castle or A kékszakállú herceg vára if you prefer the Hungarian title.



    He then went through a more stringent, tonally unsure phase, stuff like the great string quartets. I love his piano concerto's, the first was written in 1926:



    His final phase was short, it was his American exile from 1940 - 1945, the year he died at 64. The music had become more tonal, I love the Concerto for Orchestra and the third piano concerto especially.

    Speaking of THE MIRACULOUS MANDARIN
    That's a great CD! Great performance of the Bartók pieces, plus a really intense performance of The Scythian Suite. It's not as good as Carl Palmer's performance of the 2nd movement on Works Vol. 1, but still.
    ...or you could love

  8. #8
    chalkpie
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prehensile Pencil View Post
    Speaking of THE MIRACULOUS MANDARIN:

    Frankie, if you don't know this white knuckler version, run don't walk. Breakneck tempos. Truly bad-ass.


    bartok.jpg
    OK cool - thanks bro. Never heard the Abbado version - I only own Boulez and Fischer (Budapest Festival), the latter which is great and the only version I knew for a long time. I'll check 'er out

  9. #9
    chalkpie
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    ^ OK - i just ordered a used version of this disc for $0.01 - yes that is not a typo. Shipping was 3.99, though.

  10. #10
    Frank, did you get to this one yet? Awesome recording!


  11. #11
    chalkpie
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reid View Post
    Frank, did you get to this one yet? Awesome recording!


    Reidster - yes sir - it is included in that 8 disc Boulez set...and yes it is a fantastic piece!

  12. #12
    Just finished listening to it. You can't beat the CSO for a big, dynamic work like The Wooden Prince.

  13. #13
    Member thedunno's Avatar
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    Bartok might be my favourite composer (next to Debussy and Tim Smith)

    I own most of the stuff he has ever written but my favourite pieces are still his string quartets. Those string quartets are important, even for prog fans. Robert Fripp and peter Hammill have expressed their admiration of those quartets in the past. You can easily pick out some KC-like riffs if you listen closely. And the best version of the string quartets I have heared so far is by the Emerson Quartet. Get it NOW if you haven't already. (and yes they are on spotify as well)

    Also his 3 piano concertos are highly recommended.

  14. #14
    Member thedunno's Avatar
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    I just found this:



    I haven't had time to watch it yet but Janine Jansen is always a pleasure to watch. And Janine playing Bartok is double pleasure.

  15. #15
    chalkpie
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    Quote Originally Posted by nosebone View Post
    The string quartets are great pieces for upcoming Autumn nights.

    Spooky stuff..
    Yeah man.

  16. #16
    chalkpie
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    Quote Originally Posted by thedunno View Post
    Bartok might be my favourite composer (next to Debussy and Tim Smith)

    I own most of the stuff he has ever written but my favourite pieces are still his string quartets. Those string quartets are important, even for prog fans. Robert Fripp and peter Hammill have expressed their admiration of those quartets in the past. You can easily pick out some KC-like riffs if you listen closely. And the best version of the string quartets I have heared so far is by the Emerson Quartet. Get it NOW if you haven't already. (and yes they are on spotify as well)

    Also his 3 piano concertos are highly recommended.
    Agreed - the SQ's are some of my favorite chamber music, hands-down. I do also love the Emerson version, as it was the first version I owned. Along with these, the two Ligeti SQ's are also gems. Piano Concertos are also gold as well. Right now I am just enjoying being immersed in these large-scale orchestral pieces. I own a DVD of Boulez/Berliner performing the Concerto for Orchestra in an unbelievable monastery in Lisbon - haven't watched in a while but plan on doing so tonight.

  17. #17
    Member Morpheus's Avatar
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    I like the Takacs version of the Quartets.
    The Tokyo Quartet versions are good too.

  18. #18
    Boo! walt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Morpheus View Post
    I like the Takacs version of the Quartets.

    That's what i have and i dig it.Funny, the only 20th century composers i have different cd versions of the same compositions are Messaien and Cage.Go figger.
    "please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide

  19. #19
    I have two sets of the quartets. The Alban Berg Quartet, and Takacs, but I'm still not satisfied. Both of these recordings are kind of harsh sounding, so I'm still searching for a group with a warmer sound.

  20. #20
    chalkpie
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reid View Post
    I have two sets of the quartets. The Alban Berg Quartet, and Takacs, but I'm still not satisfied. Both of these recordings are kind of harsh sounding, so I'm still searching for a group with a warmer sound.
    Try and search out some sound camples of the Emerson SQ version...might be the version you're looking for. They are sometimes " criticized " for their smoothness in this music.

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    Try and search out some sound camples of the Emerson SQ version...might be the version you're looking for. They are sometimes " criticized " for their smoothness in this music.
    I found the Emerson set at my library, so I'll give them a listen.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    Try and search out some sound camples of the Emerson SQ version...might be the version you're looking for. They are sometimes " criticized " for their smoothness in this music.
    I prefer the Emerson recordings for these pieces.

    Happy to see the Bartok love. He'd have been thrilled to know that there was a lot of American interest in his music 70+ years after his death - he never achieved much renown here as a composer during his lifetime.

  23. #23
    Fortunately Bartok came to America where he received commissions from interested parties who were trying to help him financially. And as a result we have the Concerto For Orchestra, 3rd Piano Concerto, and the chamber work, Contrasts.

  24. #24
    chalkpie
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    Not exactly the last word in high-def video quality, but I thoroughly enjoyed this Bartok documentary, and learned some stuff along the way. Follow links to the other parts (6 total).

  25. #25
    chalkpie
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reid View Post
    Fortunately Bartok came to America where he received commissions from interested parties who were trying to help him financially. And as a result we have the Concerto For Orchestra, 3rd Piano Concerto, and the chamber work, Contrasts.
    Contrasts is such a great piece - I have adored that piece for years now

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