About Bartók
By fusing folk music elements with modernist techniques, Béla Viktor János Bartók (1881 - 1945) managed to leave a lasting impression on the world of music; in fact, he is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century, and he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hungary's greatest composers. Besides, through his collection and analytical study of folk music, he was one of the founders of comparative musicology - nowadays ethnomusicology.
Bartók was born in the Banatian town of Nagyszentmiklós in the Kingdom of Hungary (present-day Romania) to a lower noble family on his father’s side. According to his mother, young Béla already displayed a unique musical talent; even before he learned how to speak, the toddler could already tell apart different dance rhythms played on the piano. By the age of four, Béla could play himself - up to 40 pieces. He started playing formally the next year.
From 1899 to 1903, Bartók studied piano under former Franz Liszt student István Thomán, and composition under János Koessler at the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest. Upon finishing his studies, he also wrapped up his first major orchestral work, ‘Kossuth’ - a symphonic poem paying tribute to the Hungarian Revolution hero of the same name. At the start of his career as a composer, Bartók sought influence in the aforementioned Liszt and Richard Straus - who Bartók met at the 1902 Budapest premiere of ‘Also sprach Zarathustra’ - but his most surprising and well-known source of inspiration was yet to be found.
When staying at a holiday resort in the summer of 1904, Bartók overheard a young Transylvanian nanny sing folk songs to the children in her care. Struck by the melody’s beauty, Bartók found there a lifelong fascination with folk music, often infused in his compositions.
Bartók's compositions evolved as the composer gradually started embracing modernist and atonal elements. Forced to emigrate due to political unrest, he settled in the United States in the forties. His time spent in America gave way to some of his most well-known works, including ‘Concerto for Orchestra’, and ‘Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta’, even as Bartók gradually found himself more and more troubled, financially and personally.
In addition to his role as a composer in classical music, Béla Bartók was also one of the main developers of the emerging field of comparative musicology, later recognized as ethnomusicology. His partnership with fellow composer Zoltán Kodály in particular gave way to the release of influential collections such as ‘Mikrokosmos’ and ‘For Children’. Alongside his music, these works showcase Bartók's unwavering dedication to studying and disseminating folk music.
Béla Bartók passed away at the age of 64 in a New York City hospital, in 1945. Despite only ten people attending his funeral at the time, he has since garnered a well-deserved reputation as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking figures in twentieth-century classical music.
Discover the music of Béla Bartók
Concerts featuring B. Bartók
Available Now
Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra with Mehta
Zubin Mehta joins the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a performance of Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra in this 1977 concert.
Available Now
Salonen Honors Bartók in Paris
Esa-Pekka Salonen interprets Bartók, joined by the dazzling Labèque sisters and percussionist Eric Sammut.
Available Now
Bartók - Piano Concerto No. 2
Pianist Denis Kozhukhin takes on Bartók’s second piano concerto with Sir Simon Rattle at the podium.
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