Piano Concerto No. 3 (Bartók)
Encyclopedia
Béla Bartók's
Piano Concerto No. 3 in E major, Sz. 119, BB 127 is a musical composition for piano and orchestra. The piece was composed in 1945 by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók during the final months of his life. It consists of three movements.
after the outbreak of World War II
. Bartók's migration from Europe to America preceded that of his music. Lack of local interest, combined with Bartók's extended battle with leukemia
and a general sense of discomfort in the American atmosphere prevented Bartók from composing a great deal in his early years in America. Fortunately, the composer was commissioned to create his Concerto for Orchestra
which was extremely well received and decreased the composer's financial difficulties.
This, combined with an abatement of his medical condition, allowed for a change in the composer's general disposition. The changes in the composer's emotional and financial state are considered by a few to be the primary causes for the third piano concerto's seemingly light, airy, almost neoclassical
tone, especially in comparison to Bartók's earlier works .
The piece was not composed under commission, unlike much of Bartók's work, but was created as a surprise birthday gift for Bartók's second wife, Ditta Pásztory, who was, like Bartók, a skilled concert pianist. It has been suggested that many of the deviations from Bartók's prior style can be attributed to this. For example, this concerto is less technically challenging than Bartók's two prior piano concertos and it has been suggested that Bartók consciously created a less demanding piece so that his wife, who lacked the significant technical prowess to perform his two earlier concertos, would be able to perform the piece to gain a livelihood after Bartók had succumbed to his terminal illness.
However, while the composition of a piece as a gift as opposed to a commission undoubtedly impacted the composing process, some think it more likely that the piece was instead the culmination of a trend of reduction and simplification which began almost ten years prior, with the Second Violin Concerto
, and which concluded Bartók's exploration of tonality and complexity.
Bartók died on September 26, 1945, with the concerto unfinished. The task of completing orchestration of the final 17 measures, drawing from Bartók's notes, was taken on by Tibor Serly
, a friend and pupil of Bartók, Eugene Ormandy
and a few others.
It premiered in Philadelphia on February 8, 1946 under Hungarian conductor Eugene Ormandy
with György Sándor
as piano soloist. The piece has since been adapted for two pianos by Mátyás Seiber
.
which combine for an approximate duration of 23 minutes. The piece was originally scored for 2 flute
s (2nd doubling piccolo
), 2 oboe
s (2nd doubling cor anglais
), 2 clarinet
s in A and B (2nd doubling bass clarinet
), 2 bassoon
s,
4 horns
in F, 2 trumpet
s in C, 3 trombone
s, tuba
, timpani
, percussion, strings
,
and piano
.
, features an original Hungarian "folk theme," similar to nineteenth century Hungarian verbunkos
dance, first introduced by soloist piano. The theme is often mirrored and modulated
by the orchestra throughout. The melody and piano solo are written with such rhythmic complexity that they seem almost improvisational.
The first chord of the first movement, which holds four pitches, E, F, A, and B, implying both E Dorian
and E Mixolydian, and is relatively tonal, especially when compared to the first chord of Piano Concerto No. 1
. The chord develops further with the addition of C in the second bar, resulting in the pentatonic, which is followed with G, leaving a major scale
short of D. Bartók continues to add D to complete the Mixolydian scale, followed by G natural to suggest the Dorian mode. Finally, in bar six, Bartók displays the Lydian mode
through G and A. This complex melodic pattern is an example of what Bartók called "polymodal chromaticism
," the rapid succession of many modes through chromatic alteration to produce a chromatic texture.
, seems to mirror the style of a Beethoven
chorale
. The string introduction followed by the chorale on piano may be said to mimic the third movement of Beethoven's String Quartet in A minor
.
The second movement is also suspected to be highly autobiographic.
At the time of composition, Bartók may have been hopeful for a full recovery and, at the same time, the conflict which forced him out of Europe had come to a close. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to think that this section relates to Bartók's hopes of returning to Hungary. In fact, Bartók includes a harmony related to the Tristan chord
, a set of intervals from Richard Wagner
's Tristan und Isolde
referred to as the "characteristically sad and yearning harmony of Romanticism
." The final resolution of the Tristan chord comes as a C-based pentatonic mode, and as Bartók was known to consider pentatony a chief characteristic of ancient Hungarian folksong, this can be considered a musical symbol of his Hungarian homeland. The middle section is in Bartók's Night music style
. It contains imitations of natural sounds of insect
and bird calls.
and apparent optimism often found in Bartók's final movements, though with considerably stronger folk inspiration with its apparent Hungarian folk melody and its rondo
-like returning theme. It has been said that this movement "captures the infectious ebullient spirit of the folk song." There is also a central fugato section in almost Baroque style. The movement as a whole, while largely energetic and vivid, exhibits biting atonality
and rhythmic complexity.
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
Piano Concerto No. 3 in E major, Sz. 119, BB 127 is a musical composition for piano and orchestra. The piece was composed in 1945 by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók during the final months of his life. It consists of three movements.
Context
The Piano Concerto No. 3 was one of the pieces composed by Bartók after departing HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
after the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Bartók's migration from Europe to America preceded that of his music. Lack of local interest, combined with Bartók's extended battle with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
and a general sense of discomfort in the American atmosphere prevented Bartók from composing a great deal in his early years in America. Fortunately, the composer was commissioned to create his Concerto for Orchestra
Concerto for Orchestra (Bartók)
Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, BB 123, is a five-movement musical work for orchestra composed by Béla Bartók in 1943. It is one of his best-known, most popular and most accessible works. The score is inscribed "15 August – 8 October 1943", and it premiered on December 1, 1944 in Boston Symphony...
which was extremely well received and decreased the composer's financial difficulties.
This, combined with an abatement of his medical condition, allowed for a change in the composer's general disposition. The changes in the composer's emotional and financial state are considered by a few to be the primary causes for the third piano concerto's seemingly light, airy, almost neoclassical
Neoclassicism (music)
Neoclassicism in music was a twentieth-century trend, particularly current in the period between the two World Wars, in which composers sought to return to aesthetic precepts associated with the broadly defined concept of "classicism", namely order, balance, clarity, economy, and emotional restraint...
tone, especially in comparison to Bartók's earlier works .
The piece was not composed under commission, unlike much of Bartók's work, but was created as a surprise birthday gift for Bartók's second wife, Ditta Pásztory, who was, like Bartók, a skilled concert pianist. It has been suggested that many of the deviations from Bartók's prior style can be attributed to this. For example, this concerto is less technically challenging than Bartók's two prior piano concertos and it has been suggested that Bartók consciously created a less demanding piece so that his wife, who lacked the significant technical prowess to perform his two earlier concertos, would be able to perform the piece to gain a livelihood after Bartók had succumbed to his terminal illness.
However, while the composition of a piece as a gift as opposed to a commission undoubtedly impacted the composing process, some think it more likely that the piece was instead the culmination of a trend of reduction and simplification which began almost ten years prior, with the Second Violin Concerto
Violin Concerto No. 2 (Bartók)
Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 2, BB 117 was dedicated to the Hungarian violin virtuoso, Zoltán Székely, who requested the composition in 1936, and is a prime example of verbunkos style....
, and which concluded Bartók's exploration of tonality and complexity.
Bartók died on September 26, 1945, with the concerto unfinished. The task of completing orchestration of the final 17 measures, drawing from Bartók's notes, was taken on by Tibor Serly
Tibor Serly
Tibor Serly was a Hungarian violist, violinist and composer.He was one of the students of Zoltán Kodály. He greatly admired and became a young apprentice of Béla Bartók. His association with Bartók was for him both a blessing and a curse...
, a friend and pupil of Bartók, Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy was a Hungarian-born conductor and violinist.-Early life:Born Jenő Blau in Budapest, Hungary, Ormandy began studying violin at the Royal National Hungarian Academy of Music at the age of five...
and a few others.
It premiered in Philadelphia on February 8, 1946 under Hungarian conductor Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy was a Hungarian-born conductor and violinist.-Early life:Born Jenő Blau in Budapest, Hungary, Ormandy began studying violin at the Royal National Hungarian Academy of Music at the age of five...
with György Sándor
György Sándor
György Sándor was a Hungarian pianist, writer, student and friend of Béla Bartók, and champion of his music.- Early years :...
as piano soloist. The piece has since been adapted for two pianos by Mátyás Seiber
Mátyás Seiber
Mátyás György Seiber was a Hungarian-born composer who lived and worked in England from 1935 onward.-Career:Seiber was born in Budapest, and studied there with Zoltán Kodály, with whom he toured Hungary collecting folk songs. In 1928, he became director of the jazz department at the Hoch...
.
Music
Piano Concerto No. 3 consists of three movements:- Allegretto
- Adagio religioso
- Allegro vivace
which combine for an approximate duration of 23 minutes. The piece was originally scored for 2 flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s (2nd doubling piccolo
Piccolo
The piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
), 2 oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s (2nd doubling cor anglais
Cor anglais
The cor anglais , or English horn , is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family....
), 2 clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s in A and B (2nd doubling bass clarinet
Bass clarinet
The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
), 2 bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s,
4 horns
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
in F, 2 trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s in C, 3 trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s, tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, percussion, strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
,
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
.
Allegretto
The first movement, based basically in E majorE major
E major is a major scale based on E, with the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps .Its relative minor is C-sharp minor, and its parallel minor is E minor....
, features an original Hungarian "folk theme," similar to nineteenth century Hungarian verbunkos
Verbunkos
Verbunkos is an 18th-century Hungarian dance and music genre. Erroneously, this genre was sometimes attributed to Gypsies, because usually they were the musicians, although the Magyars themselves were sometimes performers,as well....
dance, first introduced by soloist piano. The theme is often mirrored and modulated
Modulation (music)
In music, modulation is most commonly the act or process of changing from one key to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature. Modulations articulate or create the structure or form of many pieces, as well as add interest...
by the orchestra throughout. The melody and piano solo are written with such rhythmic complexity that they seem almost improvisational.
The first chord of the first movement, which holds four pitches, E, F, A, and B, implying both E Dorian
Dorian mode
Due to historical confusion, Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different musical modes or diatonic scales, the Greek, the medieval, and the modern.- Greek Dorian mode :...
and E Mixolydian, and is relatively tonal, especially when compared to the first chord of Piano Concerto No. 1
Piano Concerto No. 1 (Bartók)
The Piano Concerto No. 1 , Sz. 83, BB 91 of Béla Bartók was composed in 1926. It is about 23 to 24 minutes long.-Background:For almost three years, Bartók had composed little. He broke that silence with several piano works, one of which was the piano concerto...
. The chord develops further with the addition of C in the second bar, resulting in the pentatonic, which is followed with G, leaving a major scale
Major scale
In music theory, the major scale or Ionian scale is one of the diatonic scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, ", the "Do" in the parenthesis at...
short of D. Bartók continues to add D to complete the Mixolydian scale, followed by G natural to suggest the Dorian mode. Finally, in bar six, Bartók displays the Lydian mode
Lydian mode
The Lydian musical scale is a rising pattern of pitches comprising three whole tones, a semitone, two more whole tones, and a final semitone. This sequence of pitches roughly describes the fifth of the eight Gregorian modes, known as Mode V or the authentic mode on F, theoretically using B but in...
through G and A. This complex melodic pattern is an example of what Bartók called "polymodal chromaticism
Polymodal chromaticism
In music, polymodal chromaticism is the use of any and all musical modes sharing the same final simultaneously or in succession and thus creating a texture involving all twelve notes of the chromatic scale...
," the rapid succession of many modes through chromatic alteration to produce a chromatic texture.
Adagio religioso
The second movement, based in C majorC major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
, seems to mirror the style of a Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
. The string introduction followed by the chorale on piano may be said to mimic the third movement of Beethoven's String Quartet in A minor
String Quartet No. 15 (Beethoven)
The Quartet in A minor, Op. 132, by Ludwig van Beethoven, was written in 1825, given its public premiere on November 6 of that year by the Schuppanzigh Quartet and was dedicated to Count Nicolai Galitzin, as were Opp. 127 and 130...
.
The second movement is also suspected to be highly autobiographic.
At the time of composition, Bartók may have been hopeful for a full recovery and, at the same time, the conflict which forced him out of Europe had come to a close. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to think that this section relates to Bartók's hopes of returning to Hungary. In fact, Bartók includes a harmony related to the Tristan chord
Tristan chord
The Tristan chord is a chord made up of the notes F, B, D and G. More generally, it can be any chord that consists of these same intervals: augmented fourth, augmented sixth, and augmented ninth above a root...
, a set of intervals from Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Straßburg. It was composed between 1857 and 1859 and premiered in Munich on 10 June 1865 with Hans von Bülow conducting...
referred to as the "characteristically sad and yearning harmony of Romanticism
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
." The final resolution of the Tristan chord comes as a C-based pentatonic mode, and as Bartók was known to consider pentatony a chief characteristic of ancient Hungarian folksong, this can be considered a musical symbol of his Hungarian homeland. The middle section is in Bartók's Night music style
Night music (Bartók)
Night Music is a musical style of the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók which he used mostly in slow movements of multi-movement ensemble or orchestra compositions in his mature period...
. It contains imitations of natural sounds of insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
and bird calls.
Allegro vivace
The third and final movement demonstrates a joie de vivreJoie de vivre
Joie de vivre is a French phrase often used in English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life; an exultation of spirit. Joie de vivre"can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do… And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy...
and apparent optimism often found in Bartók's final movements, though with considerably stronger folk inspiration with its apparent Hungarian folk melody and its rondo
Rondo
Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
-like returning theme. It has been said that this movement "captures the infectious ebullient spirit of the folk song." There is also a central fugato section in almost Baroque style. The movement as a whole, while largely energetic and vivid, exhibits biting atonality
Atonality
Atonality in its broadest sense describes music that lacks a tonal center, or key. Atonality in this sense usually describes compositions written from about 1908 to the present day where a hierarchy of pitches focusing on a single, central tone is not used, and the notes of the chromatic scale...
and rhythmic complexity.
Reception
The concerto's deviation from Bartók's compositional norm resulted in an uneasy reception. A few European critics were quick to criticize Bartók for his notable use of tonal themes throughout the piece, fearing he had adapted his composition to suit American taste. The piece was also thought thinner in compositional complexity throughout. There existed, however, another group, who saw the piece as a continuation of Bartók's trend of simplification and condensation, a general return from exploration of tonality and complexity to begin integrating the two into existing, classical compositional structure.Recordings
- Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under conductor Ferenc FricsayFerenc FricsayFerenc Fricsay was a Hungarian conductor. From 1960 until his death, he was an Austrian citizen.Fricsay was born in Budapest in 1914 and studied music under Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály, Ernst von Dohnányi, and Leo Weiner. Fricsay had a meteoric rise to fame, making his first appearance as a...
, Soloist: Géza AndaGéza AndaGéza Anda was a Hungarian pianist. A celebrated interpreter of classical and romantic repertoire, particularly noted for his performances and recordings of Mozart, he was also a tremendous interpreter of Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms and Bartók....
, 1959/1960 recorded in the Jesus Christ Church in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. - Budapest Festival OrchestraBudapest Festival OrchestraThe Budapest Festival Orchestra was formed in 1983 by Iván Fischer and Zoltán Kocsis, with musicians "drawn from the cream of Hungary's younger players", as The Times put it...
under conductor Iván FischerIván FischerIván Fischer is a Hungarian conductor and composer. Born in Budapest into a Jewish musical family, Fischer initially studied piano, violin, cello and composition in Budapest...
, Soloist: András SchiffAndrás SchiffAndrás Schiff is a Hungarian-born British classical pianist, who has won a number of awards including the Grammy and made numerous recordings.- Biography :...
, in April 1996 recorded in BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
in the Italian Cultural Institute. Sound engineer was Eberhard SengpielEberhard SengpielEberhard Sengpiel is a multiple Grammy award-winning sound engineer. He is also a musician in his own right and a lecturer at the Berlin University of the Arts, UdK-Berlin.- Career :...
. - London Symphony Orchestra under conductor Pierre BoulezPierre BoulezPierre Boulez is a French composer of contemporary classical music, a pianist, and a conductor.-Early years:Boulez was born in Montbrison, Loire, France. As a child he began piano lessons and demonstrated aptitude in both music and mathematics...
, Soloist: Hélène GrimaudHélène GrimaudHélène Grimaud is a French pianist.-Biography:Grimaud was born in Aix-en-Provence, France. Although her autobiography Variations Sauvages suggests a...
, 2004. - Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
recorded part of the concerto in 1988 on his last tour, and it is included in his album, Make a Jazz Noise HereMake a Jazz Noise HereMake a Jazz Noise Here is a live double album by Frank Zappa. It was first released in June 1991, and was the third Zappa album to be compiled of recordings from his 1988 world tour, following Broadway the Hard Way and The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life .The album is made up mostly of...
, alongside an extract from Stravinsky's Histoire du SoldatHistoire du soldatHistoire du soldat , composed by Igor Stravinsky, is a 1918 theatrical work "to be read, played, and danced" . The libretto, which is based on a Russian folk tale, was written in French by the Swiss universalist writer C.F. Ramuz...
.