Romanian Folk Dances
Encyclopedia
Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, BB 68 is a suite of six short piano pieces composed by Béla Bartók
in 1915. He later orchestrated it for small ensemble in 1917 as Sz. 68, BB 76.
It is based on seven Romania
n tunes from Transylvania
, originally played on fiddle or shepherd's flute. The original name for the piece was titled Romanian Folk Dances from Hungary but was later changed by Bartók when Transylvania
was annexed to Romania
in 1918. It is nowadays available in the 1971 edition which is written with key signature
s although Bartok rarely ever wrote key signature
s.
The melody of the first movements, according to Bartók, came from Mezőszabad
, in the Maros-Torda
(now Mureș County
) section of Transylvania
, and he first heard it when two gypsy violinist were playing it. The second movement is a typical dance from Romania called Brâul, for which traditionally a sash or a waistband was used. This melody came from Igriș, in the Banat
region. The third dance comes also from Igriş, but its theme is much darker and its melody recreates Middle East
ern instruments, such as the flute. The fourth dance came from Bucium
, in the district of Torda-Aranyos
(today Alba county
in Romania). The fifth dance is an old Romanian dance similar to the Polka and comes from Belényes, today Beiuş
, in Bihor county
near the border between Hungary and Romania.. The sixth and last dance is formed by two different melodies: the first one comes from Belényes (called Beiuș
in Romanian) and the second one comes from Nyagra (from the commune of Lunca Bradului
). Both on the orchestral version and on the original piano version, these two dances are performed without a discernible pause.
s, which state that all melodies are to be written according to a specific order of tones and semitones.
Notable recordings of the arrangement by Zoltán Székely include:
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...
in 1915. He later orchestrated it for small ensemble in 1917 as Sz. 68, BB 76.
It is based on seven Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n tunes from Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, originally played on fiddle or shepherd's flute. The original name for the piece was titled Romanian Folk Dances from Hungary but was later changed by Bartók when Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
was annexed to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in 1918. It is nowadays available in the 1971 edition which is written with key signature
Key signature
In musical notation, a key signature is a series of sharp or flat symbols placed on the staff, designating notes that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural notes unless otherwise altered with an accidental...
s although Bartok rarely ever wrote key signature
Key signature
In musical notation, a key signature is a series of sharp or flat symbols placed on the staff, designating notes that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural notes unless otherwise altered with an accidental...
s.
Structure
This set of dances consists of six movements and, according to the composer, it should take four minutes and three seconds to perform, but most professional pianist take up to five minutes. The list of the movements is as follows. Please note that the original Hungarian title will be in the first place, the most commonly known title in Romanian will be in the second place and the translation into English will be in parentheses:- I. Bot tánc / Jocul cu bâtă (Stick Dance)
- II. Brâul (Sash Dance)
- III. Topogó / Pe loc (In One Spot)
- IV. Bucsumí tánc / Buciumeana (Horn Dance)
- V. Román polka / Poarga Românească (Romanian Polka)
- VI. Aprózó / Mărunțel (Fast Dance)
- VII. Aprózó / Mărunțel (Fast Dance)
The melody of the first movements, according to Bartók, came from Mezőszabad
Ceuasu de Câmpie
Ceuaşu de Câmpie is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania composed of eight villages:*Bozed / Bazéd*Câmpeniţa / Mezőfele*Ceuaşu de Câmpie*Culpiu / Mezőkölpény*Herghelia / Mezőménes*Porumbeni / Galambod*Săbed / Szabéd...
, in the Maros-Torda
Maros-Torda
Maros-Torda is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in central Romania . Its county seat was Marosvásárhely .-Geography:...
(now Mureș County
Mures County
Mureș is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania, with the administrative centre in Târgu Mureș.-Geography:The county has a total area of 6,714 km²....
) section of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, and he first heard it when two gypsy violinist were playing it. The second movement is a typical dance from Romania called Brâul, for which traditionally a sash or a waistband was used. This melody came from Igriș, in the Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
region. The third dance comes also from Igriş, but its theme is much darker and its melody recreates Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern instruments, such as the flute. The fourth dance came from Bucium
Bucium, Alba
Bucium is a commune located in Alba County, Romania. It has a population of 1792. It is composed of thirty villages: Angheleşti, Bisericani, Bucium, Bucium-Sat, Cerbu, Ciuculeşti, Coleşeni, Dogăreşti, Fereşti, Floreşti, Gura Izbitei, Heleşti, Izbicioara, Izbita, Jurcuieşti, Lupuleşti, Măgura,...
, in the district of Torda-Aranyos
Torda-Aranyos
Torda-Aranyos is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in central Romania . The capital of the county was Turda .-Geography:...
(today Alba county
Alba County
Alba is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, its capital city being Alba-Iulia with a population of 66,406.- Demographics :In 2002, it had a population of 382,747 and the population density was 61/km².* Romanians - 90.4%* Hungarians - 5.4%...
in Romania). The fifth dance is an old Romanian dance similar to the Polka and comes from Belényes, today Beiuş
Beius
Beiuș is a city in Bihor County, Romania near the Apuseni Mountains. The river Crișul Negru flows through Beiuș, and the city administers a single village, Delani.-Population:According to the 2002 Census, Beiuş has a population of 10,996 inhabitants....
, in Bihor county
Bihor County
Bihor is a county of Romania, in Crişana, with capital city at Oradea. Together with Hajdú-Bihar County in Hungary it constitutes the Biharia Euroregion.-Demographics:...
near the border between Hungary and Romania.. The sixth and last dance is formed by two different melodies: the first one comes from Belényes (called Beiuș
Beius
Beiuș is a city in Bihor County, Romania near the Apuseni Mountains. The river Crișul Negru flows through Beiuș, and the city administers a single village, Delani.-Population:According to the 2002 Census, Beiuş has a population of 10,996 inhabitants....
in Romanian) and the second one comes from Nyagra (from the commune of Lunca Bradului
Lunca Bradului
Lunca Bradului is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Lunca Bradului, Neagra and Sălard ....
). Both on the orchestral version and on the original piano version, these two dances are performed without a discernible pause.
Analysis
All of the movements are composed according to the rules of the musical modeMusical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
s, which state that all melodies are to be written according to a specific order of tones and semitones.
| Movement | Tempo | Time to perform | Key | Form | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bot tánc / Jocul cu bâtă | Allegro moderato, ♩ = 80 | 57 seconds | A minor A minor A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G... |
Binary Binary form Binary form is a musical form in two related sections, both of which are usually repeated. Binary is also a structure used to choreograph dance.... |
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 Aeolian Aeolian mode The Aeolian mode is a musical mode or, in modern usage, a diatonic scale called the natural minor scale.The word "Aeolian" in the music theory of ancient Greece was an alternative name for what Aristoxenus called the Low Lydian tonos , nine semitones... on key centre A |
| Brâul | Allegro, ♩ = 144 | 25 seconds | D minor D minor D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat .... |
Binary | Dorian centered on D |
| Topogó / Pe loc | Andante, ♩ = 90 | 45 seconds | B minor B minor B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. The harmonic minor raises the A to A. Its key signature has two sharps .Its relative major is D major, and its parallel major is B major.... |
Binary | Aeolian and Arabic influence (augmented seconds) on key centre B |
| Bucsumí tánc / Buciumeana | Moderato, ♩ = 100 | 35 seconds | A major A major A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor... |
Binary with 2 tunes | Mixolydian Mixolydian mode Mixolydian mode may refer to one of three things: the name applied to one of the ancient Greek harmoniai or tonoi, based on a particular octave species or scale; one of the medieval church modes; a modern musical mode or diatonic scale, related to the medieval mode.-Greek Mixolydian:The idea of a... and Arabic influence on key centre A |
| Román polka / Poarga Românească | Allegro , ♩ = 152 | 31 seconds | D major D major D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature consists of two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor.... |
Binary with 2 tunes | Lydian 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... on key centre D |
| Aprózó / Mărunțel | Allegro, ♩ = 152 (and after, Più Allegro, ♩ = 144) | 13 and 36 seconds | D Major, modulates to A major | 3 tunes and coda | Key Centre A; first part begins with Lydian, but is in Mixolydian; second part in is Dorian |
Other arrangements
Aside from the version Bartók wrote for a small orchestral ensemble, some of Bartók's friends wrote adaptations or transcriptions of this piece for several different ensembles. The following list shows some of the most published of them:- Arthur WillnerArthur WillnerArthur Willner in Teplitz-Schönau, Bohemia, Austrian Empire; d. 6 April 1959, Cricklewood, London) was a Czech composer and teacher....
's version for string orchestra. It is a mere transcription with no modification on the original score other than appropriately orchestrated the piece for a string orchestra with violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
I, violin II, violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
. - Zoltan SzekelyZoltán SzékelyZoltán Székely was a violinist and composer.Székely studied violin with Jenő Hubay and composition with Zoltán Kodály at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. He composed mainly chamber music...
's version for violin and piano. This is not just a transcription, but also an arrangement and adaptation of the piece for these two instruments, specially from the point of view of the violinist. Therefore, some of the slight adjustments Szekely made on the original score were to transpose some of the songs: the second movement was transposed from D minor to F-sharp minor, the third from B minor to D minor and the fourth from A major to C major. He also repeated some sections, added bars and used several techniques from the violin such as pinch harmonicPinch harmonicA pinch harmonic or pick harmonic is a guitar technique in which the player's thumb or index finger on the picking hand slightly catches the string after it is picked, canceling the fundamental of the string, and letting one of the overtones dominate. This results in a high pitched sound...
s, double stops, Sautillé.
Notable recordings
Notable recordings of this composition include:| Piano Solo | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| András Schiff András Schiff András Schiff is a Hungarian-born British classical pianist, who has won a number of awards including the Grammy and made numerous recordings.- Biography :... |
Denon Records Denon Records Denon Records was a Japanese record label owned by Denon, distributed by A&M Records from 1990 through 1992. This was a reissue program that included 390 jazz and classical music titles that were issued on compact disc.-Artists:*Eliane Elias*Peter Erskine... / Brilliant Classics |
1980 | CD |
| Jenő Jandó Jeno Jandó Jenő Jandó is a Hungarian pianist and Professor of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary.He studied piano at the Liszt Academy with Katalin Nemes and Pál Kadosa, later going on to win many major international piano competitions, including the Georges Cziffra and Ciani Piano... |
Naxos Records Naxos Records Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest... |
2005 | CD |
Notable recordings of the arrangement by Zoltán Székely include:
| Violin | Piano | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Szigeti Joseph Szigeti Joseph Szigeti was a Hungarian violinist.Born into a musical family, he spent his early childhood in a small town in Transylvania. He quickly proved himself to be a child prodigy on the violin, and moved to Budapest with his father to study with the renowned pedagogue Jenő Hubay... |
Béla Bartók 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... |
EMI Classics EMI Classics EMI Classics is a record label of EMI, formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases.... |
1930 | CD |
See also
- Two Romanian Folk DancesTwo Romanian Folk DancesThe Two Romanian Folk Dances are a piano work written by Béla Bartók, based on Romanian folk music. Written in 1910, they date from the beginning of his interest in folk music — his first work showing strong folk influence, the String Quartet No. 1, is from just two years before...
- Culture of RomaniaCulture of RomaniaRomania has a unique culture, which is the product of its geography and of its distinct historical evolution. Like Romanians themselves, it is defined as the meeting point of three regions: Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, but cannot be truly included in any of them...
- Béla BartókBéla BartókBéla 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...
- List of compositions by Béla Bartók
- TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...