Suite, Op. 14 (Bartók)

Analysis#

According to Bartók, the Suite is part of a new trend in piano technique that he saw as a break from his earlier Post-romantic writing. In 1945, he claimed to have used only the most restricted means of piano technique in this work, “accentuating in some of its movements the percussive character of the piano.” Though Bartók does not quote from folk melodies in this composition, he makes extensive use of other folk-like elements, such as a Romanian Ardeleana rhythm in the first movement. In addition, the third movement of this Suite shows Arabic influence, the earliest Bartók work of its kind, and a North African influence in its ostinato and scalar patterns. Throughout the piece, he uses exotic scale patterns, such as the Lydian and whole tone scales in the first movement; in addition, there is a twelve-tone row in the second movement, which is probably the only one in Bartók’s entire oeuvre.

See also#

*20th-century classical music

External links#

• • List of errata in first edition and reprints