Romanian Folk Dances
{{short description|Béla Bartók suite of six piano pieces (1915)}}
{{italic title}}Romanian Folk Dances ({{langx|ro|Dansuri populare românești}}, {{IPA|ro|ˈdansurʲ popuˈlare romɨˈneʃtʲ|pron}}), ({{langx|hu|Román népi táncok}}, {{IPA|hu|ˈromaːn ˈneːpi ˈtaːnt͡sok|pron}}), 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 Romanian tunes from Transylvania, originally played on fiddle or shepherd's flute. Its title was originally Romanian Folk Dances from Hungary ({{Langx|hu|Magyarországi román népi táncok|links=no}}, {{IPA|hu|ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡi ˈromaːn ˈneːpi ˈtaːnt͡sok|pron}}) but was later changed by Bartók when Transylvania became part of Romania in 1920.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/work/brul-sash-dance-for-piano-romanian-folk-dances-no-2-sz-562-bb-68-2-c388342 |title=Brâul (Sash Dance), for piano (Romanian Folk Dances No. 2), Sz. 56/2, BB 68 2: Composition description |last1=Cummings |first1=Robert |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=2 August 2011}} It is nowadays available in the 1971 edition which is written with key signatures although Bartók rarely used key signatures.{{Cite book | last1 = Kroo | first1 = Gyorgy | title = Guide to Bartok | year = 1974 | publisher = Branden Publishing Co | isbn = 978-0-8283-1559-3 }}
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 pianists take up to five minutes. The list of the movements is as follows (with the original Hungarian title listed first, the most commonly known Romanian title second, and the English translation in parentheses):
{{Listen|filename=Bartok - Romanian Folk Dances.ogg|title=Second, fifth, and sixth Romanian Folk Dances|description=Performed by the Advent Chamber Orchestra|format=ogg}}
{{ordered list|list_style_type=upper-roman
| Bot tánc / Jocul cu bâtă (Stick Dance)
:The melody of the first movement, according to Bartók, came from the Mezőszabad (present-day Voiniceni) village that was part of Mezőcsávás (present-day Ceuașu de Câmpie) commune which was located in the Maros-Torda administrative county within Transylvania, and he first heard it when two gypsy violinists were playing it.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/work/jocul-cu-bta-stick-dance-for-piano-romanian-folk-dances-no-1-sz-561-bb-68-1-c388341 |title=Jocul cu bâta (Stick Dance), for piano (Romanian Folk Dances No. 1), Sz. 56/1, BB 68 1: Composition description |last1=Cummings |first1=Robert |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=2 August 2011}}
| Brâul (Sash Dance)
: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 Egres (present-day Igriș), in the Banat region.
| Topogó / Pe loc (In One Spot)
:The third dance comes also from Egres (Igriș), but its theme is much darker and its melody recreates Middle Eastern instruments, such as the flute.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/work/pe-loc-in-one-spot-for-piano-romanian-folk-dances-no-3-sz-563-bb-683-c388343 |title=Pe Loc (In One Spot), for piano (Romanian Folk Dances No. 3), Sz. 56/3, BB 68/3: Composition description |last1=Cummings |first1=Robert |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=2 August 2011}}
| Bucsumí tánc / Buciumeana (Dance from Bucsum)
:The fourth dance came from Bucsony, Alsó-Fehér County (today Bucium, Alba county in Romania).
| Román polka / Poarga Românească (Romanian Polka)
:The fifth dance is an old Romanian dance similar to the Polka and comes from Belényes (present-day Beiuş, in Bihor county), near the border between Hungary and Romania.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/work/poarga-romneasca-romanian-polka-for-piano-romanian-folk-dances-no-5-sz-565-bb-685-c388345 |title=Poarga Româneasca (Romanian Polka), for piano (Romanian Folk Dances No. 5), Sz. 56/5, BB 68/5: Composition description |last1=Cummings |first1=Robert |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=2 August 2011}}
| Aprózó / Mărunțel (Fast Dance)This movement is only present in the orchestrated version, as it is part of the sixth dance. Although most recordings set this track list for the orchestrated version, this last movement is part of the previous movement{{cite book |title=8.554718 – BARTOK, B.: Piano Music, Vol. 2 (Jando) – Dance Suite / Romanian Folk Dances |last=Whitehouse |first=Richard |year=2005 |publisher=HNH International Ltd. |location=Hong Kong |page=4 |url=http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.554718&catNum=554718&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English# |access-date=July 27, 2011}}
:The sixth and last dance is formed by two different melodies: the first from Belényes (present-day Beiuș) and the second from the village of Nyagra (present-day Neagra) within the Palotailva (present-day Lunca Bradului) commune.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/work/maruntel-fast-dance-from-belebyes-for-piano-romanian-folk-dances-no-6-sz-566-bb-686-c388346 |title=Maruntel (Fast Dance from Belebyes), for piano (Romanian Folk Dances No. 6), Sz. 56/6, BB 68/6: Composition description |last1=Cummings |first1=Robert |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=2 August 2011}} In both the orchestral version and the original piano version, the final two dances are performed attacca—without a break between movements.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/work/maruntel-fast-dance-from-belebyes-for-orchestra-romanian-folk-dances-no-6-sz-686-bb-766-c434203 |title=Maruntel (Fast Dance from Belebyes), for orchestra (Romanian Folk Dances No. 6), Sz. 68/6, BB 76/6: Composition description |last1=Cummings |first1=Robert |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=2 August 2011}}
}}
Analysis
class="wikitable" width="100%"
!align="center"|Movement !align="center"|Tempo !align="center"|Time to performThis is the original timing Bartók wrote down after each movement !align="center"|Key !align="center"|Form !align="center"|Mode |
align="center"|Bot tánc / Jocul cu bâtă
|align="center"|Allegro moderato {{music|quarter}} = 104 |align="center"|57 seconds |align="center"|A minor |align="center"|Binary |
align="center"|Brâul
|align="center"|Allegro {{music|quarter}} = 144 |align="center"|25 seconds |align="center"|D minor |align="center"|Binary |align="center"|Dorian centered on D |
align="center"|Topogó / Pe loc
|align="center"|Andante {{music|quarter}} = 90 |align="center"|45 seconds |align="center"|B minor |align="center"|Binary |align="center"|'Romanian minor' scale on key centre B |
align="center"|Bucsumí tánc / Buciumeana
|align="center"|Moderato, {{music|quarter}} = 100 |align="center"|35 seconds |align="center"|A major |align="center"|Binary with 2 tunes |align="center"|Phrygian dominant scale on key centre A |
align="center"|Román polka / Poarga Românească
|align="center"|Allegro, {{music|quarter}} = 152 |align="center"|31 seconds |align="center"|D major |align="center"|Binary with 2 tunes |align="center"|Lydian on key centre D |
align="center"|Aprózó / Mărunțel
|align="center"|Allegro, {{music|quarter}} = 152, after Più Allegro |align="center"|13 and 36 seconds |align="center"|D Major, modulates to A major |align="center"|3 tunes and coda |align="center"|Key Centre A; first part begins with Lydian, but is in Mixolydian; second part is in Dorian |
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 are the best-known:
- Arthur Willner's version for string orchestra. It is a mere transcription with no modification of the original music.
- Zoltán Székely'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. Some of the modifications Székely made included transposing some of the movements (the second movement was transposed from D minor to F{{music|sharp}} minor, the third from B minor to D minor and the fourth from A major to C major), repeating some sections, adding bars, and using several techniques for the violin such as artificial harmonics, double stops, and Sautillé.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/work/buciumeana-dance-of-buchum-for-piano-romanian-folk-dances-no-4-sz-564-bb-684-c388344 |title=Buciumeana (Dance of Buchum), for piano (Romanian Folk Dances No. 4), Sz. 56/4, BB 68/4: Composition Description |last1=Cummings |first1=Robert |publisher=Rovi Corporation Ltd. |access-date=August 4, 2011}}
Notable recordings
Notable recordings of this composition include the following:
class="wikitable" width="800px"
!align="center"|Piano Solo !align="center"|Record Company !align="center"|Year of Recording !align="center"|Format |
align="center"|András Schiff
|align="center"|Denon Records / Brilliant Classics |align="center"|1980 |align="center"|CD{{cite web |url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/schiff-plays-bartok-w9714 |title = Information about the CD 9714 from Denon Records |year = 1980 |publisher = Rovi Corporation |location = Santa Clara |access-date = July 27, 2011 }} |
align="center"|Jenő Jandó
|align="center"|Naxos Records |align="center"|2005 |align="center"|CD{{cite web |url = http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.554718 |title = Track list from the CD 8.554718 from the Naxos catalogue |year = 2005 |publisher = Naxos Digital Services Ltd. |location = Hong Kong |access-date = July 27, 2011 }} |
Notable recordings of the arrangement by Zoltán Székely include the following:
class="wikitable" width="800px"
!align="center"|Violin !align="center"|Piano !align="center"|Record Company !align="center"|Year of Recording !align="center"|Format |
align="center"|Joseph Szigeti
|align="center"|Béla Bartók |align="center"|EMI Classics |align="center"|1930 |align="center"|CD{{cite web |url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/composers-in-person-box-set-w180761/tracks |title = Information about the CD 180761 from EMI Classics |year = 1930 |publisher = Rovi Corporation |location = Santa Clara |access-date = August 13, 2011 }} |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{Cite book | last1 = Hinson | first1 = Maurice | title = Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, for the piano | date = December 1991 | publisher = Alfred Publishing | isbn = 978-0-88284-864-8 | edition = Alfred Masterwork }}
- {{Cite book | last1 = Kroo | first1 = Gyorgy | title = Guide to Bartok | year = 1974 | publisher = Branden Publishing Co | isbn = 978-0-8283-1559-3 }}
- {{Cite book | last1 = Suchoff | first1 = Benjamin | title = Béla Bartók essays | year = 1993 | publisher = University of Nebraska Press | location = Lincoln | isbn = 978-0-8032-6108-2 }}
- {{Cite book | last1 = Antokoletz | first1 = Elliott | last2 = Fischer | first2 = Victoria | last3 = Suchoff | first3 = Benjamin | title = Bartók perspectives: man, composer, and ethnomusicologist | year = 2000 | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = Oxford | isbn = 978-0-19-512562-7 }}
- {{Cite book | last1 = Yeomans | first1 = David | title = Bartók for piano | year = 1988 | publisher = Indiana University Press | location = Bloomington | isbn = 978-0-253-21383-9 }}
External links
- {{IMSLP2|work=Romanian Folk Dances, Sz.56 (Bartók, Béla)|cname=Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56}}
- {{IMSLP2|work=Romanian Folk Dances, Sz.68 - Orchestra (Bartók, Béla)|cname=Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68}}
{{Béla Bartók}}
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Category:Solo piano compositions by Béla Bartók
Category:Compositions using folk songs
Category:Suites by Béla Bartók