Classical Music | Piano Music

Béla Bartók

Piano Sonata  Play

Mimi Solomon Piano

Recorded on 04/17/2007, uploaded on 01/24/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Piano sonata, Sz. 80  (1926)           Béla Bartók

Allegro moderato; Sostenuto e pesante; Allegro molto

In 1926, Bartok composed his first and only Piano Sonata.  The exciting first movement is characterized by an insistent dancing rhythm as well as angular dissonant harmonies.  The second movement, which evokes traditional mourning chants in Hungarian villages, offers a vivid contrast to the lively outer movements.  The rambunctious third movement features peasant dance motifs, which combine with the arresting harmonies to create a hair-raising finale.     Mimi Solomon

Listeners' Comments        (You have to be logged in to leave comments)

Concentrated energy but never "banged." Precise dynamic and accentual differentiations. The spirit of each movement projected strongly. One could hardly ask for more.

Submitted by retronod on Wed, 03/25/2009 - 19:26. Report abuse