This document provides an in-depth summary and analysis of Béla Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. It discusses Bartók's background and interest in folk music, which influenced the piece. The summary explores various elements of each movement, including influences from folk music, use of rhythm, texture, and canon-like structures. It analyzes how Bartók draws from classical forms while incorporating his own modern techniques. The document provides musical examples and discusses Bartók's unique approach to notation and treatment of time signatures and meter.
This document provides an in-depth summary and analysis of Béla Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. It discusses Bartók's background and interest in folk music, which influenced the piece. The summary explores various elements of each movement, including influences from folk music, use of rhythm, texture, and canon-like structures. It analyzes how Bartók draws from classical forms while incorporating his own modern techniques. The document provides musical examples and discusses Bartók's unique approach to notation and treatment of time signatures and meter.
This document provides an in-depth summary and analysis of Béla Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. It discusses Bartók's background and interest in folk music, which influenced the piece. The summary explores various elements of each movement, including influences from folk music, use of rhythm, texture, and canon-like structures. It analyzes how Bartók draws from classical forms while incorporating his own modern techniques. The document provides musical examples and discusses Bartók's unique approach to notation and treatment of time signatures and meter.
This document provides an in-depth summary and analysis of Béla Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. It discusses Bartók's background and interest in folk music, which influenced the piece. The summary explores various elements of each movement, including influences from folk music, use of rhythm, texture, and canon-like structures. It analyzes how Bartók draws from classical forms while incorporating his own modern techniques. The document provides musical examples and discusses Bartók's unique approach to notation and treatment of time signatures and meter.
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The passage discusses Béla Bartók's interest in collecting and analyzing folk music from isolated communities, as well as some of the challenges he faced in notating and preserving these melodies. It also provides background on his Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, including possible reasons for its unusual instrumentation and the extended period of its composition.
Bartók had a strong interest in accurately documenting and analyzing folk music from various cultures. He believed the purest forms of folk music came from the most isolated communities where classical rules were unknown. His goal was to improve existing folk music collections and help preserve these musical traditions.
Some possible reasons discussed are that Bartók may have written it for his wife to perform, or to highlight the different timbres of the instruments. He also may have wanted to create a more balanced ensemble than just a single pianist.
ISSUES OF PREPARING AND PERFORMING THE
SONATA FOR TWO PIANOS AND PERCUSSION BY BLA BARTK
Matthew Sieberg, Masters Candidate
Music Since 1900
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA 2013
he work of Bla Bartk extended over five decades and we have been left with many monumental works that are products of his mature style. In no other piece does he lay out specific instruction for carrying-out the work as in his Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. Bartk had every detail worked out and only a few complications (those of virtuosity and focus that the piece demands) arose when preparing it with his selected ensemble members he would tour with. Many elements of the piece are thought to have been tailored for his wifes preference. It is well known that Bartk made many changes over the years of the pieces composition, as well as in the years to follow; in my research I will explore possible reasons for the much extended process. For what purpose did he write the piece? How is his interest in the origin of folklore presented in the work? Were these goals accomplished effectively? All of these answers will come to light in this paper. First, certain historical circumstances need to be addressed, as well as political movements that surely restricted or at least had strong influences on his output. Looking back on his own career, Bartk may have considered the most important elements of his lifelong devotion to music may not have lied in his mass of compositions but in his work as an ethnomusicologist. His interest in musical traditions, especially those stemming from Romanian heritage, led his studies in the direction of collecting and dissecting folk tunes. Rather than studying solely the development of this style, he focused on understanding the musical values of the different cultures. His interest lied completely in the awakening of popular peasant songs. His greatest problem was figuring out where this music came from? Bartk felt that there was something great to be learned from this genre and found it necessary to attempt to form an anthology of this music. He began looking at collections by earlier musicologists and aimed to improve or fill-in where needed. This desire for complete historical references T consumed most of his attention and, for a time, he completely neglected his previous duties as a music instructor, performer and composer. Bartk believed that true folk music had to be the most instinctive melodies of the common people because that was the only way to find the purest forms. He often had trouble when approaching the peasant masses because of their suspicion that their music was going to be exploited for cheap and humorous purposes. Bartks nickname soon became The Music Taxman. Bartk stressed the importance of collectors recording data only from the most isolated communities. In those instances classical forms and rules are unknown because of the ignorance of the population. As clarified in Halsey Stevens book, The Life and Music of Bla Bartk, translating the melodies to the standard notation on the field for later reference proved to be very challenging. The newly invented phonograph was an effective resource, but Bartk did not have the money or means to transport all of the selections. Figure 1 shows how awkward it was to notate the melodies. Unpredictable beat patterns and fermata, sliding through notes and envisioning any type of key/harmony would be hard to apply. Figure 1 Ultimately, his research led him to discovering reappearing rhythmic themes. These themes are apparent in much of his music, especially in the piece at hand. The Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion exploits these pulsating and aggressive motives. In the first of the three movements Bartk has us in compound meter entirely but with a varying amount of beats per measure and rarely with any strong feeling of a beat (ONE-two-THREE-one-TWO-three-ect.). In the third movement appears the written 5/8 meter that we come to expect from Bartks music (ONE-two-ONE-two-three-ect.). His offset beat system and lack of time signature consistency is a direct descendent of his findings in old folk music.[i] This allowed the singer of the folk tune a certain amount of freedom to sustain notes by simply adding time to the end of measures and phrases. However, Bartk doesnt let himself get away with adding notes willy-nilly. His beats are extended at times and bleed over into the next measure to be accounted for in the few measures that follow. When we think strictly in rhythmic terms, percussion instruments accomplish our every need when considering those that do not deal with set pitch. His reason for writing a sonata for an ensemble comprised of pianists and percussionists may have been to state the possibilities in rhythmic writing and, perhaps when we consider that the piano is a percussion instrument, that the notion is echoed by the whole ensemble. There are many more musical aspects to note in the Sonata but bear in mind this problem of Bartks piece for pianos and percussion just being a lineup of percussionists. This will be our focus later in this paper. The first 9 measures of the piece are shown in Figure 2. Already we see the influences of his ethnomusicology research. No clear time signature can be heard, inconsistent beats per measure and taking a lot of time in spots are obvious characteristics of folklore influences. To further develop this introduction Bartk uses a wide range of dynamic markings beginning with pianissimo and then subito fortes throughout the first movement. The introduction has no Figure 2, Sonata for two pianos and percussion mm. 1-8 relationship with any material presented later in the piece; it seems as if the first 130 measures could be completely removed from the rest. This separation is not only acceptable but necessary in the breakdown process demanded when learning the piece. It is, by far, the slowest portion of the entire piece. The tension that is created by the repeated motive is also unparalleled. Bartks endless interest in classic works, such as those by J.S. Bach, Ludwig v. Beethoven and Claude Debussy becomes evident in his own compositions structures. For Figure 3, entrances beginning at mm. 332 instance, once past the introduction to the opening of the first movement the format is clearly in sonata form. Themes are introduced and manipulated in the exposition and development. Of course the music within the development section doesnt center on harmonic progression like we find in Beethoven but rather thematic alterations that pave way into Milton Babbits techniques by using the short atonal melodies in way of inversion and retrograde. For instance, the opening passage is in the Piano I part and repeats three times before continuing to develop while Piano II enters with that same theme but transposed down by a whole step. By delaying entrances to produce a canon-like texture and transposing the theme to just about every key we are reminded of the techniques of Bach. When the main theme finally enters, we are moved from a dark and slow to a lively and anxious character. The recapitulation of the first movement mimics that theme two hundred bars later in what seems to be reminiscent of a canon. When the score is dissected closer it is easy to observe how Bartk followed the exact guidelines of a fugue by having voices entering by fifths. Figure 3 thoroughly illustrates the order and pitch in which the instruments enter beginning with Piano II left hand then right hand, the side drum without snare then contributes a rhythmic imitation of the motive, Piano I left hand then right, snare drum, Xylophone and then timpani. The first movements thickened texture then comes to a thrilling halt. The second movement was probably the movement of this piece that was the most ahead of its time. The dissonances at the start of this movement are so great that the character almost comes across as humorous. The slow and clumsy chords gradually lead the piece in a new direction: ethereal. A mess of glissandos, some written out chromatically and others denoted by slashes strewn from the bottom to the top of the staff, in both pianos begin to create an atmospheric quality that seems to emulate the style of Debussy (Figure 4). Overall, this movement is a very spiritual experience. Unlike the first movement, Bartk encourages the performers to take many liberties with tempos and phrases in this one, so though it may be the least intimidating of the three movements it certainly has the most variety from performance to performance. There is a tempo change every other bar and rubatos and ritardandos appear throughout. Much to the listeners surprise, the third movement of the Sonata begins in the key of C major. This movement is very grounded when we think in terms of harmonic and structural development. The responsibilities of the C triad tremolo is thrown back and forth between the pianos and persists well into the movement (Figure 5 shows the measure that is repeated throughout the majority of the movement). Underneath the tremolos is a duet between the precussionists on the Xylophone and Timpani. These two instruments are favored throughout the work but its Figure 5, mm. 59 Figure 4, beginning pianos patterns most obvious in the final movement. In Bartks instructions he lists nine different percussion instruments that the two percussionists are responsible for. He notes that the person manning the timpani will not contribute to the Xylophone part and vice versa to the Xylophonist. The remaining instruments are alternated between the percussionists when appropriate. In regard to Bartks constant musical references to Bach, he could be considered the collective composer of the twentieth century in that he uses a culmination of style and techniques by past composers. I do not doubt that those composers achieved the highest level of their systems but Bartk is owed credit for combining the methods. The appropriate placement of tone and rhythmic patterns give us even more insight to his aim for perfection. But to say that the main importance of Bartks work was that his output was a culmination of all that has been offered in previous years is arbitrary. In a way, when we consider that a composer can only work with the past that is applicable to them. Bach couldnt compose music as dramatic as Beethoven because he didnt have the instruments to compliment it. Beethoven couldnt incorporate non- functional harmonies in his music because dissonances needed another century to evolve. The eccentricities that develop through time only benefit the composers who identify their collective potential after-the-fact. This business of the golden mean (also referred to as the golden section and golden ratio) and its significance is a peculiar thing. The appeal of this idea makes perfect sense but is given too much merit. The thought that something should diminish in excitement faster than it has built up holds obvious benefits. Composers didnt use the golden mean to simply apply Figure 6 mathematics and sophistication to their music; rather they understood how attention spans worked. If the climax comes too early, the focus of the audience dissolves before the end of the piece. If the climax comes at the very end of the piece then the endorphins that have been building up to that point are wasted instead of being exploited by further material, bettering the experience. The concept that an event or thing should use more space growing than it does fading away is universal to many aspects. Consider the neck of a pop bottle; the majority of the item is contained from the bottom and up while nearing the very top the circumference gradually shrinks. The string instruments of our orchestra heed to the golden mean too. The body is 61.8% of the bottom part of the instrument, if you times that measurement by .618 you will discover the remaining distance of the instruments length. My apartment building abides by this rule; the roof begins its slope to the houses 25ft peak at 15.5ft. Is the construction crew to be showered with praise for their cleverness? Bartk made it publicly known that he was using this system in many of his pieces but there is no brilliance in this aspect. The idea that B relates to A as C does to B is utterly coincidental. The purpose of this ratio has to do only with the practicality of its use in an efficient manner. Sympathy should be expressed for those who have wasted their time dedicating Figure 7 lectures and websites to the appearance of this ratio in everyday life (i.e. www.goldennumber.net). The Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion is a brilliant piece because of its contents captivating momentum and thrilling virtuosity, not because of a feeling that there is a perfect amount of time from the beginning to the climax and then to the end of the first and last movements. The type of ensemble that Bartk has chosen to write this piece for also raises question as to what effect he was striving for. My first question in point is why two pianos? Perhaps it is the elitist mentality that we pianists are plagued with. A sonata for (one) piano and percussion seems much more appealing as a performer. Im reminded of the Stravinsky score; Petrushka. First composed for orchestra, then piano four hands and then, impossibly, piano solo. Could Bartks Sonata still hold its integrity if there were to be just one beefed-up piano part and the addition of percussion instruments and players? Not to say that there is an overpopulation of percussionist with nothing to do but stand around the horseshoe of a piano and feed a guys ego for twenty minutes but it does make me wonder what the ramifications were for the two pianos. It could have been a plug for his wife, who hadnt touch a piano outside of her own country. Bartk was known for holding his wife in very high regard and sang her praises at every chance, all the while dismissing percussionists because of their supposed inadequate preparation.[ii] He may have wanted a more humbling approach that would tone down the power-hungry pianists who feel that once theyve played a piano score, like Petrushka, that theyre entitled to a status of intellectual greatness. Nonetheless, as plausible as a piano reduction may be, Bartk chose two separate pianos. The timbre of percussion instruments is endless. The pianos tones are consistent and limited. Within all of his compositions Bartk, like few others, acknowledged the pianos potential for new sounds. A large portion of his solo piano music is already in the percussive realm. Is the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion the brainchild of piano innovation? As bombastic as we know Bartks piano music can be, that character is not present in the piano parts of this sonata rather, they prance along complimented by drums and cymbals. His solo piano repertoire already contains a lot of percussive elements such as low trills, piercing sfz, and very complicated rhythms. Bartk created a hierarchy of instrument exploitation through this piece. In conclusion, performances of this piece are few and far between; successful performances are even farther between. All of the players must have a thorough understanding of Bartks intentions in order to execute this work properly. The first movement alone presents a large scope of technical difficulty and analytical innovation but together with the second movement they set up the energy and excitement of the last movement making the work a well- rounded experience. The canonic elements counterpoint, fugal material and use of pentatonic harmonies are what make this piece so appealing but the items of discussion dont stop there. The peculiar ensemble chosen, the significance of the Fibonacci sequence and the constant references to his predecessors, as discussed, can be argued as displays of genius or as clever plugs the composer thought to grace us with.
Sources: [i] Suchoff, Benjamin. Bla Bartk Essays, edited [ii] Schneider, David. Bartk and His World, compiled essays Stevens, Halsey. The life and music of Bla Bartk Chalmers, Kenneth. Bla Bartk www.goldennumber.net Notes for Performing the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion by Bartk Score images provided by Boosey & Hawks Music Publishers Audio references of the 2008 CBS Masterworks recording featuring Solti, Perahia, Glennie and Corkhill