Béla Bartók

Klavierwerke 1914-1920

The volume contains Bartók's central piano works, including the extremely popular Romanian Folk Dances, known in numerous arrangements, the Suite op. 14, and the Sonatina. The volume offers a wealth of additional information: The detailed introduction details the creation of the works, their printing, and reception by the public; the subsequent chapter On Notation and Performance Practice, drawing on Bartók's own recordings, provides interesting insights into his sophisticated ideas about tempo, phrasing, and articulation in these works. In the Critical Report, the continuous solidification of the musical text of the works, sometimes composed or revised over a long period of time, is meticulously presented; sketches and early versions are also documented. The folk song melodies on which some of the compositions are based are found in a separate appendix together with an English translation of the texts.