Composer: Béla Bartók
Performer: James Ehnes, Andrew Armstrong, Michael Collins, Amy Schwartz Moretti
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Chandos
Release: 2014
Size: 1.15 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Contrasts for violin, clarinet & piano, BB 116, Sz. 111
01. I. Verbunkos (Recruiting Dance): Moderato, ben ritmato
02. II. Piheno (Relaxation): Lento
03. III. Sebes (Fast Dance): Allegro vivace
Sonatina, BB 69, Sz. 55
04. I. Dudasok (Bagpipers): Allegretto
05. II. Medvetanc (Bear Dance): Moderato
06. III. Finale: Allegro vivace
44 Duos for Two Violins, BB 104, Sz. 98
07. No. 1. Parosito (Teasing Song)
08. No. 2. Kalamajko (Dance)
09. No. 3. Menuetto
10. No. 4. Szentivaneji (Midsummer night song)
11. No. 5. Tot nota 1 (Slovak song 1)
12. No. 6. Magyar nota (Hungarian song)
13. No. 7. Olah Nota (Romanian song)
14. No. 8. Tot nota 2 (Slovak song 2)
15. No. 9. Jatek (play)
16. No. 10. Ruten nota (Ruthenian song)
17. No. 11. Gyermekrengeteskor (Lullaby)
18. No. 12. Szenagyujteskor (Hay-harvesting song)
19. No. 13. Lakodalmas (Wedding song)
20. No. 14. Parnas tanc (Cushion dance)
21. No. 15. Katonanota (Soldier’s song)
22. No. 16. Burleszk (Burlesque)
23. No. 17. Menetelo nota 1 (Marching song 1)
24. No. 18. Menetelo nota 2 (Marching song 2)
25. No. 19. Mese (Fairy tale)
26. No. 20. Dal (Song)
27. No. 21. Ujevkoszonto 1 (New Year’s Greeting 1)
28. No. 22. Szunyogtanc (Mosquito dance)
29. No. 23. Menyasszony-bucsuztato (Wedding Song)
30. No. 24. Trefas nota (Gay song)
31. No. 25. Magyar nota 2 (Hungarian song 2)
32. No. 26. Ugyan edes komamasszony… (Teasing song)
33. No. 27. Santa tanc (Limping dance)
34. No. 28. Bankodas (Sorrow)
35. No. 29. Ujevkoszonto 2 (New year’s greetings 2)
36. No. 30. Ujevkoszonto 3 (New year’s greetings 3)
37. No. 31. Ujevkoszonto 4 (New year’s greetings 4)
38. No. 32. Maramarosi tanc (Dance from Maramaros)
39. No. 33. Arataskor (Harvest song)
40. No. 34. Szamlao nota (Counting song)
41. No. 35. Ruten kolomejka (Ruthenian kolomejka)
42. No. 36. Szol a duda (Bagpipes)
43. No. 36. Szol a duda – 2 Valtozata (Bagpipes – 2nd Variation)
44. No. 37. Preludium es kanon (Prelude and canon)
45. No. 38. Forgatos (Romanian whirling dance)
46. No. 39. Szerb tanc (Serbian dance)
47. No. 40. Olah tanc (Romanian dance)
48. No. 41. Scherzo
49. No. 42. Arab dal (Arabian song)
50. No. 43. Pizzicato
51. No. 44. Erdelyi tanc (Transylvanian dance)
James Ehnes presents his third disc of chamber works by Bartók. The previous volumes have, along with his outstanding concerto disc, established his formidable reputation as a Bartók interpreter. Here Ehnes is joined by the pianist Andrew Armstrong, violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, and Michael Collins, one of the world’s leading clarinettists.
The Sonatina, originally composed in 1915 for piano, was based on melodies which Bartók had collected during expeditions in Transylvania. The transcription for violin and piano heard here was produced ten years later by a young student of Bartók’s, Endre Gertler.
Bartók composed Contrasts in 1938 for the jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman and violinist Joseph Szigeti, who originally had requested a work in two movements, each with a cadenza for one of the featured instruments. Fulfilling this request, Bartók added a central slow movement, entitled ‘Pihenő’ (Relaxation). The opening movement, ‘Verbunkos’, alludes to a march-like Hungarian military recruiting dance. The finale, entitled ‘Sebes’ (Quick), is a lively romp at the heart of which lies an unexpected episode of haunting calmness.
Besides writing for such outstanding musicians as Szigeti and Goodman, Bartók composed a lot of music for students, including the Forty-four Duos for two violins recorded here. These short pieces take material from a remarkably wide array of folk traditions and interlink the styles and culture of diverse peoples.