Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion/Microcosm

Béla Bartók - Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion/Microcosm

released on LP

The Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion was written in 1937 in Budapest, having been commissioned by the Basle sub-section of the Swiss section of the International Society for Contemporary Music. It was given its first performance in Basle on 16th January 1938 by Béla Bartók, Ditta Bartók-Pásztory, Fritz Schiesser, and Philipp Rühlig. In 1940 Bartók arranged the piece for orchestral accompaniment ("Concerto for two pianos with orchestra"). The first performance of the orchestral version took place in New York in 1943 with Bela and Ditta Bartók and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner.
Bartók on the first version: "I had long intended to write a work for piano and percussion. Gradually I came to the conclusion that one piano would not be sufficient to balance the often rather hard sound of the percussion instruments. Finally I decided to change the plan and use two pianos in opposition to the percussion."
There are seven percussion instruments played by two players: three kettle-drums, bass drum, cymbals, tam tam, side-drum with snares, side-drum without snares, and xylophone. The two percussion parts occupy a position of equal importance to the two pianos; in many parts the percussion sound is only a nuance of colour added to the piano parts, but in many others it provides or underlines important accents. At the same time percussion also adds contrapuntal motifs to those of the pianos, and frequently the kettle-drums and xylophone actually take over themes.
The work is in three movements: Assai lento / Allegro molto - Lento, ma non troppo - Allegro non troppo; it is based on an extension of the idea of the classical sonata. The principle of constant variation - one of the sonata's specific characteristics - derives from Beethoven's composition technique in his later works. Karl H. Wörner: "Improvisation and constant variation are two of the principles of style which run through Bartók's sonata. The creative achievement of this composer, and his greatness, lie in his ability and constant endeavour to reconcile contrasts deriving from two completely separate spheres - the one from the highly specific art in the tradition of Western music, to which Bartók counted himself, and the other from an early stage in the development of music: folk music, with its element of improvisation."

Seven pieces from Microcosm
With the intention "of giving an opportunity for ensemble playing as soon as possible" Bartók added a piano part to several pieces from Microcosm, a work he wrote for pedagogical reasons, "and these pieces can be played in this form when two pianos are available".
Vol. IV No. 113 Bulgarian rhythm (1)
Vol. III No. 69 Study in chords
Vol. V No. 135 Perpetuum mobile
Vol. V No. 123 Staccato and Legato
Vol. V No. 127 New Hungarian folksong
Vol. VI No. 145 Chromatic invention
Vol. VI No. 146 Ostinato
(from the liner notes)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion: I. Assai Lento/Allegro molto {13:23}

2. Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion: II. Lento, ma non troppo {6:36}

Side 2

1. Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion: III. Allegro non troppo {6:16}

2. Microcosm {8:36}

(1)  [may be reposted soon]