Concerto for Orchestra – Movement Five "Finale"
Listening Guide
Performed by Chicago Symphony Orchestra, George Solti conductor
Composer: Béla Bartók
Composition: Concerto for Orchestra – Movement Five "Finale"
Date: 1944
Genre: Orchestral composition featuring all of the different sections of the orchestra
Form: Concerto in five movements – this is the fifth movement only
Performing Forces: Full Orchestra
What we want you to remember about this composition:
Timing
Performing Forces, Melody, and Texture
Chord tones.
French horns.
Tonal scales.
Violins.
Strings and timpani.
Fast scale patterns.
Tonal scales.
Violins.
Adds flute background figures.
Fast scale patterns.
Tonal scales.
Violins.
Adds muted brass background figures.
Fast scale patterns.
Violins.
Adds full brass and woodwind fanfare like accompaniment.
Violin scales and others playing chords.
Oboes.
Brief interlude figure.
Celli.
Scale patterns.
Violas.
Scale patterns.
Violins.
Very fast and high scale patterns.
Adds brass chords and figures from other strings.
Strings and brass.
Rhythm changes to include triplets.
Adds trombones and tuba on low note accents.
Strings and brass.
Flutes and oboes.
Begins section featuring different woodwinds.
Clarinet.
Oboe.
Woodwinds and violins.
Section featuring alternation between fast string scale figures and fast woodwind scale figures.
Strings.
Adds timpani.
Trombones.
Strings.
Bassoon.
Section featuring bassoons, then clarinet, then oboe, then flute.
Sections follow one another playing similar material.
Flute and adds bass clarinet.
Lyrical section with flute melody and clarinet accompaniment.
Bassoon.
Violins.
Oboes in background.
Violins.
Clarinet in background.
Violins.
Adds French Horn.
Oboe.
Clarinet in background.
Violins.
Tempo speeds up.
Trumpet.
Fanfare begins.
Rhythmic fanfare figures.
Fanfare outlines minor sounding tonality.
Trumpet.
Fanfare continues.
Rhythmic fanfare figures.
Fanfare outlines minor sounding tonality.
Trumpets.
Adds French Horns to background.
Fanfare continues.
Adds flute.
Fanfare continues.
Rhythm changes.
Tympani and harp.
Harp begins simple background beat pattern.
Rhythm changes.
Violins.
Violas.
Violas state a new melody — Woodwinds in background.
Violins take over the melody.
Woodwinds in background.
Celli take over the melody.
Violins and woodwinds in background.
String section.
New section begins.
Oboes.
Woodwinds and strings.
Oboe states new fragment of a theme.
Horn repeats fragment.
Woodwinds pass fragment around.
Woodwinds and strings.
Strings.
String section and woodwinds.
New, faster and more intense rhythms.
Timpani enters.
Strings.
Strings restate fast scale figures from earlier in movement.
Fast scale figures.
Brass and strings alternate.
Full orchestra with timpani.
Fanfare rhythm.
Brass.
Brass feature.
Strings.
Strings begin to restate scale figures.
Strings.
String parts get slower and softer.
Rhythm slows.
Strings.
Soft string interlude.
Slower more relaxed.
Woodwinds.
Woodwinds play quiet interlude section.
Bassoon followed by other woodwinds.
Woodwinds build to final brass fanfare – strings in background.
Brass enters softly with fanfare figures and builds.
Brass and strings.
Complexity increases with dynamic increase.
Woodwinds join brass.
Continues to build.
Brass.
Big brass fanfare with fast string patterns in background.
Slower but stronger brass, fast strings.
Strings and brass alternate.
Strings alternate with loud brass fanfare figures to end.
Faster, more aggressive rhythms.