Bartok

### Béla Bartók

Béla Bartók (1881–1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist, known for his pioneering research into Eastern European folk music and his innovative contributions to 20th-century classical music. Bartók’s works are notable for incorporating complex rhythmic structures, dissonance, and modal scales, often inspired by the folk music he collected and studied. He is also recognized for developing his own style known as "night music," characterized by eerie, dissonant tones and evocative natural sounds. His music has had a lasting influence on both Western classical music and the incorporation of folk traditions into modern composition.

#### Notable Works

- **Duke Bluebeard’s Castle**: This is Bartók's only opera, a dark, psychological drama in which Judith, the protagonist, explores seven mysterious rooms in Duke Bluebeard’s castle, uncovering his gruesome secrets. The opera includes motifs like the “blood motif” and employs eerie harmonic contrasts, especially in the famous scene where the castle’s doors open to reveal Bluebeard’s dark past.

- **Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta**: A seminal orchestral work that features Bartók’s signature use of "night music." This composition is noted for its unconventional orchestration, including the celesta (a keyboard instrument) and its evocative tone clusters. The third movement stands out for its eerie, atmospheric soundscapes.

- **Concerto for Orchestra**: This work was commissioned during Bartók's exile in the United States. Its second movement, *Game of Pairs*, is particularly famous, where pairs of woodwind instruments play in different intervals, showcasing Bartók’s rhythmic and harmonic ingenuity.

- **String Quartets**: Bartók composed six string quartets that are considered some of the most important of the 20th century. They exhibit his use of folk elements, the "arch form" (a mirrored structure), and innovations like the "Bartók pizzicato" or snap pizzicato, where the strings are plucked with enough force to snap against the fingerboard.

- **Mikrokosmos**: This collection of 153 progressively difficult piano pieces is both a pedagogical tool and an exploration of modernist composition techniques. It incorporates folk rhythms and complex dissonant harmonies, illustrating Bartók’s interest in combining the traditional with the avant-garde.

- **The Miraculous Mandarin**: A controversial ballet with lurid subject matter, it tells the story of a girl forced to seduce a wealthy man, who cannot die despite being attacked. The work's dissonant harmonies and chaotic energy caused an uproar upon its premiere.

Bartók was a key figure in the development of ethnomusicology. Along with his friend and fellow composer Zoltán Kodály, he traveled through rural Hungary and neighboring countries, collecting and recording thousands of folk songs. These experiences significantly influenced his compositions, which often fused folk melodies and rhythms with complex harmonic structures.

### Frequently Mentioned Clues in Multiple Question Stems

1. **"Duke Bluebeard's Castle"** – Bartók's only opera, often referenced in questions about his operatic output and his use of dissonance and psychological themes.

2. **"Concerto for Orchestra"** – A landmark orchestral work, particularly noted for movements like *Game of Pairs* and *Intermezzo Interrotto*, which parodies Shostakovich.

3. **"Night Music" Style** – A characteristic style in Bartók’s works, especially in pieces like *Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta* and his string quartets, where eerie, dissonant sounds evoke nocturnal atmospheres.

4. **"Snap Pizzicato" (Bartók pizzicato)** – A technique where the string is plucked so forcefully that it snaps against the fingerboard, often cited in discussions of Bartók's string quartets.

5. **"Folk Music"** – Bartók’s incorporation of Hungarian and Eastern European folk melodies, rhythms, and scales is a defining feature of his music and is frequently mentioned across questions.

6. **"Mikrokosmos"** – His collection of 153 progressively difficult piano pieces is commonly referenced for its pedagogical importance and folk-inspired material.

7. **"Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta"** – Often highlighted for its unique orchestration, use of "night music," and inclusion of innovative tonal structures like the Fibonacci sequence in its third movement.

### Related Quizbowl Facts That Appeared in More Than One Toss-up on qbreader.org

1. Bartók and Zoltán ___1___ traveled together to collect folk songs from rural areas.

2. The technique where a string is plucked so hard it snaps against the fingerboard is called ___2___ pizzicato.

3. The second movement of *Concerto for Orchestra* is known as the "Game of ___3___."

4. Bartók composed 153 progressively harder piano pieces in his collection titled ___4___.

5. His only opera, *Duke Bluebeard’s ___5___*, involves Judith opening seven doors to reveal disturbing secrets.

6. Bartók’s work *Music for Strings, Percussion, and ___6___* exemplifies his “night music” style.

7. The *Concerto for Orchestra* includes a parody of Shostakovich's *Leningrad Symphony* in the "Interrupted ___7___" movement.

Answers:

1. Kodály

2. Bartók

3. Pairs

4. Mikrokosmos

5. Castle

6. Celesta

7. Intermezzo

Here are the recurring clues, references, or plot lines in the provided questions, sorted by frequency:

### Frequency: 19

1. **"Duke Bluebeard’s Castle"** (Opera)

   - References to the opera's plot, characters (Judith, Duke Bluebeard), and the seven doors.

### Frequency: 18

2. **"Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta"** (Composition)

   - Mention of specific movements like the **"Game of Pairs"** or **timpani glissandi**.

### Frequency: 17

3. **"Concerto for Orchestra"** (Composition)

   - References to movements such as the **"Intermezzo interrotto"** or parodies of Shostakovich’s *Leningrad Symphony*.

### Frequency: 16

4. **"Mikrokosmos"** (Piano Work)

   - A collection of 153 progressively difficult piano pieces.

### Frequency: 12

5. **"Night Music" Style**

   - Described in Bartók’s works, often referring to eerie, dissonant music evoking nocturnal scenes.

### Frequency: 11

6. **"The Miraculous Mandarin"** (Ballet)

   - Focus on the plot involving the seduction games and the title character.

### Frequency: 9

7. **String Quartets** (Particularly No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6)

   - Including techniques like **snap pizzicato** and references to **arch form** or time signatures like 4+3+2/8.

### Frequency: 8

8. **Zoltán Kodály** (Collaborator with Bartók)

   - Mentioned in the context of their collaboration to collect Hungarian folk songs.

### Frequency: 6

9. **"Out of Doors"** (Piano Suite)

   - Reference to movements like **“With Drums and Pipes”** and **“The Chase.”**

### Frequency: 5

10. **"Cantata Profana"** (Choral Work)

    - Includes the plot about sons being turned into stags.

### Frequency: 4

11. **"Allegro barbaro"** (Piano Piece)

   - Referencing specific features such as the sforzando F-sharp minor chord and the use of chromatic and pentatonic scales.

12. **"Contrasts"** (Clarinet Trio)

    - Mentioned with specific movements like **“Recruiting Dance.”**

### Frequency: 3

13. **"Kossuth"** (Symphonic Poem)

    - A piece inspired by the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.

14. **"The Wooden Prince"** (Ballet)

    - Mentioned occasionally with references to its plot.