2007-10-23 14:28:13 · 14 answers · asked by hamelin_control 3 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Classical
I too will weigh in with a love of Bartok. The string quartets are fantastic and those colorful orchestral pieces are wonderful, too. The piano works sparkle brilliantly and Bluebeard's Castle surely ranks as one of the best 20th Century operas.
He is a major composer who is sometimes saddled with the reputation of a mere folk song collector - don't be fooled.
My only issue with him is that he was very perjorative toward Shostakovich, who is one of my favorites. But that's a minor matter.
2007-10-25 06:30:09 · answer #1 · answered by Murgatroyd 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Very interesting composer, and a whiz at orchestral effects. In his opera "Bluebeard's Castle," the orchestra evokes an aural equivalent of blood flowing.
Like Igor Stravinsky and Charles Ives, Bartok wrote some very traditional music in his younger years and then branched out into more atonal stuff later. But some of Bartok's stuff struck me as very scary sounding even before Stanley Kubrick used several of his pieces in "The Shining" back in the early 1980s.
2007-10-23 14:40:43 · answer #2 · answered by The Snappy Miss Pippi Von Trapp 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have always found the Concerto for Orchestra and the 3rd Piano Concerto poor, diluted examples of Bartók's style. Sadly, he had to do it to appeal to the ultra-conservative American audience he was then trying to please after fleeing war-torn Hungary. I would suggest his best works are: Contrasts Duke Bluebeard's Castle The Miraculous Mandarin Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste Piano Concerto No 2 Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion The 6 String Quartets Violin Concerto No 2
2016-04-10 01:02:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love his orchestral stuff like concerto for orchestra, music for strings, percussion and celesta and the Hungarian sketches. I must say, however, I am not so enthusiastic about his piano works. Bartok wrote for the piano in a very percussive style. His works are highly original, some very difficult and written in a way that some how disguises their Hungarian folk origins. [I have made a mental note to revisit the piano works and see if another listen changes my perspective.]
2007-10-23 16:10:56 · answer #4 · answered by Malcolm D 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Quite the interesting man and composer. That's the best I can put it right now.
Oh, and for the smart **** who made the Bela Lugosi reference: Boris Karloff played the monster, not Lugosi.
2007-10-23 15:30:44 · answer #5 · answered by Muse - Viktor's Mommy 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Difficult to get into at first but perseverence is well worthwhile. Nobody has mentioned his "Concerto for Orchestra". This is a fine piece of orchestration and is bursting at the seams with melody
2007-10-26 01:25:48 · answer #6 · answered by galyamike 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
His three piano concerti rank as three of my favorite pieces. His work is not atonal at all. It is dissonant in a way that captures and emphasizes the colors of harmonies, deepening and widening my perception of what constitutes harmony. He wrote for the piano as the instrument that it really is -- a percussion instrument!
2007-10-24 11:35:31 · answer #7 · answered by knitterpatter 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I saw one of his string quartets performed only 10 days ago in a local cathedral. Very awesome, but I have always liked his music.
2007-10-23 18:30:48 · answer #8 · answered by Zheia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a fascinating composer.
i heard one of his piano concertos and it was quite zappaesque,a strange thing to say i know.
i think he was way ahead of his time,i arranged some of his stuff onto guitar and it's really deep stuff.
my mate loves the celeste/strings piece mentioned earlier and wants it played at his funeral.
2007-10-25 14:56:13 · answer #9 · answered by david d 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wonderful composer - my favorite, hands down!
2007-10-23 17:13:08 · answer #10 · answered by kucletus 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋