Composer

:

Béla Bartók

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Character Piece

Compose Date

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1908 - 1909

Average_duration

:

13:00

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Elegies (2), Sz. 41 is a composition for piano by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. It was composed in 1914 and premiered in Budapest in the same year. The piece consists of two movements, each with its own distinct characteristics. The first movement, marked Andante, is a somber and mournful elegy. It begins with a simple, melancholic melody played in the right hand, accompanied by a repetitive, rhythmic pattern in the left hand. The melody is then repeated with slight variations, building in intensity and complexity as the movement progresses. The middle section of the movement features a more agitated and dissonant theme, before returning to the original melody and ending with a quiet, introspective coda. The second movement, marked Allegretto, is more lively and playful than the first. It begins with a jaunty, syncopated theme in the right hand, accompanied by a driving, rhythmic pattern in the left hand. The theme is then repeated with variations, incorporating elements of Hungarian folk music and Bartók's signature use of irregular meters and dissonant harmonies. The middle section of the movement features a more lyrical and expressive theme, before returning to the original theme and ending with a lively coda. Overall, Elegies (2), Sz. 41 is a poignant and expressive work that showcases Bartók's unique style and innovative approach to piano composition. Its use of folk elements, irregular meters, and dissonant harmonies foreshadows the composer's later works, which would become increasingly experimental and avant-garde.

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