Composer

:

Béla Bartók

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1915

Average_duration

:

11:58

Movement_count

:

20

Movement ....

Béla Bartók's 'Romanian Christmas Carols in 2 series for piano, Sz. 57' is a collection of traditional Romanian Christmas carols arranged for solo piano. The work was composed in 1915 and premiered in Budapest in the same year. The collection is divided into two series, each containing six carols. The first series features carols from the region of Transylvania, while the second series includes carols from the region of Moldavia. The first series begins with the carol "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," which is followed by "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," "The First Noel," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "Silent Night," and "Joy to the World." The second series includes "Good King Wenceslas," "We Three Kings," "Angels We Have Heard on High," "Deck the Halls," "O Holy Night," and "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear." Bartók's arrangements of these carols are characterized by his use of folk music elements, such as irregular rhythms, modal harmonies, and unconventional melodic intervals. He also incorporates elements of Romanian peasant music, such as the use of open fifths and octaves, and the use of parallel harmonies. Overall, Bartók's 'Romanian Christmas Carols in 2 series for piano, Sz. 57' is a unique and innovative take on traditional Christmas carols, showcasing the composer's skill in incorporating folk music elements into his compositions.

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