# Favorite Bartok Solo Piano Works?



## artist202 (Jul 14, 2017)

Mine is the Mikrokosmos volume 5 and 6, even if they're meant for teaching.


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## Littlephrase (Nov 28, 2018)

Out of Doors and the Piano Sonata are quite good.


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## calvinpv (Apr 20, 2015)

8 Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, Out of Doors, and the Dance Suite piano arrangement are my favorites. The Piano Sonata and the final six dances in Mikrokosmos 6 are also very good.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

_Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, Op. 20 (1920)._ This is one of several pieces which represents Bartok's closest approach to dodecaphonic, or serial writing. This highly individual and important, yet little-known, cycle is "the extreme point in the evolution of the piano works." Not mere arrangements, but, rather, "a technical sublimation of the preceding transcriptions of folk songs...written in a rhapsodic form which incorporates variations linked to each other by developments in which counterpoint plays a clearly defined role."


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

The Suite op. 14 and the Romanian Folk Dances.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I like everything I've listened to, even the easier works. However, I haven't yet listened to all of Bartok's solo piano works (he composed more for the instrument than any other 20th century composer). There is a disc I recommend on Naxos, Piano Music Vol. 2, performed by Jeno Jando. It has the above mentioned _Improvisations_ as well as the _Sonatina_, _Dance Suite_, _Romanian Folk Dances_, _Romanian Christmas Carols_ etc.

Two of my favorites at the moment are the _Improvisations_ Sz. 74 and the _Sonatina_ Sz. 55.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

My favourite is probably the _Allegro barbaro_ from 1911 - I think it stands at a pivotal point in Bartók's output to the point where maybe it could be considered something of a game-changer. Other favourites are the previously-namechecked _Out of Doors_ suite and sonata (both from 1926), but I can happily listen to it all.


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## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

the Hungarian Peasant songs, especially when played by Richter


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Out of Doors,
Improvisations Op.20
Romanian Christmas Carols
Suite Op.14
Allegro barbaro
Hungarian Peasant Songs
Romanian Dances

And of course, the gorgeous Evening in Transylvania (10 Easy Pieces)

The concertos and the Sonata for Two pianos and percussion don't count here, I assume...


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Was just listening to _Out of Doors_ performed by Claude Helffer, this is a really nice work and apparently one of the few in Bartók's career (at that point in his life) that received some immediate recognition and popularity. The final movement is possibly the most difficult piece to perform out of all of his solo piano works.


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## Yornlig (Mar 4, 2019)

millionrainbows said:


> _Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, Op. 20 (1920)._ This is one of several pieces which represents Bartok's closest approach to dodecaphonic, or serial writing. This highly individual and important, yet little-known, cycle is "the extreme point in the evolution of the piano works." Not mere arrangements, but, rather, "a technical sublimation of the preceding transcriptions of folk songs...written in a rhapsodic form which incorporates variations linked to each other by developments in which counterpoint plays a clearly defined role."


+1


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

NLAdriaan said:


> the Hungarian Peasant songs, especially when played by Richter


Yes, good recommendation, thank you.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

artist202 said:


> Mine is the Mikrokosmos volume 5 and 6, even if they're meant for teaching.


There's plenty to enjoy in the last couple of volumes of Mikrokosmos for sure, especially the Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm. Quite how the last two volumes were intended for teaching, when they're aimed at the professional pianist......?


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## artist202 (Jul 14, 2017)

Is there a quote of Bartok actually saying that?


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

artist202 said:


> Is there a quote of Bartok actually saying that?


The best teaching materials always transcend a strictly utilitarian function. For example Bach's Well Tempered Clavier.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

CnC Bartok said:


> There's plenty to enjoy in the last couple of volumes of Mikrokosmos for sure, especially the Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm. Quite how the last two volumes were intended for teaching, when they're aimed at the professional pianist......?


The first 2 volumes were intended for his son, but he lost interest in the piano soon afterwards, while Bartok continued the project. I could play almost all of book 5 and I'm far from professional. My favourite volumes are his 3 etudes, For Children Vol 2 and the 2 Romanian Dances Op. 8. 
But the piece I like most of all is probably his Chromatic Invention 3 in Mikrokosmos Vol. 6.


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