Bartok Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.pptx

8/10/2019 Bartok Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.pptx

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ISSUES OF PREPARING AND PERFORMING THE

SONATA FOR TWO PIANOS AND PERCUSSIONBY BLA BARTK

Matthew Sieberg, Masters Candidate

Music Since 1900

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

2013


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he work of Bla Bartk extended over five decades and we have been left

with many monumental works that are products of his mature style. In no

other piece does he lay out specific instruction for carrying-out the work as

in his Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. Bartk had every detail worked out and only a few

complications (those of virtuosity and focus that the piece demands) arose when preparing it with

his selected ensemble members he would tour with. Many elements of the piece are thought to

have been tailored for his wifes preference. It is well known that Bartk made many changes

over the years of the pieces composition, as well as in the years to follow; in my research I will

explore possible reasons for the much extended process. For what purpose did he write thepiece? How is his interest in the origin of folklore presented in the work? Were these goals

accomplished effectively? All of these answers will come to light in this paper. First, certain

historical circumstances need to be addressed, as well as political movements that surely

restricted or at least had strong influences on his output.

Looking back on his own career, Bartk may have considered the most important

elements of his lifelong devotion to music may not have lied in his mass of compositions but in

his work as an ethnomusicologist. His interest in musical traditions, especially those stemming

from Romanian heritage, led his studies in the direction of collecting and dissecting folk tunes.

Rather than studying solely the development of this style, he focused on understanding the

musical values of the different cultures. His interest lied completely in the awakening of popular

peasant songs. His greatest problem was figuring out where this music came from? Bartk felt

that there was something great to be learned from this genre and found it necessary to attempt to

form an anthology of this music. He began looking at collections by earlier musicologists and

aimed to improve or fill-in where needed. This desire for complete historical references

T


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consumed most of his attention and, for a time, he

completely neglected his previous duties as a music

instructor, performer and composer. Bartk believed that

true folk music had to be the most instinctive melodies of

the common people because that was the only way to

find the purest forms. He often had trouble when approaching the peasant masses because of

their suspicion that their music was going to be exploited for cheap and humorous purposes.

Bartks nickname soon became The Music Taxman.

Bartk stressed the importance of collectors recording data only from the most isolatedcommunities. In those instances classical forms and rules are unknown because of the ignorance

of the population. As clarified in Halsey Stevens book, The Life and Music of Bla Bartk,

translating the

melodies to the

standard notation on

the field for later

reference proved to be

very challenging. The

newly invented

phonograph was an effective resource, but Bartk did not have the money or means to transport

all of the selections. Figure 1 shows how awkward it was to notate the melodies. Unpredictable

beat patterns and fermata, sliding through notes and envisioning any type of key/harmony would

be hard to apply.

Figure 1


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Ultimately, his research led him to discovering reappearing rhythmic themes. These

themes are apparent in much of his music, especially in the piece at hand. The Sonata for Two

Pianos and Percussionexploits these pulsating and aggressive motives. In the first of the three

movements Bartk has us in compound meter entirely but with a varying amount of beats per

measure and rarely with any strong feeling of a beat (ONE-two-THREE-one-TWO-three-ect.). In

the third movement appears the written 5/8 meter that we come to expect from Bartks music

(ONE-two-ONE-two-three-ect.). His offset beat system and lack of time signature consistency is

a direct descendent of his findings in old folk music.[i] This allowed the singer of the folk tune a

certain amount of freedom to sustain notes by simply adding time to the end of measures andphrases. However, Bartk doesnt let himself get away with adding notes willy-nilly. His beats

are extended at times and bleed over into the next measure to be accounted for in the few

measures that follow. When we think strictly in rhythmic terms, percussion instruments

accomplish our every need when considering those that do not deal with set pitch. His reason for

writing a sonata for an ensemble comprised of pianists and percussionists may have been to state

the possibilities in rhythmic writing and, perhaps when we consider that the piano is a percussion

instrument, that the notion is echoed by the whole ensemble. There are many more musical

aspects to note in the Sonata but bear in mind this problem of Bartks piece for pianos and

percussion just being a lineup of percussionists. This will be our focus later in this paper.

The first 9 measures of the piece are shown in Figure 2. Already we see the influences of

his ethnomusicology research. No clear time signature can be heard, inconsistent beats per

measure and taking a lot of time in spots are obvious characteristics of folklore influences. To

further develop this introduction Bartk uses a wide range of dynamic markings beginning with

pianissimo and then subito fortes throughout the first movement. The introduction has no
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Figure 2, Sonata for two pianos and percussion mm. 1-8

relationship with any material presented later in the piece; it seems as if the first 130 measures

could be completely removed from the rest. This separation is not only acceptable but necessary

in the breakdown process demanded when learning the piece. It is, by far, the slowest portion of

the entire piece. The tension that is created by the repeated motive is also unparalleled.

Bartks endless interest in classic works, such as those by J.S. Bach, Ludwig v.

Beethoven and Claude Debussy becomes evident in his own compositions structures. For


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Xylophone and then timpani. The first movements thickened texture then comes to a thrilling

halt.

The second movement was probably the movement of this piece that was the most ahead

of its time. The dissonances at the start of this movement are so great that the character almost

comes across as humorous. The

slow and clumsy chords

gradually lead the piece in a

new direction: ethereal. A mess

of glissandos, some written outchromatically and others denoted by slashes strewn from the bottom to the top of the staff, in

both pianos begin to create an atmospheric quality that seems to emulate the style of Debussy

(Figure 4). Overall, this movement is a very spiritual experience. Unlike the first movement,

Bartk encourages the performers to take many liberties with tempos and phrases in this one, so

though it may be the least intimidating of the three movements it certainly has the most variety

from performance to performance. There is a tempo change every other bar and rubatos and

ritardandos appear throughout.

Much to the listeners surprise, the third movement of the Sonata

begins in the key of C major. This movement is very grounded when we think

in terms of harmonic and structural development. The responsibilities of the

C triad tremolo is thrown back and forth between the pianos and persists well

into the movement (Figure 5 shows the measure that is repeated throughout

the majority of the movement). Underneath the tremolos is a duet between the precussionists on

the Xylophone and Timpani. These two instruments are favored throughout the work but its

Figure 5, mm. 59

Figure 4, beginning

pianos patterns


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most obvious in the final movement. In Bartks instructions he lists nine different percussion

instruments that the two percussionists are responsible for. He notes that the person manning the

timpani will not contribute to the Xylophone part and vice versa to the Xylophonist. The

remaining instruments are alternated between the percussionists when appropriate.

In regard to Bartks constant musical references to Bach, he could be considered the

collective composer of the twentieth century in that he uses a culmination of style and techniques

by past composers. I do not doubt that those composers achieved the highest level of their

systems but Bartk is owed credit for combining the methods. The appropriate placement of tone

and rhythmic patterns give us even more insight to his aim for perfection. But to say that the

main importance of Bartks work was that his output was a culmination of all that has been

offered in previous years is arbitrary. In a way, when we consider that a composer can only work

with the past that is applicable to them. Bach couldnt compose music as dramatic as Beethoven

because he didnt have the instruments to compliment it. Beethoven couldnt incorporate non-

functional harmonies in his music because dissonances needed another century to evolve. The

eccentricities that develop through time only benefit the composers who identify their collective

potential after-the-fact.

This business of the golden mean (also referred to as the golden section and golden

ratio) and its significance is a peculiar thing. The appeal of this idea makes perfect sense but is

given too much merit. The thought that something should diminish in excitement faster than it

has built up holds obvious benefits. Composers didnt use the golden mean to simply apply

Figure 6


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mathematics and sophistication to their music; rather they understood how attention spans

worked. If the climax comes too early, the focus of the audience dissolves before the end of the

piece. If the climax comes at the very end of the piece then the endorphins that have been

building up to that point are wasted instead of being

exploited by further material, bettering the experience.

The concept that an event or thing should use more

space growing than it does fading away is universal to

many aspects. Consider the neck of a pop bottle; the majority of the item is contained from the

bottom and up while nearing the very top the circumference gradually shrinks. The stringinstruments of our orchestra heed to the golden mean too. The body is 61.8% of the bottom part

of the instrument, if you times that measurement by .618 you will discover the remaining

distance of the instrumentslength. My apartment building abides by this rule; the roof begins its

slope to the

houses 25ft

peak at 15.5ft.

Is the

construction

crew to be

showered with

praise for their cleverness? Bartk made it publicly known that he was using this system in many

of his pieces but there is no brilliance in this aspect. The idea that B relates to A as C does to B is

utterly coincidental. The purpose of this ratio has to do only with the practicality of its use in an

efficient manner. Sympathy should be expressed for those who have wasted their time dedicating

Figure 7


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lectures and websites to the appearance of this ratio in everyday life (i.e.

www.goldennumber.net). The Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussionis a brilliant piece because

of its contents captivating momentum and thrilling virtuosity, not because of a feeling that there

is a perfect amount of time from the beginning to the climax and then to the end of the first and

last movements.

The type of ensemble that Bartk has chosen to write this piece for also raises question as

to what effect he was striving for. My first question in point is why two pianos? Perhaps it is

the elitist mentality that we pianists are

plagued with. A sonata for (one) piano andpercussion seems much more appealing as a

performer. Im reminded of the Stravinsky score; Petrushka. First composed for orchestra, then

piano four hands and then, impossibly, piano solo. Could Bartks Sonatastill hold its integrity

if there were to be just one beefed-up piano part and the addition of percussion instruments and

players? Not to say that there is an overpopulation of percussionist with nothing to do but stand

around the horseshoe of a piano and feed a guys ego for twenty minutes but it does make me

wonder what the ramifications were for the two pianos. It could have been a plug for his wife,

who hadnt touch a piano outside of her own country.

Bartk was known for holding his wife in very high

regard and sang her praises at every chance, all the

while dismissing percussionists because of their

supposed inadequate preparation.[ii] He may have

wanted a more humbling approach that would tone

down the power-hungry pianists who feel that once
http://www.goldennumber.net/http://www.goldennumber.net/


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theyve played a piano score, like Petrushka, that theyre entitled to a status of intellectual

greatness. Nonetheless, as plausible as a piano reduction may be, Bartk chose two separate

pianos. The timbre of percussion instruments is endless. The pianos tones are consistent and

limited. Within all of his compositions Bartk, like few others, acknowledged the pianos

potential for new sounds. A large portion of his solo piano music is already in the percussive

realm. Is the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion the brainchild of piano innovation? As

bombastic as we know Bartkspiano music can be, that character is not present in the piano

parts of this sonata rather, they prance along complimented by drums and cymbals. His solo

piano repertoire already contains a lot of percussive elements such as low trills, piercingsfz

, andvery complicated rhythms. Bartk created a hierarchy of instrument exploitation through this

piece.

In conclusion, performances of this piece are few and far between; successful

performances are even farther between. All of the players must have a thorough understanding of

Bartks intentionsin order to execute this work properly. The first movement alone presents a

large scope of technical difficulty and analytical innovation but together with the second

movement they set up the energy and excitement of the last movement making the work a well-

rounded experience. The canonic elements counterpoint, fugal material and use of pentatonic

harmonies are what make this piece so appealing but the items of discussion dont stop there.

The peculiar ensemble chosen, the significance of the Fibonacci sequence and the constant

references to his predecessors, as discussed, can be argued as displays of genius or as clever

plugs the composer thought to grace us with.


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Sources:

[i]Suchoff,Benjamin.Bla Bartk Essays, edited

[ii] Schneider,David.Bartk and His World, compiled essays

Stevens,Halsey. The life and music of Bla Bartk

Chalmers,Kenneth.Bla Bartk

www.goldennumber.net

Notesfor Performing the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion by Bartk

Score images provided by Boosey & Hawks Music Publishers

Audio references of the 2008 CBS Masterworks recording featuring Solti, Perahia,Glennie and Corkhill
https://blackboard.sc.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/uploadAssignment?content_id=_6760091_1&course_id=_809533_1&assign_group_id=&mode=view#_ednref1https://blackboard.sc.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/uploadAssignment?content_id=_6760091_1&course_id=_809533_1&assign_group_id=&mode=view#_ednref1http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Kenneth+Chalmers%22http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Kenneth+Chalmers%22http://www.goldennumber.net/http://www.goldennumber.net/http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Kenneth+Chalmers%22https://blackboard.sc.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/uploadAssignment?content_id=_6760091_1&course_id=_809533_1&assign_group_id=&mode=view#_ednref1

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