Bartók: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, Divertimento for String Orchestra, Dance Suite

Featuring

Paavo Järvi
NHK Symphony Orchestra
Béla Bartók

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Composition History

Bartók wrote the Divertimento for String Orchestra in just two weeks in 1939 while a guest of Swiss conductor and patron Paul Sacher, who had also commissioned his Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta.

Performer Biography

Paavo Järvi, the conductor, was born and studied in Tallinn, Estonia, until his family relocated to the United States in 1980, where he studied with Leonard Bernstein.

Composition History

Bartók composed the Dance Suite in 1923 for national celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Budapest's unification from three independent towns.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Béla Bartók, a major voice in 20th-century music, deeply rooted his innovative compositions in the folklore and 'Hungarian' elements of his people.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Bartók's core artistic idea was the 'brotherhood of peoples,' which he served in his music by embracing influences from Slovakian, Romanian, Arabic, or any other clean, fresh, and healthy source.

Compositional Technique

The Dance Suite, though technically demanding to perform, is rhythmically complex, requiring familiarity with Hungarian rhythmic patterns.

Compositional Technique

Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta is a pioneering work scored for two string orchestras seated in a circle, several percussion sets, harp, and celesta.