Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion
Béla Bartók wrote his Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, Sz. 110, BB 115 for the International Society for Contemporary Music in 1937[1] and it was premiered by him and his second wife, Ditta Pásztory-Bartók, as the pianists, and percussionists Saul Goodman and Henry Deneke,[2] at the ISCM anniversary concert of 16 January 1938.[3] It received enthusiastic reviews and has since become one of his most performed works.
The score requires four performers, two pianists and two percussionists, who play seven instruments between them: timpani, bass drum (gran cassa), cymbals, triangle, snare drum (both on- and off- snares), tam-tam (gong) and xylophone.
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[edit] Movements
The work consists of three movements:
[edit] Assai lento - Allegro troppo
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This segment of Bartók's Sonata for two pianos and percussion features pedal glissandos during a timpani roll.
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[edit] Lento, ma non troppo
This movement displays the classical "middle movement" ternary a-b-a form. It is an example of Bartók's "night music" idiom.[3]
[edit] Allegro non troppo
[edit] Arrangements
The Sonata was arranged in 1943 as a Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra.
[edit] References
- ^ Laki, Peter (1995). Bartók and his world at Google Books, page 11. ISBN 0691006334.
- ^ http://www.pas.org/experience/halloffame/GoodmanSaul.aspx
- ^ a b Kárpáti, János; MacNicol, Fred; Steiner, Maria (1994). Bartók's Chamber Music at Google Books, pp. 393-432 (ISBN 094519319X) contains material relevant to this article.
