Contrasts bela bartok biography

Contrasts (Bartók) - Wikiwand

Contrasts (Bartók)

1938 composition by Béla Bartók

Contrasts (Sz. 111, BB 116) is a 1938composition scored for clarinet–violin–piano trio by Béla Bartók (1881–1945). It is based on Hungarian and Romanian dance melodies and has three movements with a combined duration of 17–20 minutes.

Bartók wrote the work in response to a letter from violinistJoseph Szigeti, although it was officially commissioned by clarinetistBenny Goodman.

Contrasts, Sz.111 (Bartók, Béla) - IMSLP

Structure

The work is in three movements:

  1. Verbunkos (Recruiting Dance)
  2. Pihenő (Relaxation)
  3. Sebes (Fast Dance)

The movements contrast in tempo. The first movement contains a cadenza for clarinet and the last one for violin. The piece features examples of alternate or dual-thirds (C and C♯ in an A triad):

[1]

This mixed thirds structure may be thought of as bitonal in that the major and minor third of a triad are used.[citation needed] This structure may be extended through considering each third of t Bartók, Béla Contrasts - Verdehr CEB