CCXX. BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945)
In Post XVI, I discussed why I think Bartók's pedagogical works for young piano students is so essential -- if one just teaches Clementi, easy Bach and Mozart, a child will grow up not knowing these delightful easy pieces, designed to introduce ideas like pentatonic scales, bitonality, or unusual rhythmic patterns.
I once had a six-year-old student who was delighted when I put Volume I of the Mikrocosmos on the ledge. He came back the next week and played the whole book perfectly. I gave him Volumes II-VI and within three weeks he was playing everything to perfection.
I handed him off to a better teacher.
**
Bartók's publisher had contracted for 11 pieces, and when the composer decided to remove a piece (that perhaps exceeded the difficulty level he intended for Ten Easy Pieces) and put it in his more difficult Fourteen Bagatelles, the publisher still demanded an eleventh piece. Thus the Dedication (numerated as #0 here).
- Peasant Song. Simple melody played in unison.
- Frustration. A spooky 8th-note ostinato in the left hand, with the right hand playing a melody in half-note values.
- Slovakian Boys' Dance. A folk tune arrangement, brisk.
- Sostenuto. A slow tenuto song keeping both hands busy.
- Evening in Transylvania. Don't be scared, kids, nothing's going to bite you. The mood begins in tranquility, but quickly moves to a light, flittering melody high in the right hand.
- Hungarian Folksong. Melody in thirds and sixths. Preparing those fingers for future complexity.
- Dawn. Increasing difficulty; both hands playing thirds ...
- Slovakian Folksong. Beautiful arrangement featuring three-note chords held in both hands, against a lightly bumpity melody.
- Five-Finger Exercise. Practicing weird (pentatonic-like) scales, with melody in the other hand.
- Bear Dance. This one (allegro vivace) will challenge the student like nothing before this. A great incentive to move on to more difficult material.
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