Romanian Folk Dance No. 6 - Bartok

Details

Description

The final movement, Aprózo Maruntel, in Béla Bartók's (1881-1945) suite of Romanian folk dances, was composed for the piano and later for small orchestral ensembles as well. The dances were composed in 1915. The suite was based on Romanian tunes originating from Transylvania. The editions now available are actually printed with key signatures as well, even though Bartók rarely used key signatures. The entire suite is only supposed to take around 5 minutes to complete, a quick time indeed. The 6th dance is definitely my favourite, with a fantastic ending to the suite and a bouncy and almost reminiscent rhythm of Romanian folk tunes. The dance starts with a back-and-forth melody in D major, the quick sixteenth notes in the right hand always remind me of old, traditional European dance music, and the tenutos in the left hand contrasted by the louder staccatos mix really well together.

The piece modulates into a blinding, trill-riddled A major section with a sort of push and pull melody, the rising and falling movements and crescendos in the melody making for a fun mid-section. The final ending always reminds me of a group of dancers performing a grand finale, one last move or trick with the jumping left hand and sporadic minor tones and melodically dissonance in the right. The ending is short but powerful, a great end to the suite of dances.

Béla Bartók is one of the greatest composers that ever lived and is thought to be Hungary's most significant as well, along with Franz Liszt, one of the greatest virtuosos in history. Bartók was an influential composer of the mid-20th century, with his analytical take on folk music, attitude towards tonality in pieces, and effortless shifts in melody and harmonies throughout his works. His style and legacy will forever remain prevalent in classical music; Béla indeed was a wonderfully gifted and deservingly successful composer. I hope you enjoyed my rendition of Romanian Folk Dance No. 6, Aprózo Maruntel, by Bartók.

-Adi