Béla Bartók (1881-1945) Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, BB 123 (1943) 00:00 - Introduzione. Andante non troppo - Allegro vivace 10:13 - Giuoco delle coppie. Allegretto scherzando 16:26 - Elegia. Andante, non troppo 23:12 - Intermezzo interrotto. Allegretto 27:12 - Finale. Pesante - Presto Boston Symphony Orchestra, dir. Serge Koussevitzky Broadcast premiere (with original ending): 30 December 1944* *[Note:] Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra gave the world premiere performances of Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra on December 1 and 2, 1944, in Symphony Hall; neither of these performances was broadcast or preserved. Koussevitzky repeated the work on December 29 and 30. Only the latter -- the performance recorded here -- was broadcast. This performance includes Bartók's original ending, which he later expanded after discussion with Koussevitzky. The published score includes both endings. "The Concerto for Orchestra was written for the Koussevitzky Music Foundation in memory of Natalie Koussevitzky. The score is dated October 8, 1943. 'The general mood of the work represents,' so writes the composer, 'apart from the jesting second movement, a gradual transition from the sternness of the first movement and the lugubrious death-song of the third, to the life-assertion of the last one.' This remark is interesting, in that Béla Bartók composed the piece during the period of recovery from a serious illness. He further explains why he has not called it a symphony: 'The title of this symphony-like orchestral work is explained by its tendency to treat the single instruments or instrument groups in a "concertant" or soloistic manner. The "virtuoso" treatment appears, for instance, in the fugato sections of the development of the first movement (brass instruments), or in the "perpetuum mobile"-like passage of the principal theme in the last movement (strings), and, especially, in the second movement, in which pairs of instruments consecutively appear with brilliant passages. 'As for the structure of the work, the first and fifth movements are written in a more or less regular sonata form. The development of the first contains fugato sections for brass; the exposition in the finale is somewhat extended, and its development consists of a fugue built on the last theme of the exposition. Less traditional forms are found in the second and third movements. The main part of the second consists of a chain of independent short sections, by wind instruments consecutively introduced in five pairs (bassoons, oboes, clarinets, flutes, and muted trumpets). Thematically, the five sections have nothing in common. A kind of "trio" -- a short chorale for brass instruments and side-drum -- follows, after which the five sections are recapitulated in a more elaborate instrumentation. The structure of the fourth movement likewise is chain-like; three themes appear successively. These constitute the core of the movement, which is enframed by a misty texture of rudimentary motifs. Most of the thematic material of this movement derives from the "Introduction" to the first movement. The form of the fourth movement -- Intermezzo interrotto -- could be rendered by the letter symbols "ABA-interruption--BA."' - John N. Burk Painting: The Dancer, Gino Severini

• published: 16 Oct 2013
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