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Bart贸k聽faces a big decision: stay in Hungary or leave forever? Donald Macleod explores the life of one of Hungary's greatest composers, who travelled Europe recording folk songs.

Bart贸k聽faces a big decision: stay in Hungary or leave forever?

B茅la Bart贸k was regarded as one of Hungary鈥檚 greatest composers. His fellow countryman, the pianist Andras Schiff, called him 鈥渙ne of the giants in the history of music.鈥 But he was also one of the founders of what we now call ethnomusicology, spending much of his time immersed in peasant life, collecting folk songs. As around him Europe was torn apart by conflict, Bart贸k found relief in rural life and took inspiration from these traditional tunes, incorporating them into his own compositions.

In today's programme, Donald Macleod finds Bart贸k facing big decisions: whether to part company with his wife: and whether to stay in Hungary, the country whose music he鈥檇 dedicated a lifetime to, or leave it behind.

44 Duos for Two Violins, BB 104, Sz. 98
Andras Keller, violin
Janos Pilz, violin

Out of Doors, Sz. 81
Radu Lupu, piano

Mikrokosmos, Book V
C茅dric Tiberghien, piano

String Quartet No. 6, Sz 114
Heath Quartet

Piano Concerto No. 3, BB 127, Sz. 119
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, piano
麻豆社 Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda

Produced by Alice McKee for 麻豆社 Audio Wales & West

Release date:

59 minutes

On radio

Friday 16:00

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