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Technical Notice
| Classical Composer: | Bartók, Béla |
|---|---|
| Work: | Violin Concerto No. 2, BB 117 |
| Year Composed: | 1938 |
| Instrumentation: | vn - 2(+picc)2.ca.22/4230/timp.perc/cel/hp/str |
| Publishers: |
Artaria The Edwin A. Fleisher Music Collection Boosey & Hawkes |
| Duration: | 00:37:00 |
| Period: | 20th Century |
| Work Category: | Concerto |
Work Information
Available Recording(s)
Just as his first violin concerto was dedicated to a violinist, so too was the second. The wording 'To my dear friend, Zoltán Székely' shows the depth of their friendship and professional relationship. After writing the Two Violin Rhapsodies in 1928, Bartók invited Székely to choose one as dedicatee. He selected the second and the first was subsequently dedicated to Szigeti.
The close involvement of Székely in the genesis of the first violin concertos is of particular interest. As he had commissioned the concerto, he took a strong interest in its development and offered advice to the composer during their violin and piano rehearsals. These suggestions included changing and adding notes, altering articulations and even a reworking of some structural aspects. Bartók originally proposed a one-movement work with variations but Székely objected, requesting a 'real' three-movement concerto. In the original ending of the work there was no role for the solo violin. Again Székely requested that the work end 'like a concerto, not a symphony' Bartók obliged and added an alternative ending, though leaving the original version available. In spite of agreeing to write a three-movement work, Bartók had the last word as shown in his letter to Székely when referring to the third movement 'strictly speaking, it is a free variation of the first movement (so I managed to outwit you. I wrote variations after all)'.
This work demonstrates highly sophisticated use of twelve-tone structures, imitative devices and tonal and rhythmic features, its flavour is inspired by folk music and the opening theme is derived specifically from folk dances collected from Transylvanian peasant violinists.
Writer: Donald Maurice
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