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Borders Redrawn

Donald Macleod explores B茅la Bart贸k鈥檚 life and work in the years after World War I.

Donald Macleod explores B茅la Bart贸k鈥檚 life and work in the years after World War I.

In the early weeks of 1918, a virulent strain of influenza was detected among military personnel. It spread and it鈥檚 estimated that some 500 million people, a quarter of the population of the world, contracted what was called Spanish 鈥楩lu. One of them was Bart贸k. He was confined to bed for almost a month and at times was unable to speak. When he recovered, Hungary was in turmoil in the first of a series of upheavals which would see the borders of the nation redrawn and Bart贸k鈥檚 own uncomfortable position in the spotlight of political life.

Three Hungarian Folk Tunes
Zoltan Kocsis, piano

The Miraculous Mandarin Suite
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Georg Solti, conductor

Village Scenes
i Wedding
ii Lullaby
New York Philharmonic
Ensemble Intercontemporain
Pierre Boulez, conductor

Dance Suite
Philharmonia Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor

59 minutes

Music Played

  • B茅la Bart贸k

    Three Hungarian Folk Tunes, Sz 66

    Performer: Zolt谩n Kocsis.
    • PHILIPS : 434-104-2.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 26.
  • B茅la Bart贸k

    The Miraculous Mandarin Suite, Sz 73

    Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • DECCA : 470-516-2.
    • DECCA.
    • 8.
  • B茅la Bart贸k

    Village Scenes, Sz 79 (i Wedding; ii Lullaby)

    Performer: Camerata Singers. Performer: New York Philharmonic. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • SONY : SMK-45837.
    • SONY.
    • 5.
  • B茅la Bart贸k

    Dance Suite, Sz 77

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Esa鈥怭ekka Salonen.
    • SIG CD 466.
    • SIGNUM.
    • 12.

Broadcast

  • Wed 22 Sep 2021 12:00

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