Bartok: Solo Piano Works (Box Set)

• Main performer: June de Toth
• Time: 322:47
• Release Date: 2004

Review

In five volumes -- two short of the originally projected seven discs -- June de Toth's 2004 box set of Béla Bartók's solo piano works follows the individual release of the first three discs. Missing from this set, though, is Mikrokosmos (contained in Volumes Six and Seven). With that said, de Toth is well on the way of achieving her ambition to be the first woman to record all of Bartók's keyboard oeuvre, and she has advanced with intelligence, skill, and sensitivity to the composer's highly varied output. Acutely aware of Bartók's changing styles, his preoccupation with folk songs, his wide emotional range, and his didactic purposes, de Toth treats each work in its proper context and renders the music with clean articulation and appropriate feeling. Some might find her playing matter of fact or even cold, yet that impression may come from comparison with the more flamboyant performances of other pianists, whose flashy treatments of Bartók stem from liberal interpretation, not careful research. De Toth's specialization in this music is serious, and accuracy and authenticity mean more to her than creating a sensation. Eroica's recorded sound is subdued and a little dry, and finding a comfortable volume level requires some effort. ~ Blair Sanderson, Rovi

Performances

Composer	Title	Time
Béla Bartók	Sketches (7) (Vázlatok), for piano, Sz. 44, BB 54 (Op. 9b)	12:45
Béla Bartók	Piano Sonata, Sz. 80, BB 88	14:06
Béla Bartók	Hungarian Peasant Songs (15) for piano, Sz. 71, BB 79	12:52
Béla Bartók	Dirges (4) (Négy siratóének), for piano, Sz. 45, BB 58 (Op.9a)	10:31
Béla Bartók	Allegro barbaro, for piano, Sz. 49, BB 63	2:47
Béla Bartók	Suite for piano, Sz. 62, BB 70 (Op. 14)	10:19
Béla Bartók	For Children (Gyermekeknek), for piano Vol. 1, Sz. 42/1-21, BB 56/1-21	18:13
Béla Bartók	For Children (Gyermekeknek), for piano Vol. 2, Sz. 42/2/22-42, BB 53/22-42	23:53
Béla Bartók	Burlesques (3) for piano, Sz. 47, BB 55 (Op. 8c)	8:11
Béla Bartók	Romanian Folk Dances (6) (Román népi táncok), for piano, Sz. 56, BB 68	5:17
Béla Bartók	Ten Easy Pieces (Tiz könnyu zongoradarab), for piano, Sz. 39, BB 51	18:00
Béla Bartók	Bagatelles (14) for piano, Sz. 38, BB 50 (Op. 6)	28:00
Béla Bartók	Rondos (3) on Slovak Folktunes, for piano, Sz. 84, BB 92	7:56
Béla Bartók	Sonatina for piano (on Romanian folk tunes), Sz. 55, BB 69	4:30
Béla Bartók	Romanian Dance No. 1: Allegro vivace, for piano, Sz. 43/1, BB 56/1 (Op. 8a/1)	5:26
Béla Bartók	For Children (Gyermekeknek), for piano Vol. 3, Sz. 42/3/1-22, BB 53/43-64	21:06
Béla Bartók	For Children (Gyermekeknek), for piano Vol. 4, Sz. 42/4/23-43, BB 53/65-85	30:52
Béla Bartók	Petite Suite for piano (arranged from 44 Violin Duos 28, 38, 43, 16, 36,& 32), Sz.105, BB 113	6:59
Béla Bartók	Romanian Christmas Carols, pieces (20) in 2 series for piano, Sz. 57, BB 67	15:04
Béla Bartók	Elegies (2) (Két elégia), for piano, Sz. 41, BB 49 (Op.8b)	12:37
Béla Bartók	Hungarian Folksongs from Csík (3) (Három Csík megyei népdal), for piano, Sz. 35a, BB 45b	3:42
Béla Bartók	Little Piano Pieces (9) (Kilenc kis zongoradarab), Sz. 82, BB 90	18:36
Béla Bartók	Improvisations (8) on Hungarian Peasant Songs for piano, Sz. 74, BB 83 (Op. 20)	12:54
Béla Bartók	Out of Doors (Szabadban), suite for piano, Sz. 81, BB 89	18:11

Previous:	Bartok: Six String Quartets
Next:	Bartok: Solo Piano Works Vols. 6 and 7, Mikrokosmos