Béla Bartók is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century, the creator of a body of works as immense as it is complex. He was passionate about Hungarian folk music and carried out serious ethnological research in the field, his interest stemming not from romantic sentimentality, but from a fascination with its simplicity and spontaneity. Bartók was constantly seeking to deepen his art as a composer, as can be seen from his numerous changes in style. From his final period comes the Concerto for Orchestra, a work which, more than any other perhaps, helped increase his popularity.
Bartók: Suite No. 2, Op. 4, BB. 40, Sz. 34
Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française
Charles Bruck
Bartók: Two Pictures, (Op.10) Sz. 46
Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest
James Conlon
Bartók: Two Portraits Op. 5
Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest
James Conlon
Bartók: Four Orchestral Pieces Op. 12 (Sz 51)
Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest
James Conlon
Bartók: The Wooden Prince Suite, BB 74, Sz. 60
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances for orchestra, Sz. 68, BB 76
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73 (ballet)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst
Bartók: Dance Suite, BB 86, Sz. 77
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst
Bartók: Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta, BB 114, Sz. 106
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Mariss Jansons
Bartók: Divertimento for Strings, Sz. 113
Philharmonia Orchestra
Constantin Silvestri
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra, BB 123, Sz.116
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Mariss Jansons
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 1, BB 91, Sz. 83
András Schiff (piano)
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Iván Fischer
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 2, BB 101, Sz. 95
András Schiff (piano)
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Iván Fischer
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3, BB 127, Sz. 119
András Schiff (piano)
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Iván Fischer
Bartók: Concerto for 2 pianos, percussion & orchestra, BB 121, Sz. 115
Katia Labèque (piano), Marielle Labèque (piano)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Sir Simon Rattle
Bartók: Violin Concerto No. 1, BB48a, Sz 36
Yehudi Menuhin (violin)
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Antal Dorati
Bartók: Rhapsody for Violin & Orchestra No. 1, BB 94b, Sz. 87
Yehudi Menuhin (violin)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez
Bartók: Rhapsody for Violin & Piano No. 2, BB 96a, Sz. 89
Yehudi Menuhin (violin)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez
Bartók: Violin Concerto No. 2, Sz 112
Yehudi Menuhin (violin)
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Antal Dorati
Bartók: Viola Concerto, BB 128, Sz. 120
Yehudi Menuhin (viola)
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Antal Dorati
Bartók: Four Slovak Folksongs for Mixed Chorus, Sz 70, BB 78
Stockholmer Kammerchor
Bartók: Hungarian Folksongs, BB 99
Stockholmer Kammerchor
Bartók: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, Sz. 48, Op. 11
Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano), John Tomlinson (bass)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Bernard Haitink
Bartók: Sonata for Two Pianos & Percussion, BB 115, Sz. 110
Katia Labèque (piano), Marielle Labèque (piano), Sylvio Gualda (percussion), Jean-Pierre Drouet (percussion)
Bartók: 7 Pieces from Mikrokosmos for Two Pianos, Four Hands, Sz 108, BB 120
Katia Labèque (piano), Marielle Labèque (piano)
Bartók: 44 Duos for Two Violins, BB 104, Sz. 98
Itzhak Perlman (violin), Pinchas Zukerman (violin)
Bartók: Violin Sonata No. 1, BB 84, Sz. 75
Renaud Capuçon (violin), Martha Argerich (piano)
Bartók: Violin Sonata No. 2, BB 85, Sz. 76
Gidon Kremer (violin), Oleg Maisenberg (piano)
Bartók: Contrasts for violin, clarinet & piano, BB 116, Sz. 111
Chantal Juillet (violin), Michael Collins (clarinet), Martha Argerich (piano)
Bartók: String Quartets Nos. 1-6
Alban Berg Quartett (string quartet)
Bartók: For Children, Sz42
Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: 4 Piano Pieces, BB 27, Sz. 22: Tanulmány Balkézre (Study for the Left Hand)
Michel Béroff (piano)
Bartók: 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: Dedication
Michel Béroff (piano)
Bartók: 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: I Peasant Song
Michel Béroff (piano)
Bartók: 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IV. Sostenuto
Michel Béroff (piano)
Bartók: 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: VI Hungarian Folksong
Michel Béroff (piano)
Bartók: 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IX Five-Finger Exercise
Michel Béroff (piano)
Bartók: Elegies (2), Sz. 41
Samson François (piano)
Bartók: Sonatina, BB 69, Sz. 55
Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: Three Burlesques, Op. 8c, Sz. 47, BB55
Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, BB 68
Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: Romanian Christmas Carols, BB 67, Sz. 57
Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: Piano Suite, BB 70, Sz. 62, Op. 14
Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: Hungarian Peasant Songs for piano (15), BB 79, Sz. 71
György Sebök (piano)
Bartók: Dance Suite, BB 86, Sz. 77
György Sebök (piano)
Bartók: Piano Sonata, BB 88, Sz. 80
Michel Béroff (piano)
Bartók: Out of Doors, Sz. 81, BB89
Michel Béroff (piano)
Bartók: Mikrokosmos, BB 105, Sz. 107, Books 1-6
Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: Sonata for Solo Violin, BB 124, Sz. 117
Vilde Frang (violin)
Bartók: Hungarian Folk Songs
Renaud Capuçon (violin), Gautier Capuçon (cello)
Bartók: 3 Hungarian Folksongs from Csik, BB 45b, Sz. 35a
Kálmán Berkes (clarinet), Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz.56 (arr. Székely for violin & piano)
Kálmán Berkes (clarinet), Desző Ránki (piano)
Bartók: Hungarian Peasant Songs for piano (15), BB 79, Sz. 71: excerpts
Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute), Robert Veyron-Lacroix (piano)
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, BB 68
Emmanuel Pahud (flute), Christian Rivet (guitar)
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, BB 68
Vadim Repin (violin), Boris Berezovsky (piano)
Bartók: Suite for Two Pianos, BB 122, Sz. 115a
Georges Pludermacher (piano), Jean-François Heisser (piano)
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, BB 68
Adelphi Saxophone Quartet
Bartók: 14 Bagatelles BB 50, Sz. 38: No. 2: Allegro giocoso
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: V Evening in Transylvania
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: X Medvetánc (Bear Dance)
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: Two Romanian Dances, Op. 8a, Sz. 43, BB56: Danse roumaine No. 1
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: No. 2: Kicsit ázottan… (A bit drunk…) from 3 Burlesques Op.8c / Sz47 / BB55
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: Allegro barbaro, BB 63, Sz. 49
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: Piano Suite, BB 70, Sz. 62, Op. 14
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book V: No. 124 Staccato (Allegretto mosso)
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI: No. 146 Ostinato
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: 5 Hungarian Folksongs, BB 97, Sz. 33
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: 8 Hungarian Folksongs, BB 47, Sz. 64
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: For Children, Sz42 (selections)
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz.56 (arr. Székely for violin & piano)
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3, BB 127, Sz. 119
Béla Bartók (piano)
Bartók: Sonata for Solo Violin, BB 124, Sz. 117
André Gertler (violin)
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, BB 68
Lili Kraus (piano)
Bartók: 3 Rondos on Slovak Folk Tunes, BB 92, Sz. 84
Lili Kraus (piano)
Bartók: Violin Concerto No. 2, Sz 112
Yehudi Menuhin (violin)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Wilhelm Furtwängler