Béla Bartók

1881-1945

Composer, pianist, folk music collector

His life

• Born in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy 1881 March 25th, in Nagyszentmiklós

• He lived up to 1889 in his hometown. At the age of 4 he began to play the violin.

• Five years old when he asked for a birthday gift -despite the lure of the wonderful presents for children- he begged off the first piano lesson and he received it.

• 125th anniversary of Bartók’s birth in Nagyszentmiklós

                                                     

                                                

                                       

                                                         

                              

                            

                                                           

                                                                                    

                                              

                                         

This house is his birthplace in Nagyszentmiklós (Romania)

The memorial board on the wall of the house

                                            

          

                                                                            

Places from Nagyszentmiklós

• His father (Béla Bartók) was the director of this economic school.

                                                         

                              

                            

                                                           

Bartók family grave in the cemetery

Makó and Nagyszentmiklós

• Our town Makó is only 15 kms far from Nagyszentmiklós. One of our school buildings is called Béla Bartók Music School. You can see Bartók’s sculpture in front of the building.

• Every year the scouts of Makó cycle to Nagyszentmiklós to celebrate him.

His life

Béla Bartók is one of the greatest composers, pianist, folk music researcher of the

20th century, Central European folk music collector, teacher at the Academy of Music. His art and science results are revolutionary significant not only in the Hungarian and European music history, but also in the universal culture.

              

                     

 

4 Hungarian folk songs collected by Bartók. He plays the piano.

He started to collect folk music and songs from 1905. He went to the peasants with a recording

instrument –phonograph.

In 1889 he began his studies on composing and piano in the

Acamedy of Music .

His friend was Zoltán Kodály, the famous composer, music teacher, folk music researcher

The Kodály teaching method is well-known

                                                           

        

Bartók’s works for stage: his opera:

Bluebeard’s Castle

Illustration to the tale

His famous ballets: The Wooden Prince

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And The Miraculous Mandarin

One of his vocal works : Cantata Profana

 

                                    

 

                                     

One of his works for piano: Allegro Barbaro

Click here to listen to the 3 minute- long work

His chamber music: I., II., III., IV., V., VI. string-quartet

A string-quartet consists of 4 instruments: 2 violins, a viola and a violoncello.

In America

• In 1940 he emigrated to America and taught in Columbia University.

• He met Yehudi Menuhin.

• He died on 26th September 1945

• His mortal remains have been brought home and buried in Budapest.