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Borders Redrawn

Donald Macleod explores Béla Bartók’s life and work in the years after World War I.

Donald Macleod explores Béla Bartók’s 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’s estimated that some 500 million people, a quarter of the population of the world, contracted what was called Spanish ‘Flu. One of them was Bartók. 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 Bartók’s 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

  • Béla Bartók

    Three Hungarian Folk Tunes, Sz 66

    Performer: Zoltán Kocsis.
    • PHILIPS : 434-104-2.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 26.
  • Béla Bartók

    The Miraculous Mandarin Suite, Sz 73

    Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • DECCA : 470-516-2.
    • DECCA.
    • 8.
  • Béla Bartók

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

    Performer: Camerata Singers. Performer: New York Philharmonic. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • SONY : SMK-45837.
    • SONY.
    • 5.
  • Béla Bartók

    Dance Suite, Sz 77

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Esa‐Pekka Salonen.
    • SIG CD 466.
    • SIGNUM.
    • 12.

Broadcast

  • Wed 22 Sep 202112:00

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