Violin Concerto No. 2 (Bartók)

Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 2, BB 117 (written 1937–8) was dedicated to the Hungarian violin virtuoso, Zoltán Székely, who requested the composition in 1936 [Sleeve note of the Supraphon CD (SU 3682-2011) [http://www.supraphon.cz/cs/katalog/databaze-titulu/detail-titulu/?idtitulu=2002739] ] , and is a prime example of "verbunkos" style.

Bartók composed the concerto in a difficult life situation, filled with serious concern about the growing strength of fascism. He was of firm anti-fascist stand, and therefore became the target of various attacks in the pre-war Hungary. However, the composition is written in rather optimistic atmosphere [Sleeve note of the Supraphon CD (SU 3682-2011) [http://www.supraphon.cz/cs/katalog/databaze-titulu/detail-titulu/?idtitulu=2002739] ] .

Bartók initially planned to write a massive single-movement theme and variations, but Székely wanted a standard three-movement concerto. In the end, they compromised, Székely getting all three of his movements and Bartók getting his variations (the second movement being possibly the most conventional theme and variations Bartók wrote in his career) [Chicago Symphony Orchestra program notes [http://www.cso.org/main.taf?p=5,5,5,8] ] .

The work was premiered at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam on March 23, 1939 with Zoltán Székely, violin and Willem Mengelberg conducting the Concertgebouw orchestra.

Structure

It has the following three movements:

# Allegro non troppo
# Andante tranquillo
# Allegro molto

The concerto is scored for 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, english horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, side drum, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, tamtam, celesta, harp, and strings [Chicago Symphony Orchestra program notes [http://www.cso.org/main.taf?p=5,5,5,8] ] . A typical performance lasts about 41 minutes [Chicago Symphony Orchestra program notes [http://www.cso.org/main.taf?p=5,5,5,8] ] .

The first movement is a sonata form in B minor. The second movement is the aforementioned theme and variations in G major. The finale is based on the themes introduced in the opening movement. Bartók's original ending was purely orchestral, but Székely objected to this, so the composer wrote an alternative ending to meet Székely's taste. Today, both endings are used.

Alan Walker, in "Franz Liszt: the Weimar Years", points out the similarity between the compositional technique used by Liszt in his Faust Symphony, in which the finale's themes are entirely variations of themes used in the opening "Faust" movement, and Bartók's second violin concerto.

Footnotes

External links

*cite web
title =Béla Bartók Violin Concerto No. 2, Program notes
url = http://www.cso.org/main.taf?p=5,5,5,8
author = Phillip Huscher
publisher= Chicago Symphony Orchestra
accessmonthday = October 9
accessyear = 2006