Recorded here for the first time, the First Piano Concerto is undoubtedly the least known of Bartók's works. It has not yet achieved the popularity enjoyed by its two successors, both on the concert platform and on records. Although such a fate is entirely unjust for a work which reveals itself to he a masterpiece, it is not difficult to understand why it has remained so little known. For this is Bartók at his most extreme, most problematical, yet, for this very reason, at his most fascinating for us, fifteen years after his untimely death. The tender, lyrical Third Concerto (Bartók's last completed work except for the last seventeen bars) was the first to win recognition ; it is a serenely beautiful work, crystal-clear in its classical simplicity. In the last few years, the Second Concerto (1931) has also come to be considered as a work of first importance, with its tremendous rhythmic power and its strange mixture of diatonic neo-baroque polyphony and bewitching "nocturne" impressionism. Here, however, we have the "dark horse" of the series and, for sheer power of expression and intellect, for boldness and homogeneity of style, it might well be found to be the greatest of the three. At first sight, it seems strange that such an admirable pianist as Bartók should not have tried to compose a piano concerto before the age of 45. In fact, his only previous attempt in this musical form had been the early Rhapsody which completes this record. In 1923, Bartók's Dance Suite had reached a peak in the perfect integration of popular elements with his personal style. There followed a period of silence until January 1926, when Bartók‘s one and only Piano Sonata appeared. This powerful work, in which a tremendous agressiveness is held in check by the grip of an iron will, was followed by other works for piano, including the astonishing "Night Music" from the Out of Doors"Suite. All these works, each in its own way, prepared the way for the First Concerto, which was composed in Budapest between August and November, 1926. It is n° 83 in Szöllösy's chronological catalogue of the composer's works. The first performance took place in Frankfurt on the 1st July 1927, with Wilhelm Furtwängler as conductor, Bartók himself playing the very difficult solo part. Then apart from one or two isolated performances, usually with the composer as soloist, the concerto, as remarked before, sank into the oblivion from which our record now resurrects it...
Harry Halbreich (from the original Liner Notes)
György Sándor
Plays
Béla Bartók
(1881-1945)
Tracks
Piano Concerto n° 1, Sz 83
1 I. Allegro moderato - Allegro 8:55
2 II. Andante - Allegro (attacca) 9:57
3 III. Allegro molto 7:47
Rhapsody for Piano, Op. 1 (Sz. 26)
4 I. Adagio molto 11:12
5 II. Poco allegretto 8:40
*
György Sándor - p
Südwestfunk Orchester Baden Baden/Rolf Reinhardt - dir.
Recorded ca 1959