Canon
Where to start with Bartók
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
KeyboardAllegro barbaro, BB63, Sz.49
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OrchestralConcerto for Orchestra, BB123, Sz.116
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VocalCantata profana, BB100, Sz.94, "The Enchanted Stags"
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StageDuke Bluebeard's Castle, op. 11, BB62 — Opera
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ChamberSonata for 2 Pianos and 2 Percussion, BB115, Sz.110
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OrchestralMusic for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, BB114, Sz.106
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 3 in E major, BB127, Sz.119
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OrchestralDance Suite, BB86a, Sz.77
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 1 in A major, BB91, Sz.83
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 2 in G major, BB101, Sz.95
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KeyboardPiano Sonata, BB88
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ChamberSonata for Violin Solo, BB124, Sz.117
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ChamberString Quartet no. 3 in C sharp major, BB93, Sz.85
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ChamberString Quartet no. 4 in C major, BB95
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ChamberString Quartet no. 5 in B flat major, BB110, Sz.102
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Bartók's catalogueMost Popular
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Concerto for Orchestra
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Piano Concerto No. 3
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Bluebeard\’s Castleopera
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Allegro Barbaro
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String Quartet No. 4
Most Acclaimed
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Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
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Violin Concerto No. 2
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String Quartet No. 5
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Piano Sonata (1926)
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Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion
Most Weird
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Out of Doors Suitepiano — night sounds, bears, bagpipes, pure elemental strangeness
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Piano Concerto No. 2opens with piano + brass only, no strings
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The Miraculous Mandarinballet — murder, lust, a man who cannot die
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14 Bagatelles, Op. 6his first break from tonal convention
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Mikrokosmos Books 5–6what he called exercises are actually nightmares
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 105
- Keyboard
- ● Allegro barbaro, BB63, Sz.49
- Piano Sonata, BB88
- 10 Easy Pieces, BB51, Sz.39
- 14 Bagatelle, op. 6, BB50
- 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs, BB79, Sz.71
- 2 Elegies, op. 8b, BB49, Sz.41
- 2 Romanian Dances, op. 8a, BB56
- 3 Burlesques, op. 8c, BB55, Sz.47
- 3 Hungarian Folk Tunes, BB80b, Sz.66
- 3 Hungarian Folksongs from Csík, BB45b, Sz.35a
- 3 Klavierstucke, BB14
- 3 Klavierstucke, BB8
- 3 Rondos on Slovak Folktunes, BB92, Sz.84
- 3 Studies, op. 18, BB81, Sz.72
- 4 Dirges, op. 9a, BB58, Sz.45
- 4 Piano Pieces, BB27, DD71
- 7 Pieces from Mikrokosmos, for 2 pianos, Sz.108, BB120
- 8 Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, op. 20, BB83, Sz.74
- 9 Little Piano Pieces, BB90, Sz.82
- Andante
- Ciaia Sonata in G
- En plein air
- First Term at the Piano, BB66, Sz.53
- For Children : 85 Teaching Pieces in 4 volumes, BB53, Sz.42
- Fugue in G minor, for organ and strings
- Magyar nepdalok, BB109
- Mikrokosmos: 153 Progressive Piano Pieces in 6 volumes, BB105, Sz.107
- Out of Doors, BB89
- Pastorale for keyboard in C
- Petite Suite, BB113, Sz.105
- Petits morceaux, for piano, BB38
- Rhapsody, op. 1, BB36a, Sz.26
- Romanian Christmas Carols, 20 pieces in 2 series, BB67, Sz.57
- Román népi táncok, BB68, Sz.56
- Scherzo in B major, BB11
- Sonata for Recorder and Continuo in B flat major, SF. 775
- Sonatina over themes of peasants from Transsylvania
- Sonatina, BB69, Sz.55
- Suite for Piano, op. 14, BB70, Sz.62
- Toccata in G
- Toccata no. 1 for keyboard
- Toccata no. 2 for keyboard
- Tre Correnti
- Orchestral
- ● Concerto for Orchestra, BB123, Sz.116
- ● Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, BB114, Sz.106
- ● Piano Concerto no. 3 in E major, BB127, Sz.119
- Dance Suite, BB86a, Sz.77
- Piano Concerto no. 1 in A major, BB91, Sz.83
- Piano Concerto no. 2 in G major, BB101, Sz.95
- Violin Concerto no. 2 in B minor, BB117, Sz.112
- 2 Pictures, op. 10, BB59, Sz.46
- 4 Orchestral Pieces, op. 12, BB64, Sz.51
- 7 Romanian Folk Dances, BB76
- Concerto for 2 Pianos, Percussion, and Orchestra, BB121, Sz.115
- Concerto for Orchestra, BB127, Sz.116
- Divertimento for String Orchestra, BB118
- Hungarian Peasant Songs, BB107, Sz.100
- Kossuth, BB31, Sz.21
- Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra, op. 1, BB36b, Sz.27
- Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra no. 1, BB94b, Sz.87
- Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra no. 2, BB96b, Sz.90
- Romanian Dance, BB61, Sz.47a
- Suite for Orchestra no. 1, Sz. 31, BB 39
- Suite for Orchestra no. 2, op. 4, BB40, Sz.34
- The Miraculous Mandarin, op. 19a, BB82, Sz.73a
- The Wooden Prince, op. 13, BB74, Sz.60
- Transylvanian Dances, BB102b, Sz.96
- Two Portraits, for violin and orchestra, op. 5, BB48b, Sz.37
- Violin Concerto no. 1, BB48a, Sz.36
- Vocal
- Cantata profana, BB100, Sz.94, "The Enchanted Stags"
- 4 Old Hungarian Folksongs, for male chorus, BB60, Sz.50
- 4 Slovak Folksongs, BB78
- 4 Slovakian Folksongs, BB46, Sz.35b
- 5 Hungarian Folksongs, for mixed chorus, Sz.93, BB99
- 5 Magyar nepdalok, BB 108
- 5 Songs, BB72, Sz.63, op. 16
- Choruses in 2 and 3 Parts, 27 works for children's or female chorus and piano, BB111, Sz.103
- Eight Hungarian Folksongs
- Falun: 3 Village Scenes, BB87b, Sz.79
- Falun: Village Scenes, BB87a, Sz.78
- Húsz magyar népdal in 4 volumes, BB98, Sz.92
- Stage
- Duke Bluebeard's Castle, op. 11, BB62 — Opera
- The Miraculous Mandarin, op. 19, BB82
- The Wooden Prince, op. 13, BB74
- Chamber
- Sonata for 2 Pianos and 2 Percussion, BB115, Sz.110
- Sonata for Violin Solo, BB124, Sz.117
- String Quartet no. 3 in C sharp major, BB93, Sz.85
- String Quartet no. 4 in C major, BB95
- String Quartet no. 5 in B flat major, BB110, Sz.102
- String Quartet no. 6 in D major, BB119, Sz.114
- 44 Duos for 2 violins, Volumes 1-4, BB104, Sz.98
- Albumblatt, for violin and piano, BB26b
- Contrasts, for clarinet, violin, and piano, BB116
- Duo for 2 violins, without opus; without Sz.
- From Gyergó, for recorder and piano, BB45a, Sz.35
- Piano Quintet, BB33
- Rhapsody for Cello and Piano, BB94c, Sz.88
- Rhapsody for Violin and Piano no. 1, BB94a, Sz.86
- Rhapsody for Violin and Piano no. 2, BB96a, Sz.89
- Six danses populaires roumaines, for trumpet and ensemble
- String Quartet no. 1 in A minor, op. 7, BB52, Sz.40
- String Quartet no. 2 in A minor, op. 17, BB75, Sz.67
- Violin Sonata in E minor, BB28
- Violin Sonata no. 1 in C sharp minor, op. 21, BB84, Sz.75
- Violin Sonata no. 2 in C major, BB85, Sz.76