Denes Varjon Photo: Supplied
Béla Bartók's second violin sonata is technically his fifth, but the first three were more romantic in style and so not considered representative of the 'real Bartók'.
The sonata is influenced by Eastern European folk music but doesn't actually use any authentic folk tunes. The first movement begins with a long hora lunga melody in the style of Romanian peasant music. The second movement begins pizzicato and becomes openly dissonant.
Bartók himself felt that caution should be exercised in programming his two violin sonatas, and that they should be kept from places where the artistic appreciation was low and they would not be understood (!)
Recorded in Nelson Centre of Musical Arts by RNZ
Sound Engineer: Darryl Stack
