Bartok 3rd movement

This movement has been described as the “apex” of the concerto, being completely central, and was composed in honour of Koussevitsky’s wife. It has impressionistic overtones; is reminiscent of Debussy’s style. The movement is divided into three sections, section A, section B and a Da Capo.

This movement opens with the “darkness theme,” with only the timpani and double bass playing. The intervals, 4th, 2nd, 3rd and a 5th give the opening a pentatonic feel. The mood is subdued and mysterious, with very quiet dynamics, and is very contrasting to the second movement. The harp plays two held minims before the strings come in with stretto entries. These are played above pedal notes played by the Double basses, (D, Db, C).

In bars 10-22 Bartok’s “night theme” is heard, with colourful, chromatic phrases played back and forth (antiphony) between the flutes and clarinets, whilst the pedal notes are sustained in the double basses, violins, violas and cellos. Glissandis are also played by the harp. The key in this section moves around C major and minor; this is heard in the string section. The

the horns, trumpets, timpani, and strings. The harp alos plays gliassandis. This homophonic style is continued until bar 83. From bars 62-72 traditional features reminiscent of funeral songs are hear; such as chromatic passages, descending character of theme, parlando melodies, and the sustained ending of the phrases.

The theme heard in bar 33 is inverted and extended in the violins. In bar 4 the woodwind enters providing accompaniment. The texture is quite thick, and v polyphonic. The strings, from bars 47-52 play a in a complex poly-modal style with imitation prominently used. From bar 54 to 60 the oboes and clarinets play and imitative, semiquaver phrase, with the horns playing con sordino with long held notes in the horns. The cellos play the samekind of phrase as the oboes and clarinets, the play pizzicato. The violins have long pedal notes played near the bridge. The piccolo enters at bar 58 with the birdsong motif heard earlier. This theme seems to signal then ending of a section.

From bar 93 to 100, is a further variation of section A in violins and the flute closes the section. The 3 bar motif is repeated at different registers conveying Bartoks appreciation of making

Some topics in this essay:
Section Section, Capo Section, Bartok Concerto, oboes clarinets, flutes clarinets, pedal notes, section section, notes played, piccolo enters bar, oboes clarinets play, birdsong motif heard, double basses, section bars, material heard, pedal notes played, violins violas, stretto entries,