Bartok is generally recognized as a composer of instrumental music, a The Choral Music of Bela Bartok view which is certainly valid when one compares the vast quantity of by Fred Thayer his instrumental works with the limited number of choral works. Bartok seemed to become more in­ terested in choral music in the latter Bartok specified three methods of Bartok was well aware of criticism part of his life, a reason, perhaps, for utilizing folk melodies: of his use of folk songs and felt the the small output. Since relatively lit­ need to defend his position: tle has been written previously We may, for instance, take over a Many people think it a com­ about Bartok's choral music, this ar­ peasant melody unchanged or on­ paratively easy task to write a com­ ly slightly varied, write an accom­ position round folk-tunes. A lesser ticle's intent is to provide informa­ paniment to it and possibly some achievement at least than a com­ 1 tion. opening and concluding phrases position on "original" themes. The total extent of Bartok's choral ....Two main types can be distin­ Because, they think, the composer music, a cappella unless stated guished among works of this is dispensed of part of the work: otherwise, is listed below: character. the invention of themes. A. Student works 1. In the one case accompani­ This way of thought is complete­ 1. 1900-Three Mixed Choruses ­ ment, introductory and con­ ly erroneous. To handle folktunes unpublished cluding phrases, are of secondary is one of the most difficult tasks; a. Der Tod, das ist die kiihle importance, they only serve as an equally difficult if not more so Nacht (SATB) ornamental setting for the than to write a major original com­ b. Was streift vorbei im Dam­ precious stone: the peasant position. If we keep in mind that merlicht (SSATBB) melody. borrowing a tune means being c. Suckst du mir denn immer 2. It is the other way round in the bound by its individual peculiarity nach (SSATBB); Was streift second case: the melody only we shall understand one part of the vorbei im Dammer­ serves as a "motto" while that difficulty. Another is created by licht-transcribed for which is built round it is of real im­ the special character of a folk­ (TTBB) portance. tune. We must penetrate into it, 2. 1903-Est (Evening), text by 3. Another method by which feel it, and bring it out in sharp Kalman Harsanyi (TTTT­ peasant music becomes contours by the appropriate set­ BBBB) transmuted into modern music is ting.6 B. Mature works the following: The composer does In even stronger emotion, he later not make use of a real peasant 1. 1910-Four Old Hungarian Folk stated: Songs (TTBB) melody but invents his own imita­ 2. 1915-Two Rumanian Folk tion of such melodies. There is no These people must have a strange Songs (SSAA)-unpublished true difference between this idea of the practice of composing. 3. 1917-Five Slovak Folk Songs method and the ... two described They seem to think the composer (TTBB) above.4 addicted to collecting folk-songs 4. 1917-Four Slovak Folk Songs will sit down at his writing desk for SATB and piano Perhaps the best known, most with the intention of composing a 5. 1930-Four Hungarian Folk often performed choral composi­ symphony. He racks and racks his Songs (SSAATTBB) tions of Bartok are the three mature brain but cannot think of a suitable 6. 1930-Cantata Profana for dou­ mixed-chorus works. Each repre­ melody. He takes up his collection ble chorus (SATB and SATB) sents a different one of the above ap­ of folk-songs, picks one or two 7. 1932-Sz€kely Songs (TTT­ proaches to the use of folk melodies and the composition of BBB) his symphony is done without fur­ 8. 1935-Twenty-Seven Choruses elements: ther labour. ... The conception for 2- and 3-part children's or 1917-Four Slovak Folk Songs­ that attributes all that importance women's chorus-Bartok added "ornamental setting for the precious to the invention of a theme orchestral accompaniment to stone"; originated in the nineteenth cen­ seven of these twenty-seven 1930-Four Hungarian Folk tury. It is a romantic conception (nos. 1,2,7,10,11,12,17)2 Songs- "motto"; which values originality above all. 9. 1935-From Olden Times 1930-Cantata Profana- "at­ From what has been said above, (TBB)3 mosphere."5 it must have become clear that it is This can be considered a continuum no sign of "barrenness" or "in­ What makes Bartok's mature competence" if a composer bases of complexity coinciding with Bar­ his music on folk-music instead of choral repertoire important is the tok's own maturing process. This is manner in which he handled his taking Brahms and Schumann as not to suggest, however, that the his models.? materials, whether they were ·folk­ 1917 writings are of less value than In a letter to Octavian Beu, a Ruma­ song settings or folk-poetry set­ those of 1930. The earlier work nian folklorist, Bartok further ex­ tings. A folk orgin is present in all of represents a side of Bart6k at that plained why he desired to quote folk his mature choral music: folk poetry point in history; also, it happens to materials: in Cantata Profana, Twenty-Seven be his only choral writing utilizing Choruses, and From Olden Times; piano. The piano writing for "Wed­ My creative work, just because folk melodies in all of the rest. it arises from three sources ding Song from Poniky," no. 1 from (Hungarian, Rumanian, Slova­ Thayer is Director of Choral Activities at Four Slovak Folk Songs, is par­ kian), might be regarded as the Lycoming College, Williamsport, Penn­ ticularly outstanding in its blending embodiment of the very concept sylvania. of folk elements and originality. of integration so much empha- August 1985 Page 33 sized in Hungary today.... My sky. However, the sonority seems choral sound, and so the Four own idea, however-of which I complete with piano. Hungarian Folksongs for mixed have been fully conscious since I Four Slovak Folk Songs should be chorus was completed in May, found myself as a composer-is performed as four movements of a 1930.12 the brotherhood of peoples, single composition. Although there The Four Hungarian Folk Songs brotherhood in spite of all wars is some beautiful polyphony in the and conflicts. I try-to the best of contain different types of complexi­ my ability-to serve this idea in first folk-song setting, the general ties from those found in Bartok's in­ my music therefore I don't reject style of writing throughout the set strumental works. any influence, be it Slovakian, must be considered homophonic. There is frequent division of the Rumanian, Arabic or from any This is one of Bartok's most acces­ chorus into eight parts, and this, other source. The source must on­ sible works. together with the rhythmic ly be clean, fresh and healthy!S Four Hungarian Folk Songs-1930 plasticity and the contrapuntal in­ The letter was written on January tricacy of the settings, makes per­ Bartok wrote nothing for chorus formance as difficult as in any of 10, 1931, just four months after the between 1917 and 1930. Only two Bartok's choral work. Yet the completion of Cantata Profana, vocal pieces were composed during handling of the voices is ac­ Bartok's principal composition por­ this span: complished with the greatest sen­ traying the "brotherhood of 1. Village Scenes-five Slovak folk sitivity and dexterity.13 peoples." songs for female voice and piano In a review of Four Hungarian Folk The following descriptions pro­ (1924); nos. 3, 4, and 5 were Songs, Peter J. Pirie said, "They are vide a closer look at several of transcribed for four or eight female written with sympathy and under­ Bartok's important choral works. voices and chamber orchestra standing for the voice, and with a Four Slovak Folk songs-1917 (1926); 10 profound understanding of choral 2. Twenty Hungarian Folk Songs style... .It cannot be sufficiently em­ The four folk tunes employed in for voice and piano (1929). phasized that such respect for the settings were collected by During this same period of thir­ medium is the mark of a master."14 Bartok from threetowns in the coun­ teen years, he produced several ma­ Bartok collected most of the folk try of Zvolenska. The subject matter jor instrumental works: melodies and texts used in the set in of the four texts is generally light. 1. The Miraculous Mandarin 1907. His choice and ordering of The first, a melancholy wedding (1919) folk songs is comparable in Four song, is the apex of the set. Bartok 2. Dance Suite (1923) Slovak Folk Songs and Four balanced this woeful mood by 3. Piano Concerto No. 1 (1926) Hungarian Folk Songs, i.e., nos. 1 following it with a short hay­ 4. String Quartet No. 3 (1927) and 2 are parlando melodies; nos. 3 harvesters' song and two short 5. String Quartet No.4 (1928) and 4, tempo giusto melodies. The dancing songs. Even though the subject matter of the parlando cumulative time of the three quick The composing of such important melodies, however, is distinctly statements of happiness is only ap­ instrumental works almost certainly more serious in this latter set, as it is proximately one half the length of influenced modifications in his concerned with peasants' afflictions. the sad wedding song, the three-to­ choral style. The most pronounced The work is classified as eight­ one relationship of movements is change to be found in the Four part choral writing, but Bartok used sufficient to provide a lasting im­ Hungarian Folk Songs is the care in determining how far to pression that the general mood of predominating element of stretch the divisi. For instance, verse the set is light and gay. The four polyphony. three of number one, "The transcriptions are all in the category As was mentioned earlier, Bartok Prisoner," is the first tutti situation. in which "the folk tune dominates, treated folk songs in a more ad­ And then, Bartok only employed a and accompaniment, prelude, or vanced way in the Four Hungarian divisi of seven parts, keeping two postlude may be considered only as Folk Songs: "the folk tune and the sections (Sl and Sll) in unison on the the 'mounting of a jewel'."9 added parts are almost equal in im­ elusive melody. In fact, the first It is possible to perform the Four portance." This was achieved by employment of eight voices Slovak Folk Songs with orchestra. "deliberate or subconscious imita­ simultaneously is in number three, The piano accompaniments have tions of folk melodies or phrases."l1 "Finding a Husband." This divisi is been transcribed by Endre Szerv{m- Gyorgy Kroo stated that Bartok almost compensated for with always had difficulty dealing with simpler harmony and extensive imi­ Forest Hill United Methodist texts, something which came easily tation to accompany the shortest Church, Mobile, AL, seeking full to Kodaly. song with the fastest tempo of the time Director of Music. This 1000 After the first performance of set. member church needs a creative Twenty Hungarian Folksongs, the Bartok's first sketches show that dynamic leader to maintain an year of the Cantata Profana, it was the original order of the last two outstanding music program of Bence SzaboIcsi who first noticed songs in Four Hungarian Folk Songs choral groups and A-octave bells. that it was as if the composer had was the reverse of the present order, Forward thinking ministerial burst through some barrier which, ever since the time of Bluebeard's thereby ending the set with "Finding staff and dedicated congregation a Husband," rather than "Love offer excellent opportunity. Send Castle, had stood in the way of fur­ ther truly great vocal composi­ Song." Both songs end in G. resumes or inquiries to: Perhaps Bartok thought that "Find­ Mrs. Louise Craven tions. But it seems that still ing a Husband" was too short to be a 4807 Princeton Drive another etude was needed, this time from the point of view of 1...-__Mobile, AL 36618 ----' conclusive "final movement." Page 34 THE CHORAL JOURNAL Cantata Profana-1930 In an account written for the melodies. However, these three Schweizerische Siingerzeitung in works are pervaded with a folk-like After c<;>mpleting the Four Hun­ 1933, Bart6k wrote the following "atmosphere" and draw their texts Bart6k embarked garian Folk Songs, about colindas: from folk poetry. upon his greatest choral writing achievement, Cantata Profana. The These Christmas songs ... should 1. Twenty-Seven Choruses work is scored for two SATB not be interpreted as in any way choruses, tenor and baritone corresponding to the pious The world of children was of in­ soloists, and full orchestra. Bart6k Christmas carols of Western Europe. The most important parts terest to Bart6k throughout his completed the minute work 16-17 of the texts, perhaps one third of mature composing life. From on September 8, 1930. the whole, is in no way related to 1905-1939, he wrote several in­ The first public performance was the Christians' Christmas. Instead strumental collections, especially held in London in 1934 under the of the story of Bethlehem, they tell for piano and later for violin, that direction of Adrian Boult. Prior to us how an unconquerable lion (or were intended for student per­ the Hungarian premiere in 1936, stag) is miraculously slain; one of Hug6 Kelen, a composer and chorus the legends is about nine brothers formers. Twenty-Seven Choruses leader in Budapest, who went hunting in the forest un, was originally published in eight til they turned into stags, and there separate volumes with the indica­ . .. tried to persuade Bartok to is a marvelous story about how the tion that nineteen of the choruses alter a couple of bars of the tenor sun wedded his sister the moon.. were for children's voices and the part in Cantata Profana, which .etc. Thus, pure vestiges of pagan other eight for women's voices. The seemed impossible to sing; the lyricism!18 twenty-seven are now published in singer Endre Rosier had refused to one volume with the children's sing the part, thereby jeopardizing Apparently, the above mentioned the first performance of the work choruses placed first. The range of a legend about nine brothers served fourteenth, from g to f#2, can be in Hungary. These two measures as the model for Cantata Profana. include the climax of the tenor found in both groups of choruses; Bart6k's" libretto was his own aria, reaching a high C. some of the "women's choruses" are Kelen, who was R'6sler's singing­ Hungarian translation of combined longer and perhaps more teacher, agreed to mediate and texts from two versions of a Ruma­ chromatically difficult than those wrote to Bartok, asking him to nian folk song. The legend has for "children." change the bars but Bartok re{used perplexed many listeners and has From information written by Bar­ .... Later, however, after listening summoned several writers to at­ t6k in two letters, it becomes ob­ to Rosier's lengthy plea, the com­ tempt constructing "Bart6k's moral poser yielded and (in the singer's vious that these children's choruses lesson." It is conclusively known were very important to him: words) "allowed himself to be that this work was not meant to talked into the alteration." He pro, stand alone but was intended to be duced from his pocket an altered At the concert on May 7th, I really version of the two bars which he one of a group of cantatas with the did play some pieces from the had after all already prepared.15 underlying concept of "the Mikrokosmos. However, at this par­ brotherhood of peoples, brother- ticular concert they were not so important as the children's Movement ll-mm. 84. and 85 choruses. It was a great experience for me when-at the rehearsal-I Bart6k's heard for the first time my little altered choruses coming from the lips of version for these children. I shall never forget E. Rosier this impression of the freshness and gaiety of the little ones' voices. Bart6k's There is something in the natural way these children from the subur­ original ban schools produce their voices, version that reminds one of the unspoilt sound of peasant singing.20 Cantata Profana is an original hood in spite of all wars and con­ work "pervaded by the atmosphere flicts."19 If any further "moral" was Four years later, in a letter ofJune of folk music." 16 In the same letter of intended, it, perhaps, was being 20,1941, to his son Bela, Jr., Bart6k January 10, 1931, to Octavian Beu, reserved for the final cantata. Unfor­ used most of the writing space to ex­ already cited, Bart6k indicated tunately, Bart6k never composed plain the many frustrations that he precisely the extent of folk material any further cantatas. was encountering living in the that was used in Cantata Profana. U.S.A. In a departure from his In the Cantata Profana only the Two Companion Pieces-Bart6k's depressed mood, he wrote: text is Rumanian; the thematic Last Choral Compositions (1935) material is my own invention, nor Two good things have happened in the meantime: (1) Columbia is it an imitation of Rumanian folk­ Twenty-seven Choruses and From music, indeed much of it has no University has extended my con­ Olden Times were written in 1935, tract until June 30, 1942 ... And folk character. This work can only and, when combined with Cantata be mentioned as a "setting to secondly: At the Michigan Univer­ music of a Rumanian colinda Profana, they comprise all of sity music festival next May ... [Rumanian Christmas song] Bart6k's mature choral composi­ they intend to perform 4 or 6 of my text."]7 tions that do not quote folk choruses for children (those with August 1985 Page 35 orchestral accompaniment): they movements one or three and is ex­ attract performers and audiences would be sung by 450 children, ac­ ceedingly thrifty in its use of alike. companied'by the Philadelphia Or­ materials. Movement two is par­ chestra. Their Director of Music ticularly suggestive of "Legenyc­ NOTES heard a few of them in Budapest in sufolo," no. 17 from Twenty-Seven 19371 Hence the idea. 21 choruses. IThe major sources are: The Bartok Ar­ chives, Budapest, Hungary-Laszlo Somfai, Bartok did not change any vocal head; and The New York Bartok Ar­ Summary chives-Benjamin Suchoff, trustee until the pitches when he later added or­ death of Mrs. Bartok, November 21, 1982. chestral accompaniments to seven Bartok's SATB choral music may 2Bartok first orchestrated five of the of the children's choruses. He in­ be viewed as a continuum of com­ twenty-seven for a 1937 concert in Budapest: geniously integrated the new writing (nos. 1, 7, 10, 11, 12). The orchestration was plexity coinciding with his own for two recorders, percussion, piano, and by implementation of orchestral maturing process. Each of the three strings. Later, he orchestrated nos. 2 and 17 preludes, interludes, and postludes. mature mixed-chorus works similarly, but using a larger number of wind Nine of the Twenty-Seven represents a different approach to instruments. When the seven are now per­ formed as a unit, the two with heavier or­ Choruses (nos. 1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 14, the use of folk materials: Four 15, 16, 17) have been translated and chestrations frame the other five in the Slovak Folk Songs- "ornamental following order (2, 1, 11, 12, 7, 10, 17). The are published in English. The setting"; Four Hungarian Folk form becomes fast, slow, fast, slow, fast, slow, Hungarian flavor has been Songs- "motto"; Cantata Profana­ fast. All of these choral-orchestral versions, somewhat diluted by replacing the "atmosphere." except no. 12, are published by Boosey and common Hungarian jagged rhythm Hawkes. Halsey Stevens wrote about the 3The publishers handling these listings are ( Fl.) with even rhythm (n). tendency of many twentieth-century Boosey and Hawkes, Universal Edition, composers to avoid writing Magyar Korus, and Zenemiikiado Vallata. 2. From Olden Times literature for choruses and about 4Bela Bartok, "The Influence of Peasant how Bartok dealt effectively with the Music on Modern Music," A Memorial Review From Olden Times, for three-part, (New York: Boosey and Hawkes, Inc., 1950), problem: pp.72-73. a cappella male chorus, is in some 5Benjamin Suchoff, "Bela Bartok's Con­ ways a miniature of Cantata Profana. Choral literature in a convincing tributions to Music Education," The Journal Although the former is nationalistic, contemporary style is not plen­ of Research in Music Education, vol. 9, no. 1 it; nevertheless, poses a worldly con­ tiful. Most composers, reluctant to (Spring 1961), p. 4. cern for fellow men of all na­ limit themselves to a style which 6Bartok, "Influence of Peasant Music," p. they feel the general state of choral 74. tionalities. Both works are in a ?Ibid., pp. 75-76. three-movement, ABA form. singing imposes, are unwilling to BJanos Demeny, ed., Bela Bartok Lellers, study the problem with open English trans. Peter Balaban and Istvan Movements one and three of From minds, to discover what may Olden Times are composed in a Farkas, rev. Elisabeth West and Colin Mason reasonably be expected of a choral (London: Faber and Faber, 1971), p. 201. parlando style. The central idea of group today.... But within its own 9Suchoff, "Bartok's Contributions," p. 4. movement one is, "No one's more frame, there is an adaptability to IOThe transcription contains fragments of unhappy, than the peasant"; the cen­ contemporary expression which two- and three-part choral harmonizing, but tral idea of movement three is, "No makes it a subtle and flexible because of its relative scarcity, the vocal medium for the composer who will writing must be classified as solo vocal one's more happy than the peasant." literature rather than as a choral composi­ Unlike Cantata Profana, movement approach it understandingly, with tion. three is not a recapitulation of a sensitive ear to its unique virtues. lISuchoff, "Bartok's Contributions," pp. movement one. With the change This Bartok did, in both his 4-5. from "unhappy" to "happy," the original work and his settings of 12Gy6rgy Kroo, A Guide to Bartok, trans. peasant music' for various choral Ruth Pataki and Maria Steiner, rev. Elisabeth central idea is reversed. Though the combinations. In even his earliest West (Budapest: Corvina Press, 1974), pp. parlando style is common to both choral work, the Four Old 158-59. movements one and three, the Hungarian Folksongs for unaccom­ 13Halsey Stevens, The Life and Music ofBela mood is changed by the implemen­ panied male chorus (1912), he Bartok (New York: Oxford Press, revised edi­ tion, 1964), p. 159. tation of different meter types. Sim­ uses harmonies of somewhat 14Peter J. Pirie, "Reviews of Music-Four ple mixed meters of movement one dissonant character; but the in­ Hungarian FOlksongs-Bartok," Music and complement the grim, resolute text, dividual lines are so logical that it Lellers, vol. 37 (1956), pp. 416-17. whereas, the more graceful textual . is not difficult to attain the desired 15Demeny, Bela Bartok Lellers, pp. 252, attitude of movement three is com­ sonority. This is the fundamental 421. secret of Bartok's choral writing, 16Suchoff, "Bartok's Contributions," p. 4. plemented by compound mixed as it is of the chorale harmoniza­ 17Demeny, Bela Bartok Lellers, p. 203. From meters. tions of Bach: the predominance a letter of January 10, 1931, to Octavian Beu. Movement two, with its giusto, of horizontal motion over vertical IBJozsef Ujfalussy, Bela Bartok, English dancelike quality, is the contrast harmony.22 trans. by Ruth Pataki, rev. Elisabeth West (Boston: Crescendo Pub. Co., 1972), pp. between the two similar 280-82. movements. The meter is essentially By examining Bartok's choral 19Demeny, Bela Bartok Lellers, p. 201. From continuous ~' rather than mixed music, idiomatic skills are dis­ a letter ofJanuary 10, 1931, to Octavian Beu. meters. covered that cannot be observed 2°Ibid., p. 257. From a letter of May 24, The entire work is written in a con­ when one investigates only Bartok's 1937, to Mme. Miiller-Widmann. 21Ibid., p. 305. trapuntal, imitative style. Of the instrumental compositions. His 22Stevens, Life and Music of Bela Bartok, p. three movements, two is the most choral writing maintains freshness, 154. similar in style to the Twenty-Seven rhythmic vitality, and contrapuntal Choruses. It is more diatonic than beauty, qualitites that continue to Page 36 THE CHORAL JOURNAL