Bartok and Gypsy music by Sebestyen, Muzsikas and Takacs Quartet

BARTOK: From The Fields To The Concert Hall

A live concert interspersing his compositions 

with the inspirational sources, 

including Bartok's own recordings 

of Roma Musicians 

Having always felt intimate with Bartok's as well as gypsy music of the roma, I've thoroughly enjoyed playing this recording, loud. It helps to have recently read "Bury Me Standing"- comes from the saying, 'Bury me standing, I've been on my knees all my life'.

"We have music, and if somebody doesn’t have music, then they’re nothing."

-Šelja Bajrami, Plemetina

"The acclaimed Takacs String Quartet joins the Hungarian folk ensemble Muzsikas (with singer Marta Sebestyen, whose inimitable voice you may recall haunting the soundtrack to "The English Patient") to celebrate Hungarian composer Bela Bartok...

When the members of the Takacs Quartet and Muzsikas combine for a concert, they delight in making clear the connections between Bartok's own music and his folk-music obsessions. For example, they alternate movements from some of Bartok's best-known pieces (Romanian Folk Dances, String Quartet No. 4) with the real village dances he collected in the field — both the actual old scratchy records and their own live versions thereof..."

The rest of the source material is on

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103733863

May 6 2009

Jordan Hall, in Boston

Takacs String Quartet

Muzsikas with Marta Sebestyen

Bela Bartok's field recordings

CONCERT PROGRAM

Bartok: Violin Duos (with source tunes)

Track 01

- Torontal Dances (Muzsikas)

- "Ardeleana" (historic Bartok field recording)

- Duo No. 44

Track 02

- "Shoe of My Horse" (Marta Sebestyen)

- Duo No. 28

- Duo No. 32

- "Jocul Barbatesc" (Marta Sebestyen)

Track 03

Bartok: Sonatina (with traditional tunes)

- Bagpipes (Takacs Qt.)

- Bear Dance (Takacs Qt.)

- Bear Dance from Gyimes (Muzsikas)

Track 04

Traditional: Ballad of the Murdered Shepherd

Track 05

Bartok: Romanian Folk Dances (with source tunes)

- Bota es Invertita (Muzsikas)

- Stick Dance (Takacs Qt.)

- Waistband Dance (Takacs Qt.)

- "Pe Loc" (Muzsikas)

- Hornpipe Dance (Takacs Qt.)

- Romanian Polka (Takacs Qt.)

from NPR internet radio, rec. @256 kbps

Enjoy, spread far and wide, and please attend these performers' events when they're in town!