Béla Bartók

23 Duos

Béla Bartok wrote 44 duos for two violins between 1931 and 1932 and dedicated them to Erich Doflein, who later became the founding director of the Freiburg University of Music.
The arrangements for two violas and also for two cellos have been around for a long time. Now at last the double bass players can also encounter these pieces.
For a long time these pieces were used as pure practice pieces. Here again the bon mot that has been uttered time and again in music history about simple pieces: 'Too difficult for children, too easy for adults'.
All songs and dances are based on Eastern European folk music. Harmonic and rhythmic freedoms are nevertheless evident throughout the work. The composer uses Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak and Ruthenian folklore. The duos are especially known for their rhythms, dissonances, canons and inversions.
All songs and dances are easy to medium difficulty.