Béla Bartók

3 Burlesques

Two pieces of scherzo character in triple time flank a slower movement in duple time. The first burlesque entitled 'Quarrel' is Márta's piece, Nov. 1908, is a dispute between two opposing characters, with grimaces and taunts. The second burlesque, with the subtitle 'Slightly Tipsy' or 'A bit drunk' is one of Bartók's ingenious programme music miniatures, with characteristic performance indications. The figure appearing in a stumbling rhythm begins to sing indifferently, then continues ruvido (coarsely). By the end of the middle section, to be played in dry tone, our hero collapses completely, and takes leave as a pitiful figure, like the wooden puppet after the dance in The Wooden Prince ballet.... Finally, the titleless third burlesque, Molto vivo, capriccioso, also stimulates the imagination: one can detect in it the grotesque rush of the last bagatelle, 'My Dancing Sweetheart,' just like the Wooden Prince dance.
(HCD 32525 Bartók New Series Vol. 25, László Somfai)