The Apple

Available for 28 days

A mysterious folk tune ignites Bartók's imagination. Béla Bartók was regarded as one of Hungary’s greatest composers. His fellow countryman, the pianist Andras Schiff, called him “one of the giants in the history of music.” But he was also one of the founders of what we now call ethnomusicology, spending much of his time immersed in peasant life, collecting folk songs. As around him Europe was torn apart by conflict, Bartók found relief in rural life and took inspiration from these traditional tunes, incorporating them into his own compositions. In today's programme, Donald Macleod explores Bartók's early years and the chance encounter that changed the trajectory of his composing. Romanian Folk Dances BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard Rhapsody for piano, Op. 1, BB36a, Sz. 26 Alexandre Kantorow, piano Kossuth Symphonic Poem Sz21 Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Zoltan Kocsis Szekely Folksong, BB 34, "Piros alma" Andrea Meláth, mezzo-soprano Emese Virág, piano Produced by Alice McKee for BBC Audio Wales & West