BARTOK: Violin Concertos [CD de audio] Zehetmair, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Bartok and Ivan Fischer

The composition dates of the two violin concertos by Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist Béla Bartók are separated by thirty years and provide a snapshot of his creative process at vastly different points in his life. The first concerto (19078) had a rare emotional relevance: it was dedicated to the violinist Stefi Geyer, the object of Bartóks affections, and showcases different aspects of her personality. This twomovement work is reminiscent of the works of Strauss and Liszt. The lamenting theme of the first movement represents Bartóks unrequited love for Stefi, whose theme is repeated with tonal variation. This is followed by a lively second movement, with brilliant sections of arpeggios and scales, as well as whimsical leaps. The second concerto (1937) is from a time in the composers life when folk music had become a firm characteristic of his works, and explores more adventurous harmonies than the first. One of the great Classical and Romantic works, the neoClassical