String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85 (parts) by Bela Bartok
Published by Boosey & Hawkes
Bela Bartok (1881-1945) was one of Hungary's greatest composers and one of the most outstanding composers of the 20th century. He was a committed modernist, applying the contrapuntal rigor of Bach and Brahms to the broader tonal sensibilities of Debussy and Schoenberg. He was also one of the first ethnomusicologists; he recorded folk music across Eastern Europe with fellow composer Zoltan Kodaly, later incorporating folk song into his own music. He wrote much in the way for strings, including string quartets, concertos, and folk suites.
Bartok's six string quartets form one of the most fascinating and unique cycles of the quartet literature. His String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85 (1927), likely inspired by Berg's "Lyric Suite", is the shortest of the six. In a single movement of startlingly colorful harmonies and colorful effects (like glissando and col legno), he generates compelling and inventive music out of small, concentrated motives, in alternately savage and moody passages. Its strong formal characteristics, kaleidoscopic string writing, and masterly craft make it a standout work in Bartok's output. Parts only. Master level, Grade 6.
