String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91 (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. 4, Sz. 91 (1928), like its predecessor, was likely inspired by Berg's "Lyric Suite," and shares with it a unique and complex harmonic language. Its five movements are arranged in a symmetrical arch form and showcase colorful instrumental techniques, most famously snap pizzicato. At its center is a singular example of his mysterious "night music." The quartet as a whole is one of his most accomplished and vibrant works. Parts only. Master level, Grade 6.
