| Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion | |
|---|---|
| by Béla Bartók | |
 Bartók in 1927 | |
| Catalogue |
|
| Composed | 1937 |
| Performed | 16 January 1938: Basel |
| Movements | three |
The Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, Sz. 110, BB 115, is a musical piece written by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók in 1937.[1] The sonata was premiered by Bartók and his second wife, Ditta Pásztory-Bartók, with the percussionists Fritz Schiesser and Philipp Rühlig at the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) anniversary concert of 16 January 1938 in Basel, Switzerland,[2] where it received enthusiastic reviews. Bartók and his wife also played the piano parts for the American premiere which took place in New York City's Town Hall in 1940, with the percussionists Saul Goodman and Henry Deneke.[3] It has since become one of Bartók's most performed works.
The score requires four performers: two pianists and two percussionists, who play seven instruments between them: timpani, bass drum (gran cassa), cymbals, triangle, snare drum (both on- and off- snares), tam-tam (gong) and xylophone. In the published score the composer provides highly detailed instructions for the percussionists, stipulating, for example, which part of a suspended cymbal is to be struck with what type of stick. He also provides precise instructions for the platform layout of the four players and their instruments.[4]
- ^ Laki, Peter (1995). Bartók and his world at Google Books, page 11. ISBN 0-691-00633-4.
- ^ Kárpáti, János; MacNicol, Fred; Steiner, Maria (1994). Bartók's Chamber Music at Google Books, pp. 393–432 (ISBN 094519319X) contains material relevant to this article.
- ^ "Saul Goodman", Percussive Arts Society, accessed 23 April 2013
- ^ Cross, Lowell. Notes to Music and Arts CD 648 (1990)