Bartók in High Definition: Aimard, Salonen & the San Francisco Symphony (Pentatone)

Bartok’s story is a fascinating one. His music was modern, but also very much influenced by Hungarian folk music. He and his wife came to the US in 1940 to escape the war. He became a US Citizen in 1945, shortly before his death, but never felt all that comfortable away from Hungary. It was only after his death that he was recognized as one of the most important composers of the 20th Century.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard is a pianist I admire particularly for his Debussy. Esa-Pekka Salonen is a Finnish conductor who is known for championing modern music, and yet I enjoy his recordings of more standard repertoire– Mahler, Bruckner, and Debussy come to mind.

Bartok is commonly played as very dramatic, energetic, and “grab them by the throat” music, and I think that’s a valid interpretation. But also valid is a more thoughtful approach which shows the structure, clarity and varied emotions of the composer’s work. That’s what these performances bring to us.

The difficult Concerto #1 from 1926 is tamed, but it still has some pointed edges along with a melodic score is that is allowed to bloom.

Concerto #2 has moments that are playful, moments that are hypnotic, and even a bit of a nightmare. But all of that happens in a totally accessible way.

Concerto #3 was his last completed work– composed in the summer of 1945 while he was living in New York. It’s called “the real revelation,” with Bach-like elegance and crisp counterpoint. 

If you want Bartok that will bring down the rafters, this may not the right album.  But if you want to dig deeper into Bela Bartok’s heart and soul, give the samples a listen.

Pierre-Laurent Aimart is superb, the conductor supports his vision.  Esa-Pekka Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony are excellent.  And the recording quality is up to the quality that Pentatone provides. It’s excellent!

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