Bela Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, 2^nd mvt.

The Norton Anthology includes the third movement of this piece, and the discussion there is excellent – of the overall work and of the 3^rd movement in particular. The authors emphasize the symmetry that is characteristic of many of Bartok’s works and also the importance of folk music to his style.

The relation to folk music is more obvious and audible in this second movement than in the movement in NAWM. The rhythms resemble those of a Hungarian dance, and so does the contour of the opening melody. The second theme (m.32) also has a folk-like rhythm and contour and is decorated with grace notes in Hungarian style. At the same time both melodies are highly chromatic, and they are a tritone away from one another (typical of Bartok). The cross rhythms in m. 100,155, and 203 would not be out of place in Hungarian instrumental style. On the other hand the intricate counterpoint of m. 243 ff, 310 ff. and 340 ff. (note the inversions) is far from any folk traditions and has more to do with Bartok’s commitment to symmetry.

Commentators like to point out that this movement is laid out in sonata form, with two thematic groups in the exposition (m.1, m.32) a long development section (mm. 155-371), a recap (372-458?), and a coda(m. 479-end). When the melody comes back in the recap it is compressed rhythmically, first into a mixture of meters, then into a driving 3/8.