Béla Bartók - BB 104, Sz.98 44 Duos for 2 Violins (1931–1932) (Score, Analysis)

BB 104, Sz.98 Negyvennégy duó két hegedűre/44 Duos for 2 Violins (1931–1932)

This set of duets were not meant for concert performances nor for technique practices. The primary purpose is to practice coordination between the two violinists. It was commissioned by the violinist/pedagogue Erich Doflein. Initially, the request was an arrangement of pieces from For Children for two violins, but it was changed to this. Later, 6 of the pieces became BB 113, “Petite Suite”.

There are 4 books in a progressive difficulty. Almost all of the pieces are based on Eastern European folk songs, but there are some modern harmonies and irregular rhythms, nevertheless.

(0:00) Book 1, No.1 Párosító (1) (Teasing song)
(0:53) Book 1, No.2 Kalamajkó (annak neve) (Maypole Dance)
(1:32) Book 1, No.3 Menuetto - While the pieces are very tonal and simple, there are some irregular scales, such as in this one.
(2:29) Book 1, No.4 Szentivánéji (Midsummer Night Song) - The folk elements are mostly treated canonically (call and response), or accompaniment is added.
(3:15) Book 1, No.5 Tót nóta (1) (Slovakian Song)
(4:10) Book 1, No.6 Magyar nóta (1) (Hungarian Song)
(5:00) Book 1, No.7 Oláh nóta (Wallachian Song)
(5:42) Book 1, No.8 Tót nóta (2) (Slovakian Song)
(6:46) Book 1, No.9 Játék (Play Song)
(7:29) Book 1, No.10 Rutén nóta (Ruthenian Song)
(8:42) Book 1, No.11 Gyermekrengetéskor (Cradle Song) - Bitonality. This is one of my favorites.
(10:03) Book 1, No.12 Szénagyűjtéskor (Hay Song)
(11:00) Book 1, No.13 Lakodalmas (Wedding Song)
(12:26) Book 1, No.14 Párnás tánc (Pillow Dance)
(13:13) Book 2, No.15 Katonanóta (Soldiers' Song) - One of my favorites.
(14:12) Book 2, No.16 Burleszk (Burlesque) - Later No.5 of Petite Suite.
(15:10) Book 2, No.17 Menetelő nóta (1) (Hungarian March)
(15:54) Book 2, No.18 Menetelő nóta (2) (Hungarian March)
(16:39) Book 2, No.19 Mese (Fairy Tale) - Based on an original theme. It makes use of the Bulgarian rhythm, as well as unusual scales.
(17:46) Book 2, No.20 Dal (A Rhythm Song)
(19:13) Book 2, No.21 Újévköszöntő (1) (New Year's Song)
(21:20) Book 2, No.22 Szúnyogtánc (Mosquito Dance) - One of my favorites. With call and responses.
(22:00) Book 2, No.23 Menyasszonybúcsúztató (Bride's Farewell)
(23:19) Book 2, No.24 Tréfás nóta (Comic Song) - The melody will be used again for the BB 125, Husband’s Grief.
(24:03) Book 2, No.25 Magyar nóta (2) (Hungarian Song)
(24:54) Book 3, No.26 Párosító (2) (Teasing Song)
(25:24) Book 3, No.27 Sánta-tánc (Limping Dance)
(25:56) Book 3, No.28 Bánkódás (Sorrow) - Later No.1 of Petite Suite.
(28:12) Book 3, No.29 Újévköszöntő (2) (New Year's Song)
(28:53) Book 3, No.30 Újévköszöntő (3) (New Year's Song)
(29:44) Book 3, No.31 Újévköszöntő (4) (New Year's Song) - One of my favorites
(30:27) Book 3, No.32 Máramarosi tánc (Dance from Máramaros) - One of my favorites. Later No.2 of Petite Suite.
(31:10) Book 3, No.33 Aratáskor (Harvest Song) - A long piece with call-and-response as well as bitonality.
(32:42) Book 3, No.34 Számláló nóta (Enumerating Song) - One of my favorites.
(33:39) Book 3, No.35 Rutén kolomejka (Ruthenian Kolomejka) - Another favorite of mine, and is based on an original theme.
(34:45) Book 3, No.36 Szól a duda (Bagpipes) - One of my favorites, based on original theme. Later No.6 of Petite Suite.
(35:47) No.36 Variant - Rhythmic variant.
(36:49) Book 4, No.37 Preludium és kánon (Prelude and Canon) - While this collection was not intended for concert purposes, some pieces, especially from the last book, can indeed serve a concert purpose in my opinion.
(39:27) Book 4, No.38 Forgatós (Romanian Whirling Dance) - Later No.3 of Petite Suite.
(40:37) Book 4, No.39 Szerb tánc (Serbian Dance)
(40:53) Book 4, No.40 Oláh tánc (Wallachian Dance)
(41:42) Book 4, No.41 Scherzo
(42:32) Book 4, No.42 Arab dal (Arabian Dance) - Another favorite of mine.
(43:49) Book 4, No.43 Pizzicato - Later No.4 of Petite Suite.
(44:58) Book 4, No.44 "Erdélyi" tánc (Transylvanian Dance) - One of favorites of mine.

Source: English/Hungarian Wikipedia, Vera Lampert - Folk Music in Bartók's Compositions, original research

Recording by Barnabás Kelemen, Katalin Kokas

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The folk melodies used (number is the catalog number in Lampart’s catalog):
For No.1 - “A pünközsdi rózsa” (No.263) - From Kerkaszentmihályfa (Zala), Mrs. István Ancsák, Mári Fülöp, collected by B. Vikár.
For No.2 - “Kalamajkó annak neve” (No.264) - From Felsőiregh (Tolna), Woman, April 1907.
For No.3 - “Lecela muška nad vodou, nad vodou” (No.265) - From Hiadeľ (Zvolenská), Zuza Strelcová (18), April 1915
For No.4 - “Mlinári, ribári” (No.266) - From Vaľká Lúka (Zvolenská), Anna Bulová (20), April 1915
For No.5 - “Na tureckej hraňici” (No.267) - From Lišov (Hontianska), Zuzana Vicianová (28), January 1914
For No.6 - “A küsasszony papucsába, csigirigiri” (No.268) - From Csíkvacsárcsi (Csík), Old woman, July 1907
For No.7 - “Trimiso ‘mpăratu carťe” (No.269) - From Dragomirești (Maramureș), Erină Vlad (26), March 1913
For No.8 - “Ej, Mariška švarná” (No.270) - From Lišov (Hontianska), Anna Slaninová (82), January 1914
For No.9 - “Skočila mi mňiška, mňiška, do škorca” (No.271) - From Lišov (Hontianska), Anna Pagácová (16), Anna Pakárová (14), January 1914
For No.10 - “Tajďi Bože chlopu horast” (No.272) - From Dolha (Máramaros)
For No.11 - “Hrabala, hrabala, čerta nahrabala” (No.273) - From Poniky (Zvolenská), Zuzana Valaskajová (30), August 1915
For No.12 - “Hrabala, hrabala, čerta nahrabala” (No.274) - From Veľká Lúka (Zvolenská), Anna Bulová (20), April 1915
For No.13 - “Zoťaľi brezu, už ju vezú” (No.275) - From Poniky (Zvolenská), Zuzana Vozkárová (42) and Zuzana Valaskajová (30), August 1915
For No.14 - “Dömbör vajda, Dömbör vajda, Prücsök fülü kecske” (No.276) - From Ehed (Maros-Torda), Ferenc Győri M. (55), April 1914
For No.15 - “Tá bystrická kasarňa” (No.277) - From Cinobaňa (Zvolenská, in Banská Bystrica, from 16th Regiment), Ján Svinčák (29) and Jozef Machava (29), April 1916
For No.16 - “Duše dušečko” (No.278) - From Száldobos (Máramaros), Young men, November 1911
For No.17 - “Nincsen szebb a magyar lánynál” (No.279) - From Tura (Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun), Young people, August 1906
For No.18 - “Biró Marcsa libája” (No.280) - From Apátfalva (Csanád), Young people, August 1906
For No.20 - “Štiri groše paprika” (No.281) - From Kostolné Moravce (Hontianska), Zuzana Šajberová (14), January 1913
For No.21 - “Nu ștîu îerî alaltăîeri, Nu ștîu îerî alaltăîeri” (No.282) - From Orșova (Mureș), Măria Lateș (22), April 1914
For No.22 - “Megfogtam egy szunyogot, nagyobb volt a lónál, lónál” (No.283) - From Nagymegyer (Komárom), Girl, March 1910
For No.23 - “Udopéraj mamko ľísko” (No.284) - From Veresmart (Ugocsa), Girls (15-18) singing Ruthenian melody. November 1911
For No.24 - “Kupiv ja kozu kozu” (No.285) - From Veresmart (Ugocsa), Girls (15-18) singing Ruthenian melody, November 1911
For No.25 - “Kidüllött a bojzafa, haj” (No.286) - From Zajzon (Brassó), Man, 1904. Collected by B. Vikár
For No.26 - “Ugyan édes komám asszony” (No.287) - (Unidentified)
For No.27 - “Hej sár elő, sár elő” (No.288) - From Nagymegyer (Komárom), Woman (70), March 1910
For No.28 - “Pej paripám rézpatkója de fényes” (No.289) - From Felsőiregh (Tolna), Ignác Vörös (50), April 1907
For No.29 - “Sus la naltu cîerululu” (No.290) - From Grădiște (Hunedoara), Mihai Coriu (13), Valer Moișoni (15), December 1913
For No.30 - “Florile dalbe” (No.291) - From Toplița (Mureș-Turda), Vasile Voda (30), August 1916
For No.31 - “Colo’n sus pe munťe’n susu” (No.292) - From Chibulcutul de câmpie (Cluj), Zacarie Chisa (30), August 1916
For No.32 - “Hei tu mândrioruľe” (No.293) - From Pătrova (Maramureș), Ileană and Niťă Ardelean (15-20), March 1913
For No.33 - “Piesňe moje, piesňe” (No.294) - From Podkonice (Zvolenská), Mária Očenášová (44), July 1915
For No.34 - “Išla Polka cez háj na vodu” (No.295) - From Poniky (Zvolenská), Zuzana Spišiaková, Novembet 1915
For No.37 - “Kiét szál pünkösdrózsa” (No.296) - From Resznek (Zala), Girls, September 19, 1906
For No.38 - (No.297) - From Râpa-de-Sus (Mureș), Ion Popovici (22) on violin, April 1914
For No.39 - (No.298) - From Temešmonoštor (Temeš), Milan Markovič (22) on Tambura (South Slav lute), March 1912
For No.40 - “Sucite păruțu meu” (No.299) - From Glod (Maramureș), Ioană Jur (18), March 1913
For No.41 - “Oprasila sa nám sviňa” (No.300) - From Horné Lefantovce (Nitrianska), Child, 1909
For No.42 - (No.301) - From Alli băn Charfalla and Hămmăstir bâl Äši, men from Tolga, Sidi-Okba (Algeria), Vocal melody with the accompaniment of gasba (reed flute) and băndir (drum), June 1913
For No.43 - “Nem láttam én télbe fecskét” (No.302) - From Csíkszenttamás (Csík), Elderly woman, July 1907
For No.44 - (No.303) - From Petrovasile (Torontal), a gypsy (35) on violin, December 1912