Sonatina – For the Piano

Sinopse

Edited by David Goldberger

“Bartók wrote his Sonatina in 1915 but prepared a slightly revised version before his death in 1945 which was only published in 1950. Since the second version is almost identical to the original, with notes, rhythms, pedaling, and even fingering unchanged, one might wonder why Bartók went to the trouble. The answer is to be found in the fact that the first edition was published in Hungary before that country signed the International Copyright Convention so that Bartók derived no royalties from his work. The second version could only be covered by copyright if there were some changes. These changes were minimal: a new tempo indication – molto moderato in the first movement, slower metronome markings for the first and last movements, a few changes in slurs and staccato dots in the second movement, and the elimination of some of the fluctuations in tempo indicated in the last movement. Since rhythmic vitality and freedom were characteristics of Bartók’s own piano playing as well as of his compositions, the original version seems preferable and closer to the spirit of the composer than the slightly easier revision.
The present edition is based on the original 1915 publication. The editor has respected Bartók’s instructions on all musical matters but has felt free to indicate his own fingerings and make other slight alterations which clarify the text without changing the musical outcome.” in Preface por D. G.