Music : Béla Bartók

Musician - modern classical / 20th century

1881 - 1945

Illustration of Béla Bartók by JXIL — Béla Bartók

by JXIL (age 9)

Aside from dying on my birthday in 1945, Mr. Bartók’s was a fascinating figure. The Hungarian-born pianist and ethnomusicologist and was one of the most important figures in 20th century music. Along with fellow composer Liszt, he was considered to be Hungary’s finest composer.

Illustration of Béla Bartók by MDL — Béla Bartók

by MDL, age 12

Also, he was very against the Nazis, which is awesome. As a musician, he played around with ideas of tonality, which can be heard all throughout his works, which ranged from romantic-style to modernist opera and folk. Folk music was a special interest for him and he was a major influence as an ethnomusicologist; specifically as it related to nationalism and his home country of Hungary. This was a big influence on later modernist composers who looked to indigenous techniques to include in their own music.

He is well known for his explorations into harmony, dissonance, and tone which became defining characteristics of 20th century music.

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