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It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

RE: The Ascendancy of Bartok

I would seriously question those numbers, that seems very low. My orchestra alone has probably played at least five different works by Bartok in the last few seasons. The Concerto for Orchestra comes around at least every four or five years for just about every orchestra in the country that can play it. It is one of the most programmed 20th century works - I would bet that more than 50 orchestras in the country have played it in the last four years.

The Romanian Dances get programmed by many orchestras on children's concerts, which I bet were not included in those numbers. I couldn't begin to count the number of times I have played that one.

I would not say that there has been a surge in popularity - his music has always been liked by audiences. Well crafted music has a way of impressing itself on the most casual listener, and Bartok is certainly one of the greatest craftsmen in the history of music. His use of folk tunes, or themes based on them, makes a big difference. Even if the tunes are not recognized, the folk aspect is, and this resonates with most listeners even if they are not aware of it. If you want to introduce a friend to 20th century music, you can't do any better than Bartok.


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