Description
Great Hungarian Musicians – Beethoven / Debussy / Bartók CD
József Szigeti – violin | Béla Bartók – piano
Hungaroton Classic – HCD 12330 | Audio CD | 2001 | Mono | Digitally Remastered
UPC: 5991811233020
Overview
This Hungaroton Classic release unites three titans of music history — Beethoven, Debussy, and Bartók — through the remarkable collaboration of József Szigeti and Béla Bartók, two of Hungary’s greatest musical figures. Originally recorded between the late 1920s and early 1940s, these historical mono performances have been digitally remastered to preserve their authenticity while enhancing clarity and warmth.
The program captures the evolution of violin-piano dialogue, from Beethoven’s heroic “Kreutzer” Sonata to Debussy’s impressionistic colors and Bartók’s rhythmically charged modernism. Each performance stands as a living document of an era when virtuosity, intellect, and spontaneity converged in deeply personal interpretations.
As Bartók himself once wrote, “The most authentic performance of my music is my own.” This disc offers precisely that authenticity — the composer at the piano, partnered by a violinist of equal genius.
Product Details
- Label: Hungaroton Classic
- Series: Great Hungarian Musicians
- Catalog No.: HCD 12330
- Format: CD, Mono, Remastered
- Country: Hungary
- Release Year: 2001
- Genre: Classical
- Style: Romantic, Modern
Tracklist
Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano No. 9, Op. 47 “Kreutzer” (29:35)
- Adagio sostenuto – Presto – 11:07
- Andante con variazioni – 12:08
- Presto – 6:15
Claude Debussy – Sonata for Violin and Piano (11:51)
- Allegro vivo – 4:12
- Intermède (Fantasque et légère) – 3:49
- Finale (Très animé) – 3:48
Béla Bartók – Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2, Sz. 76, BB 85 (19:02)
- Molto moderato – 7:45
- Allegretto – 11:16
Béla Bartók – Rhapsody for Violin and Piano No. 1, Sz. 86, BB 94 (9:11)
- Prima parte – 4:13
- Seconda parte – 4:57
Credits
- Violin: József Szigeti
- Piano: Béla Bartók
- Digital Remastering: Judit Lukács
- Design: Miklós Juhász
- Liner Notes: Anna Dalos
- English Translation: Jane Pogson
- French Translation: Zoltán Jeney
- German Translation: Andreas Neutsch
Context & Significance
This release is based on Volume I of the Bartók Centennial Complete Recordings Collection (Bartók Hangfelvételei Centenáriumi Összkiadás, Hungaroton LPX 12326–33). These recordings remain among the most authoritative documents of Bartók’s art as performer and composer.
Musicologist László Somfai emphasized that the edition preserves the original 78 rpm disc layout, including pauses between takes, thus maintaining the historical integrity of Bartók’s studio sessions.
Bartók’s performance style reveals a rare combination of precision, intuition, and emotional depth, challenging simplistic or “classicalized” interpretations of his works. His playing, as heard here, embodies the living pulse behind his notated music — rhythmically flexible, harmonically daring, and deeply rooted in the folk idioms of Eastern Europe.
“The value of Bartók’s own recordings lies not only in their historicity, but in their revelation of an artistic personality that no printed score can fully capture.”
Highlights
- Includes the composer himself at the piano – an essential reference for Bartók interpretation.
- Digitally remastered from Hungaroton’s historic archive tapes for the Great Hungarian Musicians series.
- Features rare mono recordings originally issued on 78 rpm discs.
- Offers insight into the evolving 20th-century performance tradition bridging Romanticism and Modernism.
- Detailed multilingual booklet (Hungarian, English, French, German).
Physical & Condition Notes
- Packaging: Standard jewel case with full-color booklet.
- Condition: Used – Very Good.
- Notes: Includes full program, recording background, and scholarly commentary.
Hashtags
#Hungaroton #BelaBartok #JozsefSzigeti #BeethovenKreutzer #DebussySonata #BartokSonata #GreatHungarianMusicians #HungarianClassics #HistoricalRecordings #MonoRemaster #BartokAtThePiano #ViolinAndPiano #HungarotonClassic
