Review

Béla Bartók
Three Folksongs: from the County of Csík

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2022
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Piano score and solo part

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

Béla Bartók’s Three Folksongs from the County of Csik, originally for solo piano, has been adapted for tuba or bass trombone and piano by Ralph Sauer. Once a part of the Kingdom of Hungary, Csik is now located in central Romania. As might be expected in folksongs from this region, each movement (or song in this case) is relatively short, modal in nature, and binary in form. In addition, two of the folksongs were likely sung freely and without a regular pulse, leading to transcriptions that include unpredictable meter changes.

The first song (“The Peacock”) is one with multiple meter changes, switching from 3/4 – 2/4 – 3/4 – 3/8 – and 2/4 within the opening eight measures. The tempo is slow, marked rubato, and does not offer much in the way of pulse, so coordination with the accompanist is critical. Outside of that concern, the most challenging issue will be the execution of the written-out trills if performed on trombone. The second song ("At the Jánoshida Fairground”) is similar in tempo to the first and is another that includes numerous meter changes. After beginning relatively freely, the B section states a dance-like rhythm, foreshadowing the rhythmic regularity of the final song. While the restatement of the B section melody is in the same tessitura in Bartok’s original, Mr. Sauer has opted to transpose the second statement down an octave. The final song (“White Lily”) is both faster and more rhythmically regular than the first two, providing a nice contrast at the conclusion of the work. Performers are advised to pay close attention to changes in articulation throughout; Mr. Sauer once again has chosen to make a subtle octave adjustment, in this case just in the final measure.

With each of these songs, Mr. Sauer has removed the melodic line from the right hand of the piano and given it to the soloist while reworking the remaining piano accompaniment. Mr. Sauer has arranged other solo piano works in the same manner and here the practice is particularly effective. This work is short, four minutes at most, and the melodic range is almost entirely within the bass clef (E to d1). Given the absence of brass solo works in Bartók’s catalogue, as well as the dearth of bass trombone and tuba pieces rooted in folksongs, this arrangement satisfies a unique void in the repertoire. It is well worth programming on a recital or using as a piece for a juried examination.