Suite

At around ten minutes, Bartók’s Suite makes an excellent recital opener. Its energy grows inexorably towards the third movement, in fierce Arabic style, after which there is a lilting denouement. A further movement was withdrawn by Bartók before first performance, but was recently published under the title, “Andante”. It originally appeared as the second movement of the five movements, for those interested in restoring Bartók’s original plan.

Note by Malcolm Gillies