In the last year of his life, Béla Bartók worked on the introduction to his piano masterpiece and commented on his Fourteen Bagatelles of 1908, in which he dispensed with superfluous ornamentation and limited himself to the most essential technical means. These compositions reveal a new style of piano playing, exhibiting an ironic connection to Beethoven's Bagatelles, although Bartók's pieces mark a significant step in his musical development.
Even in the first Bagatelle, Bartók's radical approach to tonality is evident in his use of different accidentals for each hand. Bagatelles 5 and 6 are distinguished by the creative use of Hungarian and Slovak folk melodies, while other pieces in the collection demonstrate Bartók's masterful skill and his ability to skillfully incorporate folk musical influences.
The collection captivates with its contrasting voice leading, diverse registers, and the deliberate use of symmetry. Works inspired by his love for a young violinist reveal Bartók's multifaceted expressiveness and emotional depth. The piece "Allegro barbaro" from 1911 reflects brutality and wildness and represents a turning point in Bartók's oeuvre.
Bartók's Romanian Folk Dances of 1915 and the Eight Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs of 1920 demonstrate his skill in reinterpreting traditional melodies. These works reflect both the circumstances of the time and Bartók's own emotional world as he grappled with the social changes of his era.
With Mikrokosmos, his "lexicon of musical language," Bartók created a work that illustrates the diversity of his compositional techniques and his strong connection to folk music. From technical demands to emotionally charged soundscapes, Mikrokosmos showcases the comprehensive and expressive output of Béla Bartók.