Composer of the Week
Bela Bartok (1881-1945), Episode 2
Donald Macleod introduces the suite Bartok created from his ballet The Miraculous Mandarin, which caused a riot at its premiere, plus an excerpt from his earlier ballet The Wooden Prince which, in spite of disapproval from the conservative faction in the audience, was Bartok's first popular success. Az en szerelmem, Op 15 No 1 Julia Hamari (mezzo-soprano) Ilona Prunyi (piano) HUNGAROTON HCD31535 - Tr 1 Suite, Op 14 Peter Frankl (piano) ASV CDDCA687 - Tr 2 Wooden Prince (excerpt) Philharmonia Orchestra Neeme Jarvi (conductor) CHANDOS CHAN8895 - Trs 6-9 Romanian Folk-dances Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra Zoltan Kocsis (conductor) HUNGAROTON HSACD 32506 Miraculous Mandarin (Concert Suite) London Symphony Orchestra Georg Solti (conductor) DECCA 4250392 - Tr 12.