Mikrokosmos

Bartók’s Mikrokosmos harks back to pedagogical-artistic piano sets by Bach and Debussy, while proposing a compelling blend of Eastern folk music and traditional European forms. Composed between 1926 and 1939, Mikrokosmos is a compendium of 153 short pieces that strikes a balance between the development of piano technique and artistic expression. They are grouped into six volumes that progressively gain in difficulty; the early pieces—ostensibly exercises for beginners—were written for Bartók's son, Peter. Though many of them indicate in the title the intended technique, such as "With Alternate Hands" or "Parallel Motion", the 66 pieces of the first two volumes display the distinguishing characteristics of Bartók's music, such as the use of folk music and modal harmonies. The middle works are rhythmically and harmonically more complex and technically demanding, while the counterpoint and syncopation of the last two volumes make for heady, virtuosic showpieces.