Bartókiana - Abstracts

IAML-IMS CONFERENCE
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 5-10 JULY 2009
IMS SYMPOSIUM

MUSIC: NOTATION AND SOUND
The “conferred” and the “inherent” meanings in Béla Bartók's notation
PowerPoint Presentation
By Damjana Bratuž
Professor Emeritus, The University of Western Ontario, Canada
Abstract

Bartók’s recorded performances of his own music present non-Hungarian performers with the puzzling evidence of a discrepancy between the notated score and his articulation. I borrow from John Miles Foley (Immanent Art: from Structure to Meaning in Traditional Oral Epic, 1991) the term conferred, to denote the meaning of Bartók’s  notation as it is accepted, understood, and acted upon in a non-Hungarian performing environment; and the term inherent, to denote the meaning of an un-notated performing tradition, one that is revealed by the composer’s performance, and depends on traditional elements that existed long before an “author learned the inherited craft.”

A number of piano compositions by Bartók based on traditional/peasant styles are examined: first in their notational aspect - both of the original vocal/instrumental transcription and that of the piano version - and secondly, in their sound manifestation, with examples taken both from Bartók’s recorded peasant collections, and from his own piano recordings.

Equipment needed:
Computer for PPt presentation (Windows), with sound