Bartók Piano Works - Land of my Early Childhood Julie Adam

• Béla Bartók (1881 - 1945): For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53:
• 1 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, I. Children at play - Let’s bake something delicious. Allegro 00:32
• 2 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, II. Children’s song - Shine, shine bright sun! Andante 00:41
• 3 Bartók For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, III. I’ve lost my partner. Andante 00:39
• 4 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, IV. “Pillow dance” - I’ve lost my handkerchief. Allegro 00:42
• 5 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, V. Play song - Cickom, cickom. Poco Allegretto 01:02
• 6 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, VI. Study for the LH - Hey, tulip, tulip! Allegro 00:50
• 7 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, VI. Study for the LH - Hey, tulip, tulip! Allegro 00:22
• 8 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, VIII. Children’s game - Hey cripple! What are you doing here? Allegretto 01:27
• 9 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, IX. Song - White Lily. Molto Adagio 00:48
• 10 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, X. Children’s dance - Wallachians. Allegro molto 00:36
• 11 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XI. I’ve lost my partner. Molto sostenuto 00:47
• 12 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XII. Children’s game with little “chains”. Allegro 01:17
• 13 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XIII. Ballad - They killed a young man. Andante 00:56
• 14 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XIV. The lads from Csanád who caught a goose. Allegretto 00:29
• 15 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XV. The street is tiny where my love lives. Allegro 00:30
• 16 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XVI. Old Hungarian song - Never have I stolen! Andante rubato 00:39
• 17 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XVII. My pretty little daughter dressed in white. Adagio 01:05
• 18 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XVIII. Soldier’s Song - At the Oradsa port in Rumania. Andante non molto 00:57
• 19 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XIX. When I go in to the tavern. Allegretto 00:39
• 20 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XX. Drinking Song - My lovely jug of beer. Poco Allegro 00:37
• 21 Bartók: For Children, Book I, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXI. In one bed parsley, in the other celery. Allegro robusto 00:51
• Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105:
• 22 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 140. Free Variations 01:45
• 23 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 141. Subject and Reflection 01:20
• 24 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 142. From the Diary of a Fly 01:29
• 25 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 143. Divided Arpeggios 02:11
• 26 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 144. Minor Seconds, Major Sevenths 04:36
• 27 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 145a. Chromatic Invention 01:09
• 28 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 145b. Chromatic Invention in Inversion 01:10
• 29 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 146. Ostinato 02:43
• 30 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 147. March 02:04
• 31 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 148. Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm (I) 02:09
• 32 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 149. Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm (II) 01:11
• 33 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 150. Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm (III) 01:23
• 34 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 151. Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm (IV) 01:41
• 35 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 152. Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm (V) 01:15
• 36 Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book VI, Sz. 107, BB 105, 153. Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm (VI) 02:13
• For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53:
• 37 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXII. I should go to Debrecen market. Allegretto 00:41
• 38 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXIII. Dance song - this is how to step. Allegro grazioso 00:48
• 39 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXIV. The waters of Körös. Andante sostenuto 00:50
• 40 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXV. Three apples and a half. Allegro 00:49
• 41 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXVI. Come closer, beloved, come closer. Andante 00:49
• 42 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXVII. Our goose is black. Allegramente 00:52
• 43 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXVIII. Leslie White stole a horse. Parlando 00:38
• 44 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXIX. Eh, what is this?! Young maidens’ supper. Allegro 00:38
• 45 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXX. Chorale - The rooster was brought up, to be killed. Andante 01:36
• 46 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXI. My dear sweet Mother, my boot needs mending. Allegro scherzando 00:54
• 47 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXII. Mocking Song - the Sun shines into the church. Allegro ironico 00:44
• 48 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXIII. Stars, stars, help him find his sweetheart’s home in the dark. Andante sostenuto 01:32
• 49 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXIV. Whitebean Flower, come to me only in the evening. Andante 01:14
• 50 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXV. I picked flowers from the garden; God saved me from marriage. Allegro non troppo 00:54
• 51 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXVI. Margitta is not far from here. Allegretto 00:45
• 52 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXVII. If I go up high into the Buda hills. Poco vivace 00:33
• 53 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXVIII. Drunkards’ song - Ten litres are in me! Vivace 00:44
• 54 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XXXIX. Swineherd Song - The grasshopper is getting married. Allegro 00:40
• 55 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XL. Old Shamanic song - God, please give us… Molto vivace 01:08
• 56 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XLI. Are you leaving me, beloved? Allegro moderato 01:30
• 57 Bartók: For Children, Book II, Sz. 42, BB 53, XLII. Swineherd dance. Allegro vivace 02:00
• Total Runtime 01:05:04

Info for Bartók Piano Works - Land of my Early Childhood

In 2023 I undertook a return trip to Hungary with my daughter; I wanted her to see the land of her mother’s early childhood, as well as that of her forebears. It was a deeply moving experience as I rediscovered my roots, my strong connection with this land and its traditions and culture. In late 1957 my parents and I emigrated to Australia. This was a move to which I could not reconcile myself for a long time: those first years of life immersed in Hungarian culture and music in particular were so rich, so sustaining, and I had lost these. Steeped in Hungarian folksong and classical music as I had been, it was hard to get my bearings in a new/old land. Eventually, I became a pianist with a career that began in my teenage years at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music during which time I already performed as soloist, chamber musician and concerto soloist with orchestras. In what might be classed as my twilight years, I have returned to the music of my childhood, even taking singing lessons to recover my voice. Many of the songs that appear in the first 2 volumes of ‘For Children’ are in my vocal ‘repertoire’. Over the years, Bartók’s works have featured regularly in my concerts, but it is now that I feel moved to record these beautiful short pieces as well as the sixth and last volume of ‘Mikrokosmos’. This combination makes sense to me: it showcases two aspects of Bartók’s strong didactic impulse.

To be able to record these in Hungary with Hunnia Records is the fulfilment of a dream and I do hope it will be of interest to listeners to hear how a Hungarian can still remain a Hungarian in spite of years living elsewhere...

Julie Adam, Steinway Model D Concert Grand Piano, Hamburg

Julie Adam
In late 1957 my parents and I emigrated to Australia. I became a pianist with a career that began in my teenage years at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music during which time I already performed as soloist, chamber musician and concerto soloist with orchestras. With scholarships, I ended up for many years in the UK, at first studying at the Royal College of Music and then going on to study with Louis Kentner, Albert Ferber and others in the UK, Austria and Switzerland. My performing career involved many appearances at festivals, music societies, solo and chamber recitals on the South Bank, the Wigmore Hall and other venues. In the 1980’s I recorded extensively as a soloist for the BBC. Returning to Australia in the late 80’s, these activities continued with concerts and recordings for the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and teaching, adjudicating, accompanying and coaching young musicians.

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