What is Concerto for Orchestra (Bartók)?
'''''Concerto for Orchestra''''' is the title of a work for [[orchestra]] by the [[Hungary|Hungarian]] [[composer]] [[Béla Bartók]]. It is one of the most famous orchestral pieces of the mid-[[20th century]]. Several composers have written works to which they gave the title “Concerto for Orchestra”. It is an unusual title because a [[concerto]] is normally a work for one solo [[musical instrument|instrument]] and an [[orchestra]]. The soloist is given a lot of opportunity to show off his (or her) talent. In a “Concerto for Orchestra” there is no soloist, but the composer thinks it is different from a [[symphony]] because a lot of the instruments in the orchestra are treated like soloists during the piece. This is what happens in Béla Bartók’s concerto. The work was written in [[1943]] and it was first performed on [[1 December]] [[1944]] in the [[Boston Symphony Hall]] by the [[Boston Symphony Orchestra]] with the conductor [[Serge Koussevitzky]]. It was immediately a great success. Koussevitszky asked Bartók to write this piece. Bartók had just arrived in [[United States]] from Hungary. He had to flee because of [[World War II]]. Bartók had no money and so he was glad to get some work. == The music == Bartók often uses ideas from the [[Classical music period]] in this work. He also uses ideas from [[folk music]] from central [[Europe]], especially Hungarian music. Quite often the music is not in a [[Major scale|major]] or [[minor scale|minor]] [[tonality|key]]. He uses folk scales which have different kinds of scales called [[mode (music)|modes]]. Sometimes tunes sound like folk music. At other times there are [[drone (music)|drones]] in the [[French horn|horns]] and [[string instruments|strings]]. The orchestra needs 3 [[flute]]s (one [[instrumental doubling|doubling]] [[piccolo]]), 3 [[oboe]]s (one doubling [[cor anglais]]), 3 [[clarinet]]s (one doubling [[bass clarinet]]), 3 [[bassoon]]s (one doubling [[contrabassoon]]), 4 [[French horn]]s, 3 [[trumpet]]s, 3 [[trombone]]s, [[tuba]], [[timpani]], [[Snare