Photo: RIA Novosti / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on March 25, 1881 in Sânnicolau Mare, Timiș County, Romania, Béla Bartók was a composer, classical pianist and choreographer. Death is recorded on September 26, 1945, at the age of 64. Recorded honors include Kossuth Prize (1948), Grammy Trustees Award (1984), Knight of the Legion of Honour (1930) and 1 more. Credited works include Bluebeard's Castle, String Quartet No. 2 and String Quartet No. 1.
My Take
Béla Bartók sits, for me, among the truly indispensable composers of the twentieth century. What elevates him beyond brilliance on the page is how he earned his material, tramping through villages to record folk songs and weaving that raw, rooted music into something startlingly modern. Born in what is now Romania and ranked alongside Liszt as Hungary's greatest, he was scholar as much as artist. Works like Bluebeard's Castle and the Concerto for Orchestra still feel alive because they're built on real human sound. That blend of rigor and earthiness is rare, and I find it endlessly moving.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Béla Bartók
- Name (Japanese)
- バルトーク・ベーラ
- Reading
- ばるとーく・べーら
- Born
- March 25, 1881 – September 26, 1945
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Snake
- Origin
- Sânnicolau Mare, Timiș County, Romania
- Occupation
- composer / classical pianist / choreographer / musicologist / music educator
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1948 Kossuth Prize
- 1984 Grammy Trustees Award
- 1930 Knight of the Legion of Honour
- Honorary Member of the International Society for Contemporary Music
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Bluebeard's Castle | — | |
| Notable work | String Quartet No. 2 | — | |
| Notable work | String Quartet No. 1 | — | |
| Notable work | Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion | — | |
| Notable work | Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta | — | |
| Notable work | Concerto for Orchestra | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.bartok.hu
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9la%20Bart%C3%B3k
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%90%E3%83%AB%E3%83%88%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AF%E3%83%BB%E3%83%99%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83326
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-18
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Béla Bartók born?
Born March 25, 1881.
When did Béla Bartók die?
Died September 26, 1945, aged 64.
Where was Béla Bartók from?
Béla Bartók was from Sânnicolau Mare, Timiș County, Romania.
What did Béla Bartók do?
Béla Bartók worked as composer, classical pianist, choreographer, musicologist, music educator.
What was Béla Bartók known for?
Notable works include Bluebeard's Castle, String Quartet No. 2, String Quartet No. 1.
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