Bartók, Béla. (1881–1945)

Signed Photograph

Early halftone Werner Irén postcard photograph boldly signed and inscribed in black ink by the Hungarian composer in the lower blank margin, and dated Napoli, 16.IV.1925. Scattered light foxing, nicks and creases around the edges, overall very good. 9 x 14 cm. The great Hungarian composer is very uncommon in signed photographs.


From the composer's 1925 tour of Italy, one of the "circumstances that had a primary bearing on Bartok's resuming composition in June 1926, the year when he began his third and highest stage of development....These successful concerts apparently provided the impetus for his investigation of Italian music other than the works of Domenico Scarlatti. The fortuitous acquisition of keyboard works of Bach's Italian predecessors and contemporaries led to Bartok's mastery of their contrapuntal techniques, and thus more or less replaced the Bachian ideal as the polyphonic dimension in Bartok's ultimate goal, the synthesis of east European folk-music materials with Western art-music techniques." (Benjamin Suchof, "Bela Bartok: A Celebration," p. 74-75) (12240)
Signed Photograph
Classical Music