The two works on this album were commissioned by conductor Paul Sacher in the 1930s for the Basel Chamber Orchestra, which he founded in 1926. This orchestra was famous for its adventurous programming, often combining baroque repertoire with contemporary works. Bartók's Divertimento is an allusion to the Baroque concerto grosso in that it uses individual groups of players, and the title "Divertimento" recalls Mozart's numerous examples of this form. In contrast, the earlier of the two commissions avoids any musical category - Bartók simply called the work Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta. The "strings" in this work's title include harp and piano. The percussion includes not only timpani, but also snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, tam-tam and xylophone, and of course the sparkling sound of the celesta. It is a beautiful score that culminates in a brilliant finale with dance rhythms and folk dance syncopations.
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