Bartók Béla Viktor János ： Suite II Scherzo BB 70 Sz 62 Op.14

The Scherzo, the second movement of the suite, unfolds with tension and vitality as short motifs are passed sharply from one gesture to the next. Beyond its lightness, percussive attacks and sudden dynamic changes give the music a distinctive hardness, highlighting the contrasts between its episodes. The repeated rhythmic patterns and shifts between registers also deserve close attention. In performance, it is important to maintain a firm pulse without allowing the music to rush, and to keep the accents from becoming excessively heavy. Use the pedal sparingly so that the sound remains clear, and bring out the parts played by both hands as well as the rests; this allows the flow between tension and release to emerge vividly.