Bartók Béla Viktor János ： Three Folk Songs from Csik County No.1 Rubato BB 45b Sz 35a

The first piece, “Rubato,” comes from Three Folk Songs from Csik County, Bartók’s piano arrangement of folk songs from the Csik County region of Hungary. Rather than maintaining a strictly marked pulse, the performer should allow the tempo to move flexibly with the natural breath of the melody. The music centers on a simple, concentrated singing line, with the pauses between short phrases and the resonance of the notes providing much of its appeal. The right-hand melody should be shaped naturally and vocally, while the left hand remains restrained as an accompaniment, and changes in the sound should not interrupt the flow. Carefully judging the beginning and ending of each phrase, while maintaining a consistent breath within the freedom, brings out the folk-like intimacy of the piece.