THE PIANO AS A STRUCTURAL AND EXPRESSIVE AGENT IN BÉLA BARTÓK’S MUSICAL LANGUAGE

Abstract

The piano occupies a central position in Béla Bartók’s compositional output, functioning not merely as a melodic or harmonic medium, but as a structural and expressive agent capable of shaping musical form, rhythm, and texture. Bartók’s pianistic writing reflects a radical rethinking of the instrument’s traditional role, integrating percussive articulation, modal organization, and folkloric rhythmic principles into a modernist aesthetic framework. The present study investigates the role of the piano in Bartók’s music from an analytical perspective, focusing on its structural, rhythmic, and expressive functions. Through selected case studies drawn from his piano works, the article aims to demonstrate how pianistic texture and gesture contribute decisively to the construction of musical discourse, form, and dramaturgy. Particular attention is given to the relationship between pianistic writing and Bartók’s broader aesthetic principles, including his engagement with folk music, rhythmic asymmetry, and timbral experimentation.