Assai lento - Allegro troppo <br />The first movement is in a modified version of traditional sonata form. There are clearly delineated sections – introduction, exposition, development, recapitulation and coda – but Bartók eschews the customary relationships between keys, beginning the movement in F sharp and ending in C major, with excursions into several unexpected keys in between. The rhythm of the movement is varied within an overall 9/8 time. The movement is also untypical of classical sonata form in that it constitutes half the playing time of the whole work. <br />Sonata for two pianos and percussion, first movement (excerpt) <br />This segment of Bartók's Sonata for two pianos and percussion features pedal glissandos during a timpani roll. <br />Problems playing this file? See media help. <br />Lento, ma non troppo <br />This movement displays the classical "middle movement" ternary a-b-a form. It is an example of Bartók's "night music" idiom. <br />Allegro non troppo <br />The third movement is a rondo-like dance, starting and finishing in C major. The pianos introduce the movement, followed by the xylophone. At the end of the work the last notes of the pianos die away, there is a concluding duet for snare drum and cymbal, and the sonata ends extremely quietly. (Wikipedia)
