Bartok

[Sam]

I like Bartok. He's one of my absolute favourite composers; I go around maxing out my car stereo to it, makes yer feel alive, puts hairs on your chest.

The abrasive discords in the 2nd violin concerto are like nectar to my ears. The Chung/Solti recording brings out the gypsy twangs with authentic quarter tones and manic phrasing.

The Tackacs Quartet get properly stuck in to the string quartets.

Fischer & the Budapest Festival Orchestra are great for the orchestral works, Miraculous Mandarin in particular. I love the Jessye Norman/Boulez recording of Bluebeard's Castle. The opening of the fifth door is rendered so devastatingly in this that your synapses practically explode when listening.

Anyone like Bartok then?

[imitationleather]

I do but I don't really have much to say because I don't know enough about his stuff. The missus knocks out a fine bit of Bartok on the old zebra crossing, though.

EDIT: It sounds like I'm taking the piss like I usually do. But I'm not, that is all true. I would like to hear more of his stuff but I only really get to hear it when my girlfriend's learning a piece.

[Sam]

The missus knocks out a fine bit of Bartok on the old zebra crossing, though.

You can get arrested for lewd public behaviour you know.