For Children, 32 Selected Pieces

For Children is a cycle of short piano pieces composed by Béla Bartók that represent his research into folk-song he did together with Zoltán Kodály. These original Hungarian and Slovakian folk songs preserve authentic rhythms and character with transparent and sometimes deceptively simple accompaniments. The collection was originally started in 1908 and completed in 1909, and comprised 85 pieces which were issued in four volumes. They were written as student works, and progress slightly in difficulty through the cycle. 

I came across these pieces as a teenager looking for easy pieces to play on the piano, and found a volume of a selection of 32 which many years later I realized would work almost without any changes on 2 guitars. In this form they are still modest pieces and make ideal material for the less talented players but also provide an excellent and stimulating suite of pieces for any players looking for recital material. I hope you enjoy them for their innocence and beauty but especially for their beautiful folk melodies and rhythms.

Chris Dumigan December 2015