Romanian Folk Dances – Béla Bartók | Harpsichord Arrangement
Harpsichord transmutation of Romanian Folk Dances by Béla Bartók.
Bruno Martins is a harpsichordist and contemporary musician based in Paris.
Composed in 1915, Romanian Folk Dances (Danses roumaines) is a suite of six short pieces based on Romanian folk melodies collected by Bartók in Transylvania. Originally conceived for piano, the work is characterized by percussive energy, dense textures, and strong rhythmic profiles.
This transmutation translates that pianistic writing into harpsichord language, treating the instrument as a multi-manual and mechanical system rather than a substitute piano. Changes of register, hand distribution, and articulation are used to preserve rhythmic drive and contrast, even when the writing pushes beyond conventional keyboard idioms.
Video details:
00:00 – Stick Dance
01:19 – Sash Dance
02:01 – In One Spot
02:53 – Dance from Bucsum
03:51 – Romanian Polka
04:20 – Fast Dance
Transmutation is Bruno Martins’s practice of changing a work’s musical body through the harpsichord, not simply transferring its notes.
Further essays and notes on Transmutation:
➫ https://brunomartinsart.substack.com
Film by Kaoutar El Hammami.
Filming, editing and color grading by Kaoutar El Hammami.
Subscribe for more harpsichord performances spanning historical repertoire and contemporary approaches:
/ @brunomartinsart
➫ Instagram: / brunomartins.art
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