A Study On The Dramatic Conception And Technique Of Bela Bartok’s Three Stage Works

This dissertation is focused on the three stage works by Bela Bart6k (1881-1945), an important Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. What is taken into discussion includes the composer’s conception of drama and relevant techniques, based on which a revaluation is given to these works in historical terms.The first is an exploration of Bartok’s conception of drama by examining the background of the creation of these three works and the influence they received from contemporary schools of drama. As the heart of these stage works, the composer’s dramatic conception was formed in close relation to the social and cultural context of Europe in general and Hungary in particular. The general development of the arts was a driving force which urged the young composer to search for his own path. Besides, three major schools of drama, Romanticism, Symbolism and Expressionism-quite prevalent at the time when the three works were conceived and produced-with their representative figures and works, also provided certain foundation for Bartok’s dramatic idea.The second is an analysis of the music of these works, which can be regarded as the realization of the composer’s dramatic conception. An outline of the techniques characteristic of the three dramatic schools as well as representative composers and their works is delineated as both a basis for the particular analysis of the subjects and a useful comparison between the dramatic art of Bartok and those of other composers.The third aspect is a reconsideration of the historical value of the three works. Compared to his piano and orchestral pieces, Bart6k’s stage works have drawn much less attention, although to different degrees respectively. This dissertation aims to figure out the reason of such oblivion and revalue these works in historical context.The dissertation consists of two major parts. The first part, including two chapters, is centered on Bartok’s conception of drama. The second part, made up of three chapters, analyzes the musical techniques employed in the three works. In the conclusion, apart from a summary of the main points of this study, a value judgment is given, which demonstrates the position and significance of these stage works in the history of music.This dissertation can be a necessary supplement to Bart6k study in China, which has previously concentrated on his piano and orchestral compositions. Thus the dissertation will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the art of this composer. In addition, Bartok’s idea of drama is also a topic barely discussed, either by the composer himself, or by the Chinese scholars. Taking this as its point of departure, this dissertation is not restricted to analysis of the music alone, but built on a solid study into the art of drama, including the relevant dramatic schools, the writing of librettos, and different dramatic genres and forms such as opera, ballet and pantomime. An emphasis on the close relationship between music and drama, between idea and technique, determines the interdisciplinary quality of this study. Finally, the analytical method applied in the dissertation combines the traditional approaches with some new theories developed by Western scholars, such as Erno Lendvai’s axis system and the theory of "motivic cell" developed by George Perle and furthered by Leo Treitler. This analytic strategy has some innovative significance in the methodology of music analysis.