BELA BARTOK

Born into the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Béla Bartók (1881–1945) became a fervent nationalist, setting off with his friend Zoltán Kodály to record their native folk music; these sounds and experiences were a formative influence on his compositions. Bartók’s distaste for authoritarian rule brought him into conflict with both the Hungarian government and Adolf Hitler’s Germany, and in 1940 he emigrated to the USA. Despite his disillusionment and poor health he continued to compose outstanding works there, never compromising his ideals nor losing his innocence.