Bartok - The Miraculous Mandarin Suite (score and parts) - purchase
Arranged for chamber ensemble (15 players)
Bartok composed his score to the ballet The Miraculous Mandarin from 1918-1924, and it was premiered in 1926. Both the ballet and the music caused a scandal, partly owing to the brutality of the story. Bartok created an orchestral suite from the ballet, which is essentially the first section of the score. It is music of violence, seduction and savagery, as well as a virtuoso display piece for the orchestra. Bartok's soloistic scoring and brittle textures lend themselves perfectly to a chamber version, here arranged for 15 players by Iain Farrington.
Instrumentation: flute (piccolo), oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion (2 players): (timpani, bass drum, cymbals, tam-tam, snare drum, triangle), piano, violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello, double bass (15 players)
Includes full score and complete set of parts. More strings can be used if preferred.