New on Hunnia: LÁSZLÓ BORBÉLY - Bartók: String Quartets No. 2 & No. 3 for Piano

Hunnia Records just published two new piano transcriptions of Bartok's string quartets.

Quartet No. 2 was arranged by Péter Tornyai, Quartet No. 3 arranged by Marcell Dargay, both made specifically for this project and described as world premiere recordings.

According to booklet notes Tornyai found the Second Quartet required comparatively few changes and often expanded chords to preserve string-instrument overtones as piano resonance.

Dargay's transcription of the denser Third Quartet required omitting some notes so the piano's hammer mechanism would not blur the original's density, restricting himself to the sustain pedal and occasional glissandos rather than extended techniques.

Worth to note: Hunnia Records is, to me, one of the best labels when it comes to capturing piano sound.

Full review in the Listening Room coming soon, too.