Sándor Balassa’s distinguished reputation in his native Hungary and beyond rests in numerous operas and orchestral works. But here, the sheer diversity of his piano music equally provides ‘a feeling of richness, inspires a sense of adventure, and touches our hearts’. His sophisticated, lyrical style is heard in educational Sonatinas, adaptations of works both virtuoso and visionary originally for harp, cimbalom and harpsichord, and even include a Gallop in 3/4 time, justified by the composer as being about a three-legged horse.
Balassa, Sándor
Művész utca 11/a (Artist Lane 11/a), Op. 101 (performed on piano)
1 No. 1. Bekopogó (Knocking on the Door) 01:32
2 No. 2. Kettős történet (A Twofold Story) 02:53
3 No. 3. Közjáték (Interlude) 02:25
4 No. 4. Toccata 02:23
5 No. 5. Búcsúzó (Farewell) 02:43
Albumlapok Sayakának (Pages from an Album for Sayaka), Op. 140
6 No. 1. A "h" története (The Story of "B") 01:18
7 No. 2. Az utánzó (The Mimic) 00:38
8 No. 3. Itt állt a ház (The House Was Here) 01:31
9 No. 4. Pásztorok (Shepherds) 00:54
10 No. 5. Mi történt? (What Has Happened?) 00:58
11 No. 6. Ringató (Gently Rocking) 00:54
12 No. 7. Jóbarát (Good Friend) 01:21
13 No. 8. Szeszélyes (Capricious) 01:08
Bagatellek és szekvenciák (Bagatelles and Sequences), Op. 17
14 Bagatelle No. 1: Vivace 00:31
15 Bagatelle No. 2: Andante 01:05
16 Bagatelle No. 3: Andante rubato 00:58
17 Bagatelle No. 4: Allegro 00:30
18 Sequence No. 1: Allegro giusto 00:26
19 Sequence No. 2: Lento 01:10
3 Szonatina zongorára A.B.C. (3 Piano Sonatinas A.B.C.), Op. 131
20 Sonatina A: I. Allegretto grazioso 00:45
21 Sonatina A: II. Andante cantabile 00:52
22 Sonatina A: III. Allegro moderato 00:53
23 Sonatina B: I. quarter note = 66 01:06
24 Sonatina B: II. Vivace 01:08
25 Sonatina C: I. Tranquillo 01:31
26 Sonatina C: II. Allegro 01:13
27 Sonatina C: III. Andante cantabile 01:07
Piano Sonatina No. 1, Op. 136
28 I. half note = 56 01:58
29 II. Allegretto 01:06
30 III. quarter note = 104 01:32
Harp Sonatina, Op. 47 (performed on piano)
31 I. Allegretto 01:57
32 II. Andante 01:37
33 III. Allegro giusto 01:36
4 Concert Pieces for Cimbalom, Op. 98 (performed on piano)
34 No. 1. Kétszólamú gyakorlat (2-Voice Study) 01:15
35 No. 2. Szeszélyes játék (Skittish Game) 01:56
36 No. 3. Rubato és Giusto (Rubato and Giusto) 01:51
37 No. 4. Kis rondo (Little Rondo) 02:16
Piano Sonatina No. 2, Op. 83
38 I. Allegretto 02:04
39 II. Allegro scherzando 02:46
40 III. Adagio 04:01
41 IV. Allegro molto 04:52
