The only single-volume biography of Bela Bartok available in English, this fascinating book offers a fresh perspective on one of the most loved and frequently performed composers of the twentieth century, an artist who ranks with Stravinsky and Schoenberg as a leading figure in modern classical music. Building on more than twenty-five years of research, Malcolm Gillies weaves together the varied aspects of Bartok's life--the private and public man, the pianist, the champion of folk music, and the national and cultural figure--with a perceptive discussion of his music. The book looks at two...