Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A surname of Hungarian origin: "Bartók" is a Hungarian surname.
   • Béla Bartók, a Hungarian composer and pianist: Specifically refers to the 20th-century musician Béla Bartók, renowned for his compositions and ethnomusicological work collecting Central European folk music.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The concert featured a piece by Bartók. (The concert featured a piece composed by Béla Bartók.)
  • Scholars study Bartók's extensive collections of folk melodies. (Scholars study the folk music collections made by Béla Bartók.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bartókian" (adjective): Characteristic of or resembling the style of Béla Bartók's music.
  • The piece has a distinctly Bartókian use of rhythm and harmony. (The piece uses rhythm and harmony in a way that is very characteristic of Bartók's style.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bartókian (adj): Pertaining to the style or work of Béla Bartók.

Synonyms

• Composer: A person who writes music. (This is a general term; Bartók was a specific composer.)
• Ethnomusicologist: A person who studies the music of different cultures. (This describes one of Bartók's key scholarly roles.)

Notes on Meaning

• The word "Bartók" almost exclusively refers to the individual, Béla Bartók. It is not commonly used with other meanings in English.
• When used without a first name, "Bartók" is universally understood to mean the composer. The surname itself is of Hungarian origin.

Noun

1. Hungarian composer and pianist who collected Hungarian folk music; in 1940 he moved to the United States (1881-1945)