Composed in 1911, Bartók’s Allegro Barbaro, Sz. 49 was his first large-scale independent piano composition and an important early example of his highly percussive approach to the piano. The work features driving rhythms, powerful accents, contrasting touches and dramatic dynamic changes ranging from ppp to ffff. Bartók combines elements of Hungarian and Romanian folk music with his distinctive modern harmonic language. This Alfred Masterwork Edition, edited by Maurice Hinson, includes performance notes and historical information to assist pianists in understanding and performing the work.