Romanian Folk Dances Sz. 56, BB 68 is a suite of six short piano pieces composed by B�la Bart�k in 1915. He later orchestrated it for small ensemble in 1917 as Sz. 68, BB 76.

It is based on seven Romanian tunes from Transylvania, originally played on fiddle or shepherd's flute.

The original name for the piece was titled Romanian Folk Dances from Hungary but was later changed by Bart�k when Transylvania became part of Romania in 1920. It is nowadays available in the 1971 edition which is written with key signatures although Bart�k rarely ever used key signatures.

This set of dances consists of six movements and, according to the composer, it should take four minutes and three seconds to perform, but most professional pianists take up to five minutes. The list of the movements is as follows (with the original Hungarian title listed first, the most commonly known Romanian title second, and the English translation in parentheses):




Bot t�nc / Jocul cu b�tand#259; (Stick Dance)The melody of the first movement, according to Bart�k, came from the Mezand#337;szabad (present-day Voiniceni) village that was part of Mezand#337;cs�v�s (present-day Ceuaand#537;u de C�mpie) commune which was located in the Maros-Tordaadministrative county within Transylvania, and he first heard it when two gypsy violinists were playing it.
Br�ul (Sash Dance)The second movement is a typical dance from Romania called Br�ul, for which traditionally a sash or a waistband was used. This melody came from Egres (present-day Igriand#537;), in the Banat region.
Topog� / Pe loc (In One Spot)The third dance comes also from Egres (Igriand#537;), but its theme is much darker and its melody recreates Middle Eastern instruments, such as the flute.[4]
Bucsum� t�nc / Buciumeana (Dance from Bucsum)The fourth dance came from Bucsony, Als�-Feh�r County (today Bucium, Alba county in Romania)
Rom�n polka / Poarga Rom�neascand#259; (Romanian Polka)The fifth dance is an old Romanian dance similar to the Polka and comes from Bel�nyes (present-day Beiuand#351;, in Bihor county), near the border between Hungary and Romania.
Apr�z� / Mand#259;runand#539;el (Fast Dance)The sixth and last dance is formed by two different melodies: the first one comes from Bel�nyes (present-day Beiuand#537;) and the second one comes from the then named Nyagra (present-day Neagra) village within the Palotailva (present-day Lunca Bradului) commune. Both on the orchestral version and on the original piano version, the final two dances are performed attacca?without a break between movements.

Bartok's Magyar Kepek, 1931 (Hungarian Pictures) set by John Gibson for clarinet quintet or choir. This setting is of 3 movements of the complete piece originally for orchestra: An Evening in the Village, Melody, and Swineherd's Dance. These all sound like authentic folk songs, although only the Swineherd's Dance actually uses folk song material. It is set for clarinet quintet ( Bb clarinet 1-3, alto clarinet, and bass clarinet), with an alternate 4th Bb part if there is no alto). It may also be played by a clarinet choir.