Allegro barbaro (Bartók)

49), composed in 1911, is one of Béla Bartók's most famous and frequently performed solo piano pieces.

Allegro barbaro melodic material is mostly based on the pentatonic scale, while the underlying harmonies are chromatic.

To keep the edge of freedom and wild force, Bartók frequently breaks the flow of Allegro barbaro in a peremptory way to scare the listener a little with a potential for violence.

The irregular-seeming cadences ending the major phrases and sections catch you by surprise or make you wait a bit for each return to the attack.

For example, there are accent marks and the sff (which means "subito fortissimo"/“suddenly very loud”) above these lines of the score.

Progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer adapted the piece as "The Barbarian", featured on their debut album.