Mikrokosmos the  sonatas for violin and piano   This effort is a fine work in progress  I do wish that more trumpets might sound whenever the Mikrokosmos are mentioned here or elsewhere  They were intended as  teaching pieces but starting perhaps with some pieces in Volume IV the set soars above its stated  intent showcasing Bartoks full throttled inspiration some of the greatest character pieces of the era  Bartok is at the top of his game for example in the Bulgarian rhythm set that ends Volume VI the rest of which is similarly edgy and gorgeous at the same time  Both Sandor and Solchany championed these works in their  recordings for Angel  But there remains an unfortunate aura of apology when they are programmed in recitals Fix it pianists  These are great works that suffer in the same way that the Two and Three Part Inventions of JS Bach suffer  Student pieces  What isnt  I blinked at the comments about the Sonata  for Violin and Piano  I agree that both sonatas for violin and piano are extreme explorations of what one might call Bartoks expressionistic character but both are very disciplined works  What is a melody and where does it go when it is gone  How does one demelodize a sequence of notes All old questions for certified contrapuntalists and critics Likewise a subversion of focal points in tonality is a kind of common practice in the most advanced European composers immediately after WWI  But there is an implication of loss of control and substance here at least a risk of misunderstanding  Instead let me close with a purple statement  These two works are the summit of Bartoks art  They have no equal They may be the summit period of th Century European musical expressionism Give them also the trumpets that  should herald them  They are still not all that well known extremely difficult to play  But they are the best of what we are  John Dinwiddie Atonalanota