Bartok will clear the room? Play Schoenberg in the other room, then.
In all seriousness, I've been listening to Bartok for so long that I forgot that many still consider him to be "one of those modern composers. Yuk." IMHO, he stands with Stravinsky as the two greatest composers of the 20th century.
Listen with an open mind. Try to like it, but don't go out of your way. There's not enough time and too much stuff that really IS good.
Cheers.
In all seriousness, I've been listening to Bartok for so long that I forgot that many still consider him to be "one of those modern composers. Yuk." IMHO, he stands with Stravinsky as the two greatest composers of the 20th century.
Listen with an open mind. Try to like it, but don't go out of your way. There's not enough time and too much stuff that really IS good.
Cheers.