21 MAY 1954, Page 27

THERE is certainly still a place for another book about

Bartok after Dr. Halsey Stevens's recent survey of the man and his music. The present work, which is translated from the French, gives a more sympathetic picture of the composer and attempts to communicate something of the character, as well as the structure, texture, etc., of his music. Unfortunately it is neither a well- planned nor a very well-balanced book. Bartok's life and works are studied con- currently, which is apt to confuse the reader; and the analyses of individual works often read like programme-notes. Considerable use is made of the composer's letters, though there is no mention of these in the biblio- graphy. The translation is poor, but it does not suggest that the original was very clearly written or thought.

M.