Béla Viktor János Bartók was born on March 25, 1881, in Nagyszentmiklós, Kingdom of Hungary, which is now Sânnicolau Mare, Romania. He emerged as one of the most significant composers of the 20th century and is celebrated as one of Hungary's greatest composers alongside Franz Liszt. Bartók's contributions to music extend beyond composition; he was also a distinguished pianist and a pioneering ethnomusicologist. His work in collecting and analyzing folk music laid the foundation for what would become the field of ethnomusicology.

Bartók's early life was marked by his prodigious musical talent, which was evident from a young age. His parents, both amateur musicians, fostered his musical interests. By the age of four, he could play 40 pieces on the piano, and he began formal piano lessons at five. After his father passed away when Bartók was seven, his mother moved the family to Nagyszőlős, where he gave his first public recital at 11, performing his own composition, "The Course of the Danube."

From 1899 to 1903, Bartók studied piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest, where he befriended fellow composer Zoltán Kodály. This friendship was instrumental in Bartók's development of a unique Hungarian musical style that integrated native folk elements with modernist influences. His career highlights include the opera "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" and the ballet "The Miraculous Mandarin," both showcasing his innovative use of folk music and orchestration.

Bartók's dedication to folk music is further exemplified by his composition of the "Romanian Folk Dances" in 1915, a suite based on traditional melodies. Throughout his life, Bartók remained committed to exploring the synthesis of Eastern and Western musical traditions, leaving a lasting impact on the world of classical music.

Béla Bartók passed away on September 26, 1945, in New York City, leaving behind a legacy as a composer who not only enriched the musical landscape with his compositions but also advanced the study of music through his ethnomusicological work.