What piano composition of Bela Bartok is the least likely to be played, and why?

Op.12 - Andante, Scherzo and Finale for Piano (1897) because it is lost.

Scott

That's not the answer I'm looking for. My answer is an extant work.

Is it his First Piano Concerto ?

This is not the work that I have in mind. I have to say no, it is not, but I am not able to prove that to myself given resources available to me. The work I'm thinking of is for solo piano. Plus you also have to say why.

I can't think why any extant Bartok piano work would not be likely to be played. Except for being fiendishly difficult like the Rhapsody Op.1, but that is unlikely to deter any modern virtuoso. Kocsis has played it and Hamelin would probably sight-read it. C'mon Eddy, make my day

Yes, I'm curious too. I even went as far as the Wikipedia list of Bartok piano works, looking for some abstract pun in the title which might indicate its unlikeliness to be performed, but if that's the case, I'm afraid my lateral thinking isn't up to the task!

Scott has guessed many of these, so I'll give a few more days to allow him to "do his research." This has to do with the actual writing and will be known by anyone who has performed the work (you pros out there?) or has studied it - I have not performed it but am aware of the peculiar issue at hand. Of course, my objective is to advance everyone's knowledge of these crazy little "unknowns" of piano literature. This one is no cutesy Notebook for BS Bach by PDQ Bach-like thing, but a real letigimate pianistic curiosity.

There is a MS version of Seesaw from the Seven Sketches that is written as a spiral but I don't assume you are referring to that.
And then there's the 1st Bagatelle where the RH has 4 sharps and the LH stave has 4 flats, probably not that either.

Nope and nope. (I'm beginning to think this may turn out to be one of the better appreciated ones )

I have to give in.

Scott

Is it piano sonata III with "tone clusters" ?

The work is the Sonata (1926) and here is the reason why. In the second movement, as written, the work can only be performed on an extended-range Bosendorfer grand piano! The lowest note on an 88-note piano is AAA, or Sub-Contra A, or A0. This 2nd movement requires two notes below this: the GGG# (G#0) and the FFF (F0). Some pianists think, no problem, use scordatura (retune some unused notes), but alas, there is only one unused note in the low range of the work: DD#/EEb. Consequently, unless you see Bosendorfer on the piano that someone is performing this work on, then they are transposing a few 2-note-chords up an octave, or are inverting the intervals (or horribly just play the AAA in lieu of the needed pitch!). To Kristinaolga: if the Concerto No.1 of the same year (1926) requires an extended-range piano, I am unaware and do not own the score for it.

The Bosendorfers come in a 92 or 97 note version. The first is sufficient for this work.

Thanks for the information, musical-md.

Mind you, I was only talking as a listener.

I remember thinking whilst listening to these pieces

that I might get a little "dizzy" if I would have a look at the scores...