The Rhapsodies (2) for violin and orchestra are drawn on folk-inspired chamber versions for violin and piano. But the Rhapsody No. 1 here also exists in a rendition for cello and piano. This orchestral version is fairly faithful to the violin/piano original, featuring orchestration that does relatively little embellishing. Bartók apparently favored the chamber version, having recorded it twice, both times with the work's dedicatee, violinist Joseph Szigeti.

The Rhapsody No. 1 is in two sections, the first marked Moderato and the second Allegro Moderato. The often exotic and peasant-like manner of the work's themes betray an Eastern European folk character. Bartók was vague about their origin, but they are almost certainly Transylvanian. The chipper, vigorous opening tune is played by the violin, which receives modest but colorful accompaniment from the orchestra. At about three-quarters-of-a-minute into the work, the orchestra takes up the theme, where, in the original version, the violin played it in its lower ranges. The middle section features a sweetly lyrical, somewhat exotic theme sung by the violin. There is a cadenza-like episode that follows shortly, reprising the main theme and leading to a rather subdued close.

After a brief, lively orchestral introduction to open the second section, the violin plays the joyous main theme, which some will hear as a faster, slightly altered version of the first half or so of Aaron Copland's big theme from Applachian Spring, which had not yet been written and which was also a folk-sourced creation. There are six additional dance tunes presented here, which may amount to too much of a good thing, but Bartók's writing throughout this procession for both the violin and orchestra is colorful and imaginative. The main theme is recalled and a brilliant coda concludes the work. The Rhapsody No. 1 lasts around nine to ten minutes.

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