Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1978 (6. évfolyam, 16-18. szám)
1978 / 16. szám
Suchoff, Benjamin, “Bartok’s Musical Microcosm” Clavier XVI (May 1977) 18-25. Suchoff traces the genesis of Bartok’s Mikrokosmos from a series of piano pieces written in1926and little pieces that were added later when his son asked for piano lessons. The compositions were based on East European folk music, showing Bartok’s interest in ethnomusicology. Styles of classical music from the Baroque to the 20th century are also represented. Universally accepted as recital or pedagogical pieces, the "Mikrokosmos has reached the musical pinnacle formerly shared by the teaching pieces of Bach and Schumann,” Suchoff concludes. Included in the article are reproductions of the original scores of several of the works. Suchoff is prof, at the Center for Contemporary Arts and Letters, SUNY at Stony Brook. G “The Lady Vanishes,” The Economist (June 12, 1976) 42. A manpower shortage has forced Hungary to introduce extreme measures designed to lower the percentage of white collar workers by placing a hiring ban on these positions. The chief cause of the shortage is that virtually all employable women - the former source of new manpower - are already in the labor force. In addition, many women are taking advantage of liberal leave policies to stay at home with their children. CD Deák, István, “Shades of 1848: War, Revolution and Nationality Conflict in Austria-Hungary, 1914-1920,” in Revolutionary Situations in Europe, 1917-1922: Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Charles L. Bertrand, ed. From the Proceedings, 2nd International Colloquium, 1976, by the Interuniv. Center for European Studies, Concordia U. and U. of Quebec, Montreal. Deák argues that Hungary’s determined efforts during World War I and the sudden collapse, as well as the early success and quick failure of Bolshevism in Hungary were due to a problematic ethnic situation inherited from 1848. When it became evident that the empire would not survive the war, each nationality turned against it. For a brief time under Karolyi, peace seemed possible, as the nationalities were given autonomy in accordance with Wilsonian principles. When Wilson and especially the French commanders abandoned these principles, the Czechoslovak, South Slav and Romanian armies marched into Hungary. In this crisis Károlyi was unable to act, and Bela Kun established the dictatorship, which was to collapse when his troops were defeated by the Romanians. Subsequently, the Entente powers allowed the reestablishment of the historical ruling class, which in its zeal mistreated Jews and poor peasants. The successor states, in turn, mistreated their minority nationals, foremost Hungarians. A commentary by Miklós Molnár and discussion by J. Boucek, G. Ra'nki and G. Basslere explore further the role of peasants and workers as factors in the events of 1918. O U.S. Government. Dept, of Commerce. TRADING WITH HUNGARY. Overseas Business Reports no. 77-65. Distributed by U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, 1977. 39 pages, tables, biblio. 50<t. This report prepared by Mona F. Levine, Hungary Affairs Officer, Eastern European Affairs Division, Bureau of East-ARTICLES & PAPERS (Continued) West Trade, briefly describes the Hungarian economy, trade, marketing, tariff system, licensing, inventions, patents, industrial property protection, i.e. information businessmen interested in doing business in Hungary need to know. Trade between Hungary and the U.S. had expanded rapidly since 1972, and trade prospects seem to increase. Hints to business travelers, addresses of Hungarian organizations and a bibliography conclude the pamphlet. Note. We noticed with dismay the omission of diacritical marks in the pamphlet. The G.P.O. certainly can do better, and we hope that the next edition will avoid inviting misunderstandings based on the absence of diacritical marks. O Friss, István, “Introduction to the Study of Economic Policy,” Eastern European Economics 15:2 (Winter 1976-77) 3-23. Trsl. of the original article published in Közgazdasági Szemle no. 11 (1975). The article outlines the basic ideological considerations relevant to an ambitious research project focusing on economic policy development. The purpose of the project is to find laws and means which would aid in the improvement of efficiency, productivity of labor, and technological development. The research is being conducted at the Institute of Economics, HAS, under Friss’s leadership, and should be concluded by 1985. G Papers of the Fourth International Symposium on Balkan Folklore held in July 1975 at Skopje, are being now published in the volumes of Makedoncki Folklor. Most papers are in Macedonian, some in other Slavic languages, French, and a few in German. French summaries are given. Of Hungarian interest are the papers by Ferenc Tot, Novi Sad, "Die Wintervolkssitten im Nordbanat" [Winterfolk costumes in the northern Banat], pp. 111-114; and Madeleine Veselinovic- Sulc’s paper on "Quelques questions sur les chants et contes populaires sud-slaves formées en Hongrie” [Some questions about south Slav chants and folk tales formed in Hungary], pp. 35-42. Both in Volume VIII (1975) nos. 15-16. For copies write to Makedoncki Folklor, 91000 Skopje, p.f. 319, Yugoslavia. Q The Hungarian Institute for Sociology of Religion (see HSN no. 12 p. 7 for general description) devoted its December 1977 press release (#8) to a discussion of religious instruction and evangelization in Hungary. After sketching the historical background, the paper outlines contemporary religious instruction or the absence of it in schools and the availability of religious books, publications, teaching aids for religious education, and the unavailability of the radio and the TV for religious instruction. It elaborates on the role of teaching personnel (mainly the clergy) and the consequences of undernourished religious education that has characterized the past 30 years. The February 1978 press releases (#9 and #10) give an exhaustive statistical report on the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary and on the pastoral care of refugees, emigrants, guest workers, and tourists. No. 10 also contains an obituary for Prelate Msgr. Dr. György Adám, who pioneered in such care, and who died in January 1978. □ Kosztolnyik, Zoltán J., “The Relations of Four Eleventh Century Hungarian Kings with Rome in the Light of Papal Letters," Church History, 46 (March 1977) 33-47. 8 NO. 16, 1978 HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER
