Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
Settling In Budapest. Systematic Collection of Folk Songs (1907–1913)
1912 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE Scherzo Op. 7. 16 December - The Bucharest Romanian Academy notifies Bartok that they intend to publish his collection of Romanian folk songs. 18 December - Bartok informs János Bu§i|ia about this, and adds: “As for our Pest, who knows when anyone would venture a similar publication”. At the same time he writes about wanting to go on a collecting trip in their region in January, and that he has already sent 2 boxes of phonograph cylinders to Belényes for this purpose. Preceding Christmas he travels to Szombatság (Bihar county). 24 December - From Drágcséke (Bihar county) he writes his wife, who spends the holidays with her parents. Collecting went well on the first day. Discovering that the region is identical to the Belényes music territory, he knows that he needs to spend less time here. On this day he also collects from a fiddler. Between 25 and 31 December - He is collecting in the communities of Szombatság, Venterrogoz, Drágcséke, Tasádfő, Hollószeg, and Kótliget. 1912 2 January - Belényes. Postcard to landowner Gyula Kubik (his helper in collecting) in Kótliget. - To his wife he writes: “Everything was going on in order as before”. 4 January - He leaves Belényes for Vésztő (Szilad puszta). 5 January - He writes an indignant letter to the Rózsavölgyi and Co. firm concerning the cancellation of his concert planned for 15 January. 9 January - In the morning he arrives in Budapest, and goes straight to the Music Academy where he meets his wife. 15 January - He had intended to visit Etelka Freund, but his train being severely delayed the visit did not take place. 20 January - He writes Etelka Freund from Királyháza (Ugocsa county). 134
