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 the pleasures of travelling. During his lifetime he had appearances in 23 countries, visited further 7 countries, but there was only one in all where he went solely for relaxation: in Norway this summer. 21 or 26 June - The planned start of their trip. 28 June - The first stop of their journey is Stockholm, from where they write a postcard to Bu§i|ia. Due to the Olympic Games, Stockholm has significant tourism, and the Bartoks leave for Norway in a haste. 1 July - At noon, presumably from Bergen, they leave on board of the mail-boat Erling Jari across the Norwegian Sea. 2 July - In the evening, after a journey of 36 hours, they land at the Lofoten Islands. They write Mrs Emil Tóth about the midnight sun, the wonderful sea journey. The postcard bears the picture of Torghatten (Nordland), they probably stayed there. 10 July - They board a workers’ morning boat, taking a trip of 40 hours, during which on 11 July the boat even slides into the Trold fjord for the sake of 3 passengers. 12 July - They get off at Svolvaer (Vest Fjorden). - Bartok writes a postcard to his sister in Szilad, to Bu§i|ia in Belényes and to D. Kiriac in Bucharest; to this latter he gives a few more pieces of advice (forgotten on 19 June) concerning folk song collecting. - In the evening they travel on to Tromso. 18 July - They arrive to the northernmost point of their journey, Hammerfest. 21 July - From here they write the widowed Mrs Béla Bartok that although it has been raining for 6 days they still managed to see 2 glaciers. 23 July - They are on their way back home. 4 August - From the fjord Sogne Bartok writes János Busitia on a postcard that the folk song died in Norway - for good; even folk costumes are only worn by the lapps, to whom we might well be related, their neglected state gives little reason for feeling pride in our kinship. 138
