Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
War Years (1914–1919)
1917 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE finishing the orchestration at once. He teaches at the Music Academy on the first four days of the week. Given that his wife is still staying with her parents, Bartok sleeps and works at the Kodálys ’ twice a week. 28 January - Mrs Kodály writes the widowed Mrs Béla Bartok: “By the way, Béla is almost ready now with the orchestral score, and seen that Márta is also better, his high spirits have also returned. Now sometimes he is doing a little work here.” 1 February - He goes to the Kodálys ’. 2 February - He visits his wife at his father-in-laws’. 3 February - He returns to Rákoskeresztúr. 5 February - He hands in the orchestral score of The Wooden Prince at the Opera. Afterwards his wife travels to Üjtátrafüred (Szepes county) where her consumption is treated in the Szontagh Sanatorium; Bartok spends most of his time with preparations for the performance of The Wooden Prince. 19 February - He writes his wife from Budapest, from Béla Balázs’: “ I slept here ... I.e. he telegraphed me yesterday that the parts are ready, I am free to take the orchestral score to Tango, etc. I rushed in here and started to work on the spot. I am copying the orchestral score, then I will correct parts. The Opera took Violanta off the programme after having chased off Aurél Kern, ..., so that every living soul there could give every ounce of their energy to the ballet ... today I brought to Tango ... pages 1 to 122 of the orchestral score and the whole piano arrangement ... he asked for 30 rehearsals from the Count... So now as far as it’s possible to say anything for sure, the thing is going to happen at the end of April”. He hopes that even his wife would be cured by then. 20 February - For the duration of his wife’s treatment, he takes his son Béla to his sister’s in Doboz via Békéscsaba, then on the 21st he returns to Budapest. 166
