Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)

War Years (1914–1919)

WAR YEARS (1914-1919)

1919

until 24 January he was feverish in bed, and could go down to Rákoskeresztúr only

afterwards.

Around 25 January a new plan emerges: Bartok would become head of the music department to be established in the National Museum. (This didn’t come to fruition, either.)

31 January - He writes Bu§i|ia: “...I send the Romanian dances and kolindas with today’s mail”. He is inquiring about his cylinders having remained there, and asks: “what will happen to the Romanian- Hungarian friendship?”.

2 February - The National Society of Music Teachers elects him member of the committee at their founding assembly.

5 February - The Literary and Artistic Consultant Board of the National Council holds a meeting. Bartok is probably also participating, then in the evening at the Waldbauers

’ concert

he listens to the performance of Kodály

’s String

Quartet with his wife. Afterwards Béla

Reinitz

takes them to their lodging at Dezső

Szilágyi Square.

12 February - From Rákoskeresztúr

Mrs

Bartok sends a letter by Béla Morócz to

her mother-in-law in Pozsony,

via

Pozsonyligetfalu, then still Hungarian: “

Béla is

working on the pantomime by Lengyel, and he already finished about half of it. He played it to me for the first time last week and every evening since”.

15 February

- Béla

Bartok

is appointed into the 5th pay category by decree No. 17260-1919/III/A of the Ministry of Public Education as from 31 December 1918. (This involved the title “Honourable”.)

16 February

- Performance of The Wooden Prince.

In February the Society of Creative Artists and Scientific Researchers prepares a petition for the Minister of Education about Bartok’s workrelated wishes.

23 February - From Rákoskeresztúr

Bartok

informs his pupil Mrs Géza

Aczél on a postcard that he cannot go to Pest, feeling somewhat “unwell”. The real reason being: he wanted to practise for his planned performances.

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