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

Great Concert Tours on Two Continents (1922–1931)

GREAT CONCERT TOURS ON TWO CONTINENTS (1 922-1 931 )

1928

18 November

- He writes Universal Edition, on the 26th ITHMA.

30 November - Piano recital at the Music Institute of Higher Education (Music Academy). On programme: della Ciajas Sonata in G

major,

Domenico Zipoli’s Suite in B minor, one sonata by Scarlatti, Beethovens Sonata in E flat major Op. 81, Bartoks “3 Small Rhapsodies” (3 Rondos), Nos. 2 and 4 of Kodály

s

series Op. 3, Nos. 2 and 7 of Op.

11, furthermore pieces Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 7 of Liszts series Années

de

Pelerinage. Among the encores he plays a nocturne by Chopin.

1 December

- He writes his mother about the difficulties of the resettlement, about the previous day’s concert (“People were enthusiastic mainly about the Beethoven sonata...”), and about recordings to be made on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, “gramophone recordings” of Hungarian folk music in Kodály

’

s and his own arrangements; the singing of Mária

Basilides,

Ferenc Székelyhidy and

Vilma Medgyaszay will be accompanied by Bartok. - He also writes Universal Edition.

2 December

- He leaves Budapest for Sopron.

Programme

of the concert given at the Casino: della Ciajas Sonata in G

major,

one sonata by Scarlatti, Beethoven’s Sonata in E flat major Op. 81, Kodály

’s Transylvanian Lament and Piano Music, 4 pieces from Liszt’s Années

de Pelerinage, and of his own works Ballad, “3 Small Rhapsodies”, Dirge No. 1, Burlesque No. 2, and Allegro barbaro.

3 December

- He leaves Sopron

to

return to Budapest.

8 December

- Letter to ITHMA.

9 December

- At a Budapest “

Bechstein” propaganda

concert at Royal Apollo his programme played on a

Bechstein

piano

is Mozart’s Phantasy in C minor, Beethoven’s Sonata in F

major,

a nocturne by Chopin, and 9 numbers of 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs.

10 or

11 December - He travels to Erfurt.

12 December

- He writes his mother from Erfurt: “What a small little town this Erfurt is ... And here they are capable of performing such difficult 287