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 )

1930

5 November

- In his answer to Romanian musicologist Octavian Beu he gives an account of his Romanian folk song collecting activities, and forwards the list of his works in chronological order with a short bibliography for Beus planned article. He calls Beus attention to the fact that “Liszt has got a rhapsody, so far unpublished, that probably contains Romanian themes”. In the evening at Radio Budapest he plays Liszt’s Danse Macabre, conducted by Ernő

Dohnányi.

8 and

9 November - He is preparing with Lajos Heimlich for their concert of 11 November with a “long, tiring” rehearsal. - On the 9th he presumably listens to Dance Suite at the stage rehearsal of the Philharmonics conducted by Ernő

Dohnányi.

10 November

- Performance of Dance Suite. Bartok hadn’t wanted to attend, but as Dohnányi

thought

the reason for this had been his dissatisfaction with the performance, he does go after all not to hurt the musicians’ feelings.

11 November

- At Radio Budapest he plays four-hand pieces with Lajos Heimlich: a few by Mozart, then one by Schubert, Ravel, and Stravinsky respectively.

21 November - He forwards Béla

Balázs’s letter

to the Opera House about waiving the publication of his name on the programme and even his bonuses in Bartok’s favour. “... is the matter in order now already?” - he asks as a postscript.

Then he leaves for London.

24 November - At a London radio concert he performs works by Bartok, Mozart, and Kodály

with

Mária

Basilides.

25 November - From London he writes Freiburg Music Director- General Hugo Balzer regarding his concert of 8 December, and gives instructions for the performance of Piano Concerto No. 1. - He is dinner guest of the Fachiris.

26November - In Queen’s Hall he plays Rhapsody with the BBC Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Henry Wood. According to Bartok there 315