Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
Economic Crisis (1932–1933)
ECONOMIC CRISIS (1 932-1 933) 1933 will give the premiere of his Piano Concerto No. 2 at the Vigadó, and it will sound badly owing to the notoriously poor acoustics. 24 May - He plays Piano Concerto No. 2 with his wife for his mother, Pál Hermann, and Géza Frid in his home. 27 May - He brings his mother the Romanian decoration “Meritul Cultural” awarded him on 3 December 1932, which they forgot (!) to hand over to him until now. 29 May - He repeats his radio lecture of the 19th. 2 June - In the morning he listens to Kentner s stage rehearsal of Piano Concerto No. 2 conducted by Otto Klemperer. He is satisfied, but doesn’t attend the evening performance. 4 June - He gives 3 private lessons, then writes Mrs Popper b. Mici Lukács about his trip planned to Vienna. 6 June - In the afternoon he leaves for Vienna. 7 June - In Vienna, in the morning he participates in an orchestral rehearsal, then in the evening performs Piano Concerto No. 2 at the Great Hall of the Musikverein with the Budapest Concert Orchestra conducted by Otto Klemperer. 8 June - He returns home to Budapest. 9 June - Exams at the Music Institute of Higher Education (Music Academy). Finally the Matica got one step forward and sent the first correction of 42 sheets. 12 June - Bartok returns the correction to Ivan Balló with detailed further directions and corrections. In his letter this time he already writes with praise about the recently strongly criticised Ballo’s conscientious and loving work. 13 June - In preparation for vacationing, he pays in his fire and home insurance. 14 June - He writes István László Németh in Pozsony that Universal Edition is still contemplating the publication of Transylvanian Songs, so the 351
