Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
SCHOOL YEARS (1 890-1 903) 1900 7 June - Piano exam, on the 13 th exam of composition; he presents a fugue to Koessler s satisfaction. 10 June - Lohengrin was presented instead of the announced Walkyrie as closing performance of the Opera House. 14 June - He goes on an excursion to Zugliget for 50 krajcárs. 15 June - He gets a visit from Béla Lessényi (his aunts husband), whom he meets again in the afternoon at Géza Bartoks. 16 June - He writes a letter to his mother. 23 June - He receives his report for academic years II-III combined: composition (János Koessler), studies of orchestration and score reading (Xavér Ferenc Szabó) outstanding, exempt from choir practices. 25 June - He hands in an application at the Academy regarding the matter of his exemption from school-fees before leaving for Pozsony, from where he will go to St. Johann bei Herberstein (Styria) with his mother. There they spend the summer with excursions in the vicinity, visiting Graz, Radegund. 17 August - Bartok got unwell. The original earlier plans for going home had to be postponed to 15 September because of Bartoks medical treatment. 23 September - In Pozsony Dr. Vájná Gábor Pávai issues a medical certificate about his illness, and gives this advice: “Mr Bartok should go to the southern region during the winter at least for 4-5 months... with his mother to insure his nursing”. This latter requirement encountered difficulties, but due to the benevolence of Mrs Bartoks superiors the question was settled. Originally they had been preparing to go to Budapest, but this was cancelled, and in the middle of November they leave Pozsony for Meran in the South of Tyrol, where they take up lodgings at Villa Wallenstein. 25 November - Bartok weighs 53.4 kgs. 29 November - From Meran he applies for a grant, and in December he 39
