Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
World War II. Second and Third American Tour (1939–1945)
1939 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE 21 January - He writes Louise Dyer in Paris with strong criticism of Emil Haraszti s book on Bartok. 28 January - He writes to many of his unpleasant partners: to Matica Slovenská in a tone of utmost contempt regarding their attitude up to then; to Universal Edition, to Austro-Mechana and to representative of the London Universal, Alfred Kalmus about unregulated publication matters. 31 January - In a letter written in English and addressed to “Dear Sir” (maybe to PRS) he expounds on circumstances in Hungary, and on his legal situation concerning Universal Edition. 1 February - He writes Walter Schulthess in Zurich. - He visits his mother who is hardly able to write by now, but writes her daughter “We were very glad of Bêlas visit, he had good appetite”. 3 February - He writes Sándor Albrecht that he is about to go on various trips. He also writes Universal Edition. 4 February - He pays in a tax of 157.60 pengős at the tax-collectors office of District 2, Budapest. - He writes Henry Barraud, head of Triton Musique Contemporaine in Paris. 6 February - He has a rehearsal with Ede Zathureczky at Csalán Road. He informs Mrs Müller-Widmann regarding his itinerary for Switzerland and France. - He thanks Paul Sacher in a longish letter for his invitation, writes a possible date for it, and gives his consent in principle to Paul Sachers request for writing a new piece for string orchestra. 8 February - He and Ede Zathureczky travel to Debrecen, where local papers have summoned the towns public to greet them at the station in the greatest numbers possible. At their evening of sonatas at the ceremonial hall of the Arany Bika (Golden Bull, most prestigious hotel of the city) they play Mozarts Sonata in A major, Beethovens Kreutzer Sonata, and Bartoks Rhapsody No. 2. - With a Budapest dating he sends Zoltán Székely a list of mistakes for the Violin Concerto, and gives an account of his work and troubles to Dorothy Parrish. 436
