Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
World War II. Second and Third American Tour (1939–1945)
WORLD WAR II. SECOND AND THIRD AMERICAN TO U R ( 1 9 3 9 - 1 9 4 5 ) 1 941 happy with the programme” - writes Bartok later to his son Béla. 2 April - From Forest Hills he writes his son Béla about financial matters and the storing of furniture, and about looking for a new flat because the Forest Hills one is noisy, neighbours are unfriendly and its far from the University. They are contemplating to invite over their son Péter, seen that they will remain abroad for a longer period. Bartok is working with doubled enthusiasm on the Southern Slaw material since the German attack on Yugoslavia on 27 March, and gives minor lectures at the University. 8 April - He writes Dorothy Parrish that he can see her at the end of May in their new flat; their address starting with 1 May is: 3242 Cambridge Avenue, Bronx (New Yorks Northern district). 14 April - He writes Professor Douglas Moore at Columbia University about his first impressions of the Parry collection before leaving Forest Hills. 16 April - He gives a concert of two pianos with his wife at the Auditorium of the Baltimore (Maryland) Museum of Art. Their programme is: Debussy’s En blanc et noir, Liszts Concerto Pathétique, two fugues from Bach’s The Art of the Fugue, Mozart’s Fugue in C minor, Brahms’ Sonata in F minor, and four pieces of Microcosmos. 17 April - Bartok gives a lecture in Princeton (New Jersey). 18 April - From Forest Hills he writes Douglas Moore again and gives an enthusiastic description of the Southern Slaw collection. At the same time he hints at needing much longer for the job, therefore he would like to extend his commission. 22 April - The Hungarian Ministry of the Interior extends the validity of his passport until 7 August 1942 by its decree No. 10-2085. 1 May - They rent their new flat in the Bronx, and buy 5 pieces of furniture for the rooms and other furnishings at an auction for 140 dollars to replace the furniture that they also rented until then. Cleaning and transport cost a further 100 dollars. 5 May - They move to Cambridge Avenue, and at first - as usual - they 467
