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 ) 1 945 wishes to negotiate. 4 May - He writes a letter to his son Péter. 5 May - The Hungarian department of the Swedish Embassy in Washington extends the validity of his passport (No. 425/1945) for the last time, until 7 August 1946. (So it is obvious that he remained a Hungarian citizen until the end of his life, which some - especially the American executives of his will - would later try to cast doubt on.) 8 May - The Germans capitulate, thus fights come to an end on the European scenes of World War II, but not yet in the Pacific Ocean area touching the United States more closely. 13 May - Bartok writes Boosey & Hawkes in London concerning the corrections of Concerto. The California trip falls through because ASCAP refuses to buy tickets, so Bartok prepares to go to Saranac Lake again, but he wants to effectuate the Montreal trip first. This is delayed due to his wife’s illness. 23 May - He writes his son from New York: “I have no luck with this immigration. ... I will try to settle it from Saranac Lake ... It is more simple from there, less time and half the cost. ... Immigration doesn’t involve getting any kind of citizenship, it only gives you the right for application. But I don’t want to apply for it, under any circumstances. I need immigration purely for tax-related reasons”. - As a postscript he writes about publications in newspapers from home: the City Theatre, the Music Academy are still there ... Ernő Unger played with the Capital’s Orchestra, Ferencsik conducted ... One of the Sándor Veress’s published an appeal with signatures of Szabolcsi, Kadosa. (Living, breathing. They live here!).” he quotes from Bluebeard. 6 June - He also writes Yehudi Menuhin from New York about the postponement of their California trip and the disintegration of his many music plans. - “We will have to try to discuss the final form of Solo Sonata somewhere next winter; luckily it’s not urgent.” - In 499
