Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
1903 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE 31 January - They are playing trios at the Neumanns’ 1 February - He writes his mother that he received a subsequent fee of 20 frts from the Tonkünstlerverein for the excellent performance of the Heldenleben. 4 February - He answers Mrs Lajos Voit’s invitation in a humorous letter. 5 February - He visits Godowski again; he plays 2 movements of the Schumann Sonata, Liszts Paganini Variations, the Scherzo of his own Symphony, and finally his new composition, Sonata Movement for Left Hand. Godowski is pleased, he even gives some useful advice. 6 February - Not having received a free ticket for Godowski’s concert (Dohnányi neither) he doesn’t go, writes a letter to his mother instead. He writes among other things that he earned 147+20 forints during January. 7 February - He is at the Kornél Ábrányi Jnr ’s’ dinner. 8 February - He is in bed with a bad cold when he gets a visit from Béla Hugonnai, Lord Lieutenant of Szatmár, requesting his participation in a program at the Uránia. He accepts, but it will eventually be cancelled. In the afternoon he composes a new piece, Fancy No. 1. 9 February - Dinner at the widowed Mrs Lajos Voit’s. 13 February - He goes on a medical visit to doctor Hertzka, who finds his condition satisfactory. 14 February - He presents Sonata Movement for Left Hand to Koessler, who thinks this is his best composition so far, both in form and in contents. 15 February - In his letter to his mother he refers to still getting compliments regarding his Vienna concert. He sends the program compilation for his planned concerts (in Nagyszentmiklós and at the Uránia). 18 February - He presents his newest, yet untitled composition to Koessler (presumably Fancy). 21 February - Upon recommendation from Kunwald at the soirée of his principal, Gulácsi, he plays pieces by Chopin, Schumann, Saint-Saëns, Beethoven, a Paganini transcription by Liszt, and his own piece for the 58
