Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
1903 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE 25 March - The Orchestra of the Polytechnics invites him to participate in their concert on 27 March. 26 March - In his letter he informs his mother in detail about the rules of the Capitals Music Award, the so-called “coronation jubilee scholarship” founded in 1896, noting that he would like to get it. He also refers to the political situation: “...the atmosphere is explosive in the House of Commons...” 27 March - Royal Hall. At the concert of the Orchestra of the Polytechnics, Bartok plays his own Fancy and Brahms’ Paganini Variations, then two encores, one being an etude of Chopins. The performance of Fancy, composed on 8 February, is the first case of him appearing in the role of composer, which critics receive with mixed feelings: “.. .Béla Bartok pianist introduced himself, presenting firstly one of his own pieces. His composition, though an interesting piece of art, is not perfect. There are gaping inconsistencies in its sequence of moods, and it also lacks persistence of strength” (Pest Journal, 28 March). 1 April - Letter to his mother: he received the Liszt scholarship; Thomán and others are looking for further contacts regarding the matter of the capital’s scholarship. He is giving more and more thought to the political situation, the ex-lex (status of being outside the budget) to be expected. For the planned concert in Nagyszentmiklós his mother and sister also come to Budapest, and they travel to Torontál county together. 11 April - They write a joint postcard to Irma Voit in Pozsony from the community of Valkány. 13 April - His first public solo concert in his hometown, Nagyszentmiklós. Programme: Chopin’s Nocturne in C sharp minor, Etude in E minor, and Ballad in G minor; Beethoven’s Sonata in E flat major; Schubert’s Impromptu in E flat major; Liszt’s transcription of Paganini’s Etude in E minor; Valse by Saint-Saëns, and Bartok’s Fancy as well as Study for the Left Hand (the sonata movement mentioned earlier). 60
