Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)

Settling In Budapest. Systematic Collection of Folk Songs (1907–1913)

SETTLING IN BUDAPEST. SYSTEMATIC

COLLECTION OF FOLK SONGS ( 1 907-1 91 3)

1909

writes about his own gloomy mood and the musical trends like this: “I strongly believe and profess that all true art manifests itself under the influence of impressions - the experiences’ - taken from the outside world. ... Earlier I hadn’t believed, till I experienced it myself, that a person’s works actually mark the notable events and guiding passions of their lives more explicitly than a biography. ... Curiously only enthusiasm, love, grief, at most desperation figured as triggers in music till now - that is, merely so-called elevated sentiments. - While revenge, caricature, sarcasm are or will be alive in music only in our times. ... There is yet another factor making the present music (that of the 20th century) realistic; that it is looking for impressions, half unconsciously half searching, from the all-surrounding people’s art from all of the great reality. ... We are lucky to be living on the border of Asia; here folk music still exists in abundance...” Then he describes the collecting in Darázs

and

the difficulties of accommodation and meals in a humorous manner.

5 February

- He returns to Budapest.

6 February

- He gives a piano lesson at the Zieglers’.

8 February

- He writes a postcard to Márta

Ziegler,

and asks her to bring along the volume of children songs at her disposition the next day.

9 February

- He meets Márta

Ziegler,

and writes a postcard to Etelka

Freund.

10 February

- He goes to the Zieglers’. He makes the two girls a suggestion that the three of them read out of Berlioz’s memoirs in French, thus practising the French language, while he could add the necessary explanations.

11 February

- Visit at Etelka

Freund

’s family.

1 March

- The whole Suite No. 1 is performed for the first time in Hungary at a professors’ concert, Jenő

Hubay

conducting.

11 March

- Postcard sent to Etelka

Freund.

12 March

- He is at the Royal Hall at the recital of Ferruccio Busoni 113