Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
War Years (1914–1919)
1918 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE to the Emil Toths’ who just got transferred from Doboz to another Wenckheim estate at Kertmeg Puszta, bordering on Szilad. Here he collects a few folk songs at once, some marked as originating from Sarkad (Bihar county), but the informant Zsuzsa Szűcs was at Kertmeg. 1918 4 January - He writes a letter to Egon Wellesz. He returns to Rákoskeresztúr around this time, while his wife and little son remain in Kertmeg for the time being. 11 January - In the forenoon he travels to Vienna. 12 January - He accompanies Ferenc Székelyhidy who is singing marching songs at a Viennese military history concert. Queen Zita was also present at the concert. 28 January - At Rákoskeresztúr already, he gives János Bu§i|ia a longish account of the Vienna concert, the wrangling regarding the performance of the songs of nationalities, and that “The premiere of the Bluebeard is beginning to be delayed infinitely...” He writes about the probable publication of the Romanian kolinda melodies, and asks Bu§i|ia to check the words; and finally he informs him with pleasure that he transcribed Rumanian Folk Dances for orchestra, Universal Edition will publish them dedicated to Bu§i|ia, and they will soon be presented as well. 11 February - At the Music Academy, Budapest premiere of the orchestral version of Rumanian Folk Dances, conducted by Emil Lichtenberg. - At the Opera House a concert is organised for the benefit of the 1st Budapest hussar regiment, Ferenc Székelyhidy sings Sekler marching songs in Bartoks and Kodály ’ s transcription, with Bartok’s accompaniment. 174
