Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
After World War I (1920–1921)
1921 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE 22 March - He writes a letter from Pozsony to Universal Edition concerning The Miraculous Mandarin. 24 March - Still in Pozsony, he applies for and is granted a residence permit valid until 13 April. (Ph. Heseltine was to arrive in Budapest on 13 April.) 26 March - He writes Universal Edition in regard to the details published in the special Bartok issue, appeared on 1 March, of the periodicals Musikblätter and Anbruch. 29 March - He is drafting an agreement with Matica Slovenská in Pozsony about promoting the publication of the Slovakian folk song collection that has come to a standstill (the dating is of Turócszentmárton, but it was prepared in Pozsony). 3 April - He notifies the police of his departure. 4 April - He leaves Pozsony for Budapest via Komárom. Philip Heseltine arrived in Budapest in the company of an English singer. 20 April - A home concert is organised in their honour in the Bartoks’ flat, then they travel home on the 22nd. 23 April - An evening of Debussy and Stravinsky at the Music Academy. Bartok plays 10 preludes by Debussy beside the first two of Schönbergs 3 Piano Pieces Op. 11 (despite Schönberg not being indicated in the title of the evening) and Stravinsky’s Piano Rag-music (which he described interesting but dry and empty in his letter to Heseltine). Erzsi H. Gervai sings Stravinsky’s 4 Russian Songs, and the song No. 2 of his Histoires pour enfants accompanied by Bartok. This is the first concert where the young Zoltán Székely appears together with Bartok, in the performance of Debussy’s Sonata for Violin and Piano. 25 April - At the concert of the Újpest Music-makers ’ Society in the ceremonial hall of Újpest Town Hall Bartok plays Nos. 7 to 15 of 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs, Evening in Transylvania, Bear Dance, Allegro barbaro, Sonatina, Burlesque No. 3, Dirges Nos. 1 and 2, and Rumanian 200
