Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
1891 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE 23 December - He gets ill, and he spends Christmas in bed. 24 December - He receives Mysterious Island by Verne, this book remaining a favourite even in his adulthood. By 29 December he recovers, and he can play the piano “at long last” according to his own note. He enumerates six of his pieces composed in 1890 in Nagyszöllős in one notebook of his youth: “Waltz, Changing Piece, Mazurka, The Budapest Gymnastic Competition, 1-st Sonatin, Wallachian-piece”. 1891 3 January - Teaching continues in the state civil school. 22 March or a week earlier - The family goes on an excursion to Tekeháza (Ugocsa county). 25 March - He writes a letter of thanks on his tenth birthday in response to his Uncle Géza Bartoks good wishes. In this period the family is already considering earnestly the continuation of Bartoks musical training. A composer on a visit from Sopron, Keresztély Altdörfer predicts a bright future for him. His mother takes him to Budapest (very likely during Easter break between 22-29 March) for an audition with Károly Aggházy, who would accept him to the conservatoire at once, but Bartoks mother finds this too early. 29 March - Easter Sunday. The Lator family gave a childrens party, Bartok noted about its varied programme: “Every time I play some other piece”. 22 August - His school report testifies 100 missed lessons beside 11 outstanding grades. For the next school year he moves to Nagyvárad where he is accepted into year 2 of the Premontre Grammar School, based on his state civil school report and extra Latin studies. - His accomodation can be 22
