Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
1892 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE semester school report, among the grades 2 excellent, 4 good, and 2 satisfactory (geography and gymnastics). He travels home to Nagyszöllős for Christmas. His compositions of 1891 enumerated in his end of the year statistics are: Fast Polka, Béla Polka, Katinka Polka, Springtime Sounds, Jolán Polka, Gabi Polka, Forget-me-not, Ländler No. I, Irma Polka (for Irma Voit), Echoes of Radegund, March, Ländler No. II, Circus Polka, Sonatine No. IL 1892 In January from Nagyvárad he renews his Christmas promise to his mother regarding his German language studies and playing scales: “I have already known for a long time that playing the piano was not enough for erudition, and anyway, anything could happen to my hand and then what would become of me“. Around this time he is learning a Beethoven sonata (presumably Op. 53) and Weber piano pieces, of which he finds Rondo brillante very difficult, later Polacca brillante. Sometimes he gets piano lessons also from Mrs Kersch beside Kersch himself. Bartok practises about an hour and a half/two hours a day “with pleasure“. 23 January - He sends his belated birthday good wishes to his mother in Nagyszöllős. 31 March - He receives the school report of the second period: 2 excellent, 2 good, and 4 satisfactory, beside the 43 missed lessons since January. The report is considered unfair, Mrs Bartok shows it even to her colleagues in Nagyszöllős who want to post a newspaper protest no less! That is prevented by Mrs Bartok, but she removes her son from the grammar school and takes him home to Nagyszöllős. She herself applies for a leave. 20 April - Following his mother s advice, he sends name-day good wishes, 24
