Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
1896 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE For this activity he receives the 5-fbrint and 4-krajcár interest of the Prachner Foundation at the end of each year. 23 December - He receives the school report for the semester, beside 6 excellent grades 2 good (Latin and German languages). Missed lessons 32. 1896 He makes a plan at the start of the year, listing some of the pieces to be studied that year: “15 Variationes cum fuga by Beethoven, Sonatas Nos VI, VII, IX, X. Variationi serienses by Mendelsohn. Sonate in C Major by Weber. Concert in A Major by Mozart. Grande Polonaise Brillante by Chopin; Finale of Sonate No. Ill, Concert No. I”. 8 May - The Royal Catholic Principal Grammar School organizes a Millennium Ceremony, they stage Kornél Ábrányis melodrama Rákóczy, accompanied on the piano by Béla Bartok, pupil of year 5. This is his second public appearance after the Nagyszöllős one in 1892. We can date from here the nearly six and a half hundred concerts, participations, and performances of his subsequent life. 9 May - Repetition of the previous days programme. 25 May - One of his uncles, Béla Voit, former lieutenant of 48 sent him a fragment of the tassel of his sword, cherished with reverence. ( “Béla” Voit is identical with Albert Voit, the lessee of their 1894 flat, who changed his name based on incorrect etymology.) 19-23 June - Class exams. 29 June - He receives his school report with 6 excellent and 2 good grades, besides the 100-forint scholarship of the Győri Foundation for Orphans. His missed lessons were 65, this was the first school year when he was hardly ill at all. In the course of the Millennium year of 1896 Bartok also travels to 28
