Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
SCHOOL YEARS (1 890-1 903) 1899 pieces are entered. 11 September - He plays piano quintets by Schumann, Brahms, and Dvorak at a Sunday morning chamber music gathering with his schoolmates János Terebessy, Rezső Otócska, Péter Otócska, and Pál Otócska. 30 September - He notes the titles of yet 21 more pieces, dated 31 (!) September. 3 November - A name-day ceremony is organised in the school again for grammar-school Headmaster Károly Polikeit. Bartok plays Tannhäuser Overture by Wagner-Liszt, accompanies József Ernyei ’s Beautiful Ilonka on the piano, and presents his own piano quartet with his classmates János Terebessy, Péter and Pál Otócska; the youth orchestra performs Brahms’ Hungarian Dances in Bartoks transcription. 13 November - Yet 34 more pieces enter the music catalogue. 8 December - He travels to Vienna with his mother for an audition at the conservatoire. He would be accepted, but following Ernő Dohnányi’ s example he desists and decides to continue his studies in Budapest. 1899 In January - He travels to Budapest with his mother. They request an audition from István Thomán, who welcomes Bartok with enthusiasm, and assures him that he would be accepted to the Music Academy without an entrance exam (this didn’t happen accordingly, he had to pass an entrance exam after all). Thomán also introduces him to János Koessler. During the last 3 years Bartok’s health, as testified by the scarcity of missed lessons, was good. But in February his health suddenly deteriorates, he spits blood, and gets permission for reduced school attendance for the sake of his treatments. 31
