Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
Economic Crisis (1932–1933)
1932 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE 17 February - From Budapest he writes about preparations for the Egypt trip to composer Jenő Takács living in Cairo (Egypt) before leaving on yet another concert tour via Austria. 18 February - He arrives in Switzerland, then on the 19th in Paris. 20 February - In Paris he holds a rehearsal of Piano Concerto No. 1. “Today’s (1st) rehearsal doesn’t promise too well. Had they made a decent performance possible, it would have been more worthwhile than the Légion d ’honneur” - he writes his mother. - For lunch he is hosted by Nadia Boulanger. - He sends a letter to his son Péter in which he also writes his wife: “... the rehearsal was horrible, I forced one more for tomorrow but it will hardly bring any benefit. It was a shame to come here, not just a shame but trouble!!...”. 21 February - Another rehearsal in the morning, then the Paris premiere of the Piano Concerto conducted by Nicolas Slonimsky in the Pleyel Hall. According to Bartok “.. .although it went better than I could have expected after the first rehearsal, it was still far from perfect”. - After the concert there was a tea party at an American multi-millionaire’s; Lady Rothermere there present (“spouse of the great Lord”) promises to press for Bartok’s missing entry permit to England. Bartok leaves Paris for Nijmegen (Holland), going to the Zoltán Székelys’ (275 Kwakkenbergweg). 22 February - He dates his letters to the Chambre Syndicale des Editeurs de Musique, Universal Edition and the widowed Mrs Béla Bartok from Nijmegen, although by the testimony of his passport he arrives in Holland only on 23 February. 25 February - From Nijmegen he writes his mother and aunt that he is having good restive days, and Rothermere sent a telegram: he would send the English entry permit by air mail. - He writes a letter to his son Péter. 27 February - The permit arrives, of which he notifies his wife still from Nijmegen, and leaves for England the same evening. 338
