Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)

At The Academy of Sciences. Great Compositions (1934–1938)

1934

CHRONICLES OF BÉLA

BARTOK'S

LIFE

the booklet sent to Zombor on 27 October, so he will try to find some other way to forward it to him.

10 November

- He writes a joint postcard with Transylvanian folk music researcher Péter

Balla

to János

Bu§i|ia

in Belényes.

(The

postmark is of Hajdúszoboszló;

the

card was probably mailed by Balla, Bartoks presence is not certain.)

Work at the Academy of Sciences starts with difficulty; phonographing is not always possible because of academic sessions. Bartok does the work with great zest notwithstanding; he usually goes to the Academy three times a week, and on these days he also regularly calls on his mother and aunt on the way.

17 November

- He has a meeting with Péter

Balla

at the Academy.

22 November

- In his letter to Sándor

Albrecht

he confirms that his Prague trip is final, and he would like to meet Ivan Balló

in

Pozsony.

25 November

- He brings his mother some old family photos (of his father and Géza

Bartok),

sent to him by an unknown lady. - On this day and the next Hungarian Pictures are played by the Philharmonics conducted by Heinrich Laber.

26 November

- In the evening Bartok leaves for Prague. He stays at Grand Hotel Sroubek.

27 November

- He writes Sándor

Albrecht

from Prague, asking for his financial assistance in connection with his Pozsony

trip.

28 November

- At Smetana Hall of Prague he plays Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Czech Philharmonics conducted by Václav

Talich.

- He writes a letter to Walter Schulthess in Zurich.

29 November

- He meets Sándor

Albrecht

in Pozsony,

then

leaves for home.

30 November

- Back in Budapest he visits his mother and aunt.

6 December

- He participates in the session of the Folk Music Subcommittee of the MTA.

9 December

- The Bartoks host Mr and Mrs Kodály

for

tea and dinner.

370