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

School Years (1890–1903)

SCHOOL YEARS (1 890-1 903)

1901

22 June - He again sends a picture postcard with no text to her sister in Pozsony.

With the school year coming to an end he travels to Pozsony,

and

spends the holidays at a nearby site for vacations and excursions called “Peaceful Hut”.

Around 8 September he travels to Budapest, and stays at 3 Felső

erdősor at

Mrs. Lajos Voits.

12 September - He has dinner at the Fábiáns

’.

4 October

-Dr. Hertzka advises, based on the medical control, that he should not give more than 10-12 lessons a week.

5 October

- He writes his mother a long account of Thomán

having

liked very much his way of performing the Sonata in B minor by Liszt very much. Then he complains about his meals: he cannot get used to restaurant cooking, he would like lodging with board. He lists his pupils and the sums received from them: the Lukács

s

(Mici but partly also György)

40

forints, Silberger 16 forints, Mrs Surányi

10

forints, Singer 12 or 24 forints. Added to his monthly scholarship of 30 forints, his living costs are covered considering the monthly expenses of 90- 100 forints. Regarding his schedule and piano playing he writes: “I have to play 3 hours each day”.

19 October - Stage rehearsal for the 21 October concert. Director Mihalovich embraces and kisses him. János

Koessler

hands over a score for four hands of his own symphonic variations, in order to make Bartok learn and perform them with someone, so that Koessler could judge their value. Bartok begins to practise with Felicie Fábián.

21 October

- At his first public academic recital, on the eve of the anniversary of Ferenc Liszt s birth, he plays Liszt s Sonata in B minor. Success is enormous. He is congratulated firstly by Koessler, but he is also greeted by professors hitherto unknown to him. Critics write: “this young man has strengthened considerably in the last two years, he is thundering on the piano like a little Jupiter”.

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