Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
World War II. Second and Third American Tour (1939–1945)
WORLD WAR II. SECOND AND THIRD AMERICAN TO U R ( 1 9 3 9 - 1 9 4 5 ) 1939 visiting Müller-Widmann family frequently, which they mention in their letter of 31 July written from Silvaplana to Basel. Then Mrs Bartok leaves for home with her son, while Bartok moves to the Sachers’ summer house, called Chalet Aellen, rented in Saanen. 1 August - He writes his wife in Budapest already from Saanen. He is asking for the piano reduction of movements 2 and 3 of the Violin Concerto. 2 August - The Schmidt-Flor firm of Bern delivers a piano here for Bartoks use. 4 August - From Saanen he writes Imre Kun about his wishes concerning concerts in Italy, about dates (that Kuns carefully working Koncert concert bureau managed to secure) and about them wanting to play Steinway pianos. He also stipulates that the contract shall cease to be valid in case of the outbreak of war. The concerts got realised nonetheless even after the outbreak of World War II. 7 August - He presses his wife for sending the reduction of movements 2 and 3 of Violin Concerto, and points out: “The work proceeds nicely”. In his letter of the 9th he adds: “though only 6 sheets are put down decently as yet. I estimate one of the pieces [Divertimento] to be a total of 20 sheets at most, ... but I would have to write one more string quartet afterwards”. And on the 15th “movements 1 and 3 are complete; the middle one is still only a plan, but even that might also be ready by tomorrow ... yesterday afternoon, when I got a bit stuck nearing the end of movement 3,1 plopped out a small microcosmos piece. (It’s high time I sent it for print, otherwise it will never end)”. 17 August - He completes Divertimento “in the evening, or rather at midnight”. 18 August - He has lunch with the Sachers. “I played for Sacher ... the Divertimento, we discussed all the necessaries”. - In a long letter he sends his good wishes for his son Bêlas birthday, also dwelling on his 445
