Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
World War II. Second and Third American Tour (1939–1945)
1 943 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE replace the one made in Hungary. 28 March - Bartok signs the new will which thus becomes final. This is a “trustee” will conforming to American legal rules, which gives two executives (one of whom is Viktor Bátor) far-reaching rights against legal heirs, including even the right of assigning the successor. (Following Bartoks death this became a source of problems for nearly 40 years.) 30 March - Bartok gives Boosey & Hawkes instructions regarding the fingerings of 44 Duos. 5 April - From New York he thanks Felicia Giffen for him getting elected member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters and for the accompanying reward. During the month of May conductor Serge Koussevitzky orders an orchestral piece from Bartok who has not been composing for years. 14 June - Bartok writes Columbia University Press regarding the Southern Slaw publication. 17 June - Letter to Boosey & Hawkes, and on the 23th to Columbia University Press and to A. Sinclair. 24 June - The Hungarian department of the Swedish Embassy of Washington extends the validity of his passport until 7 August 1944 (No. 891/1943). 28 June - He writes Wilhelmine Creel, on the 30th Dorothy Parrish and Carl P. Wood in detail about his illness and the fruitless treatments, and that taking up the Seattle job is out of the question for the time being. Due to his worsening illness ASCAP (the association of authors in the USA) of which he isn’t even a member sends him for a threemonth medical treatment in Saranac Lake (State of New York). 1 July - Bartok leaves for Saranac Lake. Simultaneously they give up their Bronx flat and place the furnishings in storage. - The address in Saranac Lake is 32 Park Avenue. 482
