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

School Years (1890–1903)

1903

CHRONICLES OF BÉLA

BARTOK'S

LIFE

air has a much better effect on me than e.g. that of Budapest”. He mentions that every second day he has lunch at the Stencels’, so this way he doesn’t have to go to cheap restaurants.

11 December - He writes a picture postcard to his sister in Pozsony.

14 December

- A solo Bartok recital at the Bechstein

Hall.

Programme: Schumanns Sonata in F

sharp

minor, Dohnányi

’

s Passacaglia, Chopins

Nocturne in C sharp minor and Etude in C minor, Liszts Spanish Rhapsody, and Bartoks Scherzo, Phantasy, and Study for the Left Hand. During the morning rehearsal Artur Nikisch

hears

the end of Spanish Rhapsody by chance, and says: “

famos! sehr schön” (delightful,

really beautiful). The concert is a huge success, he is called back 15 times in all, and gives 2 encores, one of his own pieces (“novelty” - probably Fancy No. 2 completed in October) and Juon’s Humoresque. The hall having been two-thirds full, gross income is 120 marks. After the concert even Godowski and Busoni appear in the crowded green room; then without any intermediary, he gets acquainted with Busoni who congratulates him but adds that the Chopin etude didn’t come off quite well, something that Bartok himself felt, too. - He writes cards to his sister in Pozsony

before

the concert as well as afterwards, then he has dinner with the Stencels. Alma Stencel urges him to send a telegram to Pozsony,

but

he doesn’t find a post office at night.

15 December

- In a letter to his mother he describes the events of the day. He also writes about the preparations for the Pozsony

concert

planned for January. - In a telegram from Budapest Mrs Gruber congratulates him on the previous day.

16 December

- He gives an account of the concert to István

Thomán, too.

23 December - He leaves Berlin and travels to Pozsony.

31 December - From Pozsony

he

thanks Thomán

for

his felicitations.

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