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 9 February - He gives a private lesson to Erzsébet Bacsák. He leaves on his last concert tour to Switzerland and France with his wife. 17 February - In Zurich they play Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussions with the participation of percussionists of the world premiere, Philipp Rühlig and Fritz Schiesser. Bartoks solo programme is: pieces of Microcosmos, Kodály s Transylvanian Lament and Epitaph. - The same evening he begins to write a letter to his son Péter: “ We had the concert today, everything went fine, but it thoroughly exhausted us, of course.”, then continuing on the morning of the 18th: “But we have already got enough rest. We travel on to Geneva tomorrow (on the 19th); .. 7. 20 February - He plays Piano Concerto No. 2 in Lausanne, on the 22nd in Geneva, Ernest Ansermet conducting. - This is his last appearance in Switzerland. 23 February - He is already in Paris, staying at Hotel Vouillemont. He remains there until 8 March. 27 February - They play Mozarts Double Concerto in E flat major and Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussions conducted by Hermann Scherchen. 1 March - He gives an account of the concert to his son Péter in a letter: “We had the concert in Paris, it went fine, great success, etc., only the antecedents [the rehearsals] were less pleasant, spiced up with lots of arguments, shouting, etc.; I was close to worrying whether they could learn the 2 pianos + percussions thing at all. But such things are always to be expected.” 3 March - Bartok plays pieces of Microcosmos at a radio concert. Between 4 and 7 March Zoltán Székely is staying in Paris. Bartok discusses details of the performance of the Violin Concerto with him at this time. 5 March - Bartok writes Imre Kun that he accepts his offer for a concert with Huberman. (The concert didn’t come off.) - He writes Paul Sacher 437
