Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
At The Academy of Sciences. Great Compositions (1934–1938)
AT THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. GREAT C O M P O S I T I O N S ( 1 934-1 938) 1936 22 January - He arrives in Budapest. He is satisfied with the proceeds of the trip. 28 January - He visits his mother and aunt, then has dinner at the Kodálys, they chat until midnight. 29 January - Letter to Universal Edition. - Dezső Szabos statement is published about the refusal of the Greguss Prize: “The great music poet did exactly, letter by letter, what should have already been done”. 30 January - He gives a piano lesson in his home to Emilia Nirschy, who then brings him to the widowed Mrs Béla Bartoks by car. 31 January - He sends Endre Gertler in Brussels the tempo adjustments for String Quartet No. 2, promised already in August. During the year of the 50th anniversary of Ferenc Liszts passing, even more commemorations and lectures were delivered than usual; of these Bartok - who considered Liszt his exemplar in many respects - took a considerable part. 3 February - In the afternoon he delivers his inaugural address entitled Liszt Problems at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; and in the evening at the Opera House of Budapest, at the Liszt concert of the Journalists’ Sanatorium Society he plays Danse Macabre with the Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ernő Dohnányi. According to effusive newspaper reviews: “Rapt devotional silence was arching above the auditorium at the magically beautiful meeting of these three Hungarian geniuses”. 4 February - He takes the certificate attesting his membership of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences to his mother and aunt’s. 6 February - He writes Raina Katzarova in Sofia, then goes to visit a family of acquaintances where the Végh-Palotai Quartet play String Quartet No. 5. 7 and 13 February - He visits his mother and aunt. 14 February - Sonata for Violin and Piano is performed in Pittsburgh by Francis Arányi and Henry Harris. 387
