Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
SCHOOL YEARS (1 890-1 903) 1900 12 January - He goes to see the Winter Exhibition of Paintings, then he writes a letter to his mother. 13 January - István Thománs afternoon piano lesson is also visited by Ernő Dohnányi, whom Thománs pupils play for. Dohnányi doesn ’t express any opinion but invites Bartok for a visit. 14 January - Concert of Hubay and Popper - unimpressive, according to Bartok. 15 January - He listens to Jan Kubeliks violin recital that interested him very much. 16 January - He sends birthday good wishes to his mother in Pozsony, and gives an account of the concert scene. 17 January - At noon he pays a visit to Ernő Dohnányi who informs him of his plans in detail. 19 January - Emil Sauers concert: “What he played was played really beautifully” writes Bartok, and pays great attention to appearances, to Sauers pose as well as to the audiences behaviour. The ticket cost 1 forint, but its repayment was promised because otherwise he was already left with no money at all. 21 January - In his letter he gives his mother an account of his problems concerning his lodgings, he wants to move. 22 January - Concert in the Royal Hall to which pupils got free tickets. Ernő Dohnányi’s participation is to Bartoks liking, the rest (Arabella Szilágyi ’ s singing and Frigyes Arányi ’s violin playing) is poor. 23 January - During István Thománs piano lesson they evaluate what they heard at the concert of the previous day. 24 January - At the concert of the Philharmonics Ernő Dohnányi plays the solo of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in E flat major, János Richter conducts Glazunov’s Symphony No. 6. - During the concert Bartok meets archivist János Batka of Pozsony who had been helping him with his studies of music theory in Pozsony. 25 January - This was the day when he parted with his last krajcár. 35
