BARTOK, Béla (1881-1945). Hungarian composer.
Autograph Letter Signed in English to Wilhelmina Creel, 2 pages 4to with envelope (stamp removed), The California Limited, Santa Fe ('somewhere in Kansas State'), 8 December 1941. Written during a train journey, the envelope franked from Kansas City on the day the letter was written, attempting to allay Mrs Creel's concerns, and discussing his future plans.

'I was rather fightened by your letter˙ so you again have worries. If you would not mind, I would giv eyou the advice to stop these things. But, of course, not knowing the details, I perhaps have not even the right to give advice; and, in anycase, you would not follow it at all. - But, one thing I can't make out: did you write your letter before last midnight phone call to Portland? ...'

Bartok explains that he will be in shortly be in New York but has to travel to Montreal:

'... I don't know the exact date of this, I am even not sure, if it can be done because of the war-declaration Gr. Brit (and probably of Canada) to Hungary. ...'

He makes arrangements to see Mrs Creel in New York or Chicago to 'talk over the business side' and suggests that she might correct some of his manuscript articles etc.
 Bartok had emigrated to America in 1940 when the political situation in Hungary had worsened after the outbreak of World War II.
[No: 24953]