Between April 24 and May 4, 2026, Viola Biró and Virág Büky, research fellows of the Budapest Bartók Archives, ELTE RCH Institute for Musicology, realized a musicological research trip to San Antonio (Texas, US) with the aim of surveying a Bartók collection acquired recently, and conducting some closer examination of certain thematic units. The collection encompasses a remnant of the estate of Péter Bartók, Béla Bartók’s younger son, that remained in Florida until Péter’s death. It was purchased and made available for research by the American musicologist Carl Leafstedt, professor at Trinity University, San Antonio. The collection contains books, sheet music, discs, classical and folk music manuscripts, letters, photographs and countless other items including personal documents and memorabilia. While it largely consists of materials related to Péter Bartók, it also contains significant sources regarding Béla Bartók’s life and work. Documents from the former New York Bartók Archives also form part of the collection, providing valuable insights into the Archives’ activities and its relationship with Péter Bartók. The research trip was made possible thanks to an invitation from Carl Leafstedt and the generous financial support from a private foundation in San Antonio that was established to fund the processing of the collection.
Viola Biró and Virág Büky
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