Bónis Ferenc: Life on track Zoltán Kodály (Budapest, 2018)
Its author had devised this book back in 1957, although in much more modest proportions than the present volume would suggest. Nonetheless, his project was not given the green light back then: fifty years had to pass before it could be realised. Of course, the book has only benefited from this overlong preparation, since it allowed time for its author to carry out some research which proved to be indispensable later. The author owes special thanks to Mrs Zoltán Kodály née Sarolta Péczely for the previously unheard-of richness of the volume's fundamental material - data and documents - at his disposal. All he had to do was to retrieve from them a story of interrelated events: the progression of Kodäly's life on track. The founder and maintainer of the Kodály Archives, Mrs Kodály kindly assisted the author in acquainting himself with three important collections therein: that of the letters written to Kodály, the household journals of Madame Emma (the Master's first wife), and thousands of photos and other documents.