„This written work is not a biography. Many excellent books of this kind have already been written, the first being by Halsey Stevens - not to mention the biography by Agatha Fassett and two books by my brother, Béla. I leave the research for biographical details and the analysis of the music to the musicologists. With the exception of some unique cases where I wanted to disclose some documentary information or personal aspects, I only used my personal experiences or conversations in which I was a participant or witness in this account. The section on folk music also includes quotes from my father’s articles or lectures, of course taking into account the profound impact that folk music had on him and his music throughout his life. I hope this book helps the reader to understand Béla Bartók as a person and as a human being. Not only did he have extraordinary musical talent, but he was also a humble, gentle, kind man who tried to make a modest living for himself and his family in a difficult world.”