Lili Kraus
Encyclopedia
Lili Kraus was a Hungarian-born British pianist
.
in 1903. Her father was from Czech Lands
, and her mother from an assimilated Jewish Hungarian family.
She enrolled at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music
, and at the age of 17 entered the Budapest Conservatory where she studied with Artur Schnabel
, Zoltán Kodály
, and Béla Bartók
. In the 1930s, she continued her studies with Severin Eisenberger
, Eduard Steuermann
and Schnabel, who focused her interest in the classical tradition.
Lili Kraus soon became known as a specialist in Mozart
and Beethoven
. Her early chamber music performances and recording with violinist Szymon Goldberg
helped gain the critical acclaim that launched her international career. In the 1930s, she toured Europe, Japan, Australia and South Africa. In 1942, Kraus embarked on a tour of Asia where, while in Java
, she and her family were captured and interned by the Japanese until the end of World War II
.
After the war, she became a New Zealand
er (formally a British subject) and resumed her career, touring extensively and eventually settling in the United States. In the early 1950s she performed the entire Beethoven sonata cycle with violinist Henri Temianka
. From 1967 to 1983, she was artist-in-residence at Texas Christian University
in Fort Worth. She made her home in Asheville, North Carolina
, where she died in 1986.
Her husband was Jewish (later converted to Catholicism) Austrian philosopher and patron Otto Mandl (b. 1889).
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
.
Biography
Lili Kraus was born in BudapestBudapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
in 1903. Her father was from Czech Lands
Czech lands
Czech lands is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. Today, those three historic provinces compose the Czech Republic. The Czech lands had been settled by the Celts , then later by various Germanic tribes until the beginning of 7th...
, and her mother from an assimilated Jewish Hungarian family.
She enrolled at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music
Franz Liszt Academy of Music
The Franz Liszt Academy of Music is a concert hall and music conservatory in Budapest, Hungary, founded on November 14, 1875...
, and at the age of 17 entered the Budapest Conservatory where she studied with Artur Schnabel
Artur Schnabel
Artur Schnabel was an Austrian classical pianist, who also composed and taught. Schnabel was known for his intellectual seriousness as a musician, avoiding pure technical bravura...
, Zoltán Kodály
Zoltán Kodály
Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is best known internationally as the creator of the Kodály Method.-Life:Born in Kecskemét, Kodály learned to play the violin as a child....
, and Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
. In the 1930s, she continued her studies with Severin Eisenberger
Severin Eisenberger
Severin Eisenberger |Galicia]] - 1945, New York) was a Polish-born concert pianist and teacher.Eisenberger was a student of Heinrich Ehrlich in Berlin and Theodor Leschetizky in Vienna. He made his debut at the age of 10 in Krakow in a performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto no.2 in B-flat...
, Eduard Steuermann
Eduard Steuermann
Eduard Steuermann was an Austrian pianist and composer. The actress Salka Viertel was his sister...
and Schnabel, who focused her interest in the classical tradition.
Lili Kraus soon became known as a specialist in Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
and Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
. Her early chamber music performances and recording with violinist Szymon Goldberg
Szymon Goldberg
Szymon Goldberg was a Polish-born American violinist and conductor.Born in Włocławek, Congress Poland, Goldberg played the violin as a child growing up in Warsaw...
helped gain the critical acclaim that launched her international career. In the 1930s, she toured Europe, Japan, Australia and South Africa. In 1942, Kraus embarked on a tour of Asia where, while in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, she and her family were captured and interned by the Japanese until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
After the war, she became a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
er (formally a British subject) and resumed her career, touring extensively and eventually settling in the United States. In the early 1950s she performed the entire Beethoven sonata cycle with violinist Henri Temianka
Henri Temianka
Henri Temianka was a virtuoso violinist, conductor, author and music educator.-Early years:Henri Temianka was born in Scotland of Polish-Jewish parents...
. From 1967 to 1983, she was artist-in-residence at Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
in Fort Worth. She made her home in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, where she died in 1986.
Her husband was Jewish (later converted to Catholicism) Austrian philosopher and patron Otto Mandl (b. 1889).
Links
- http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Kraus-Lili.htm Bio
- European Archive Copyright free LP recording of Lili Kraus playing two Haydn piano sonatas at the European Archive (for non-American viewers only).
- http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Kraus-Lili.htm
- http://www.naxos.com/artistinfo/lili_kraus/13511.htm