Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

755#

Gina+Bachauer,+a+forgotten+artist:+Negligence+or+political+taboo?+++

Philip&Gregory&Sougles&“Music&Culture&and&Communication”&post:graduate&department,&University&of&Athens,&Greece&

sougles@gmail.com&&&

Abstract.#This#paper#tries#to#shed#light#in#the#politically#controversial#pieta#of#Gina#Bachauer’s#dominant#artistic# figure,# due# to# her# affiliation# with# non=constitutionally# regulated# centers# of# power.# A# forgotten#legend#seeks#and#deserves#to#reclaim#her#share#in#Greece’s#cultural#history#and#heritage.##Gina# Bachauer# (1910=1976)# is# widely# acknowledged# as# one# of# the# most# prominent# representatives# of#Greek#art#music.#The#Greek#virtuoso#pianist#rose#to#international#acclaim#in#the#50s,#launching#a#career#full#of# artistic# achievements.# Her# vaguely# foreign# sounding# name,# gave# her# the# opportunity# to# surpass# the#obstacle#of#the#often#aloofness#(on#musical#ability)#that#plagued#Greek#artists#on#their#interaction#with#non=Greek# audiences.# That#was#mainly# due# to# her# Austrian,# Italian# and# Jewish# ancestry.# Bachauer#was# also#deeply# dedicated# to# the# Greek# Royal# Family# and# she# always# had# the# tendency# to# associate# herself#with#centers# of# power,# Royal# family,# Jewish# community,#Masonic# lodges# and#people# of#wealth.#Her# affiliation#with#these#centers#initially#benefited#the#young#Greek#who#possessed#undeniable#musical#skills#and#helped#her#ground#a#dominant#artistic#stature#in#the#global#art#music#market.#She#would#give#hundreds#of#concerts#each# year,# collaborating#with# the#most# noted# orchestras# of# the#world,# she#would# have# the# patronage# of#influential#economical#and#political#personalities#of#Europe#and#U.S.A.#and#she#would#be#protected#under#the#representation#of#Sol#Hurok’s#agency.#After#the#restoration#of#Democracy#in#Greece#in#1974,#the#banish#of#the#Royal#Family#the#same#year#and#more#radically,#after#the#socialist#party#came#to#power#in#Greece#in#1981,# the#affiliation#with# the#Greek#Royal# family,#or#any#other#non# =# constitutionally# regulated#center#of#power# became# a# taboo# capable# of# stigmatizing# an# artist,# regardless# of# his/her# objective# artistic#achievement.#Thus#said,#Bachauer’s#Icon#was#severely#damaged#and#her#name#appeared#less#and#less#in#the#references# of# the# new# generation# of# musicologists.# This# paper# attempts# to# demonstrate# all# the# active#correlations# that# existed# between# Bachauer# and# these# centers# of# power,# presents# proof# of# Bachauer’s#objective#artistic#achievement#and# illustrates# the#way# in#which#Bachauer’s#non=artistic# “career#boosting”#forces#acted#as#a#“boomerang”#to#her#later#recognition.#

##

Gina,Bachauer,,a,forgotten,artist:,Negligence,or,political,taboo?,

Gina#Bachauer#was#born#Luiza#Bachauer#in#Faliro,#Athens,#on#the#21st#of#May#1910.#Her#year#of#birth#was#later#“advanced”#to#1911#while#in#Alexandria,1#to#1912#by#the#Halandri#authorities#and#to#1913#when#she#started#her#career#in#England.#In#her#early#childhood,#the#Catholic#raised#Bachauer#insisted#that#she#would#be#called#Gina#and#that#led#to#her#establishing#the#name#Gina#as#her#first#name.#Bachauer’s#parental#ancestry#can#be#traced#as# far# back# as# the#mid=1600s,# when# Crhistoph# Pachaeur,# a# Bavarian# Civil# Officer#was#born.##The#family#migrated#to#Northern#Austria#in#the#mid=1700s#and#opened#a#brewery.#Her# father# Johann# Bachauer# (1880=1952)# had# an# Austrian# father# (Heirnich# Bachauer#1849=1914)#and#an#Austrian=Jewish#mother#(Dorothea#Wiener#1858=1951).#Wiener#is#a#typical# Jewish# last#name.2#Her#mother#Ersilia#Marostica# came# from# Italy.#Although#her#last#name#was#derived#from#a#hillside#village#on#the#vicinity#of#Trieste,#the#real#roots#of# 1# Graham# Wade,# Gina% Bachauer:% A% pianist’s% Odyssey,# (Otley# Yorkshire:# GRM# Publications,# 1999),# 2=3#(Wade’s# book# is# the# only# complete# biography# of# Gina# Bachauer# to# have# been# published# so# far# and#includes#a#large#portion#of#the#archival#material#of#the#Bachauer#archive#existing#in#the#Brigham#Young#University#in#Utah).#

2#Deno#Gianopoulos,#Interview%by%author,#Berkeley,#Calirornia,#February#2009#(written#letter).#

#

Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

#

756#

her# mother# were# Czech# on# the# parental# side# and# Russian# on# the# maternal.# Deno#Giannopoulos# explained# that# between# 1969# and# 1970# G.B.# helped# a# relative# of# hers#migrate# from# Russia# to# the# West# and# eventually# settle# in# Israel.# The# same# period,#Virginia#Nick,#a#longtime#friend#of#Bachauer#confessed#to#Gianopoulos#that#Bachauer#had#to#use#her#connections#to#the#Bush#family#in#order#to#achieve#this,#because#USSR#had#a#very#strict#policy#on#Russian=Jewish#people#migrating#to#non=communist#countries.#We#understand#that#Bachauer’s#Russian#background#was#most=likely#Russian=Jewish.##

From# age# 6# up# to# the# age# of# 8,# Bachauer# studied# piano# under# the# supervision# of#Mrs#Cazazi.#She#was#then#introduced#to#Dimitri#Mitropoulos’#blind#piano#instructor,#Ludwig#von# Wassenhoven,# with# whom# she# studied# for# two# years# till# his# death# in# 1920.# In#Wassenhoven’s#class#Bachauer#met#with#Mitropoulos.#The#two#would#later#collaborate#in#a# number# of# occasions.# However,# when# Bachauer# launched# her# international# career,#Mitropoulos#advised#her#that#she#should#stand#on#her#own#if#she#wanted#to#establish#a#dominant# artistic# figure.# Mitropoulos# continued# helping# Bachauer,# as# Madame#Goulandris# frequently# pointed# out,# but# their# international# collaborations# were# very#scarce.3#From#1920#to#1929,#Bachauer#studied#under#the#famous#Polish#pianist#Voldemar#Freeman# at# the# Athens# Conservatory.# Her# concert# debut# was# made# on# the# 20th# of#December# 1926.# The# same# year# she# received# a# piano# diploma# from# the# Athens#Conservatory.#Her#last#Athens#Conservatory#appearance#in#1929,#was#attended#by#Alfred#Cortot# and# Felix# Weingartner# and# received# great# reviews.# As# a# result,# Cortot# invited#Bachauer# to# join# his# piano# class# at# the# École% Normale% in# Paris.# Bachauer# was# both#fortunate#and#methodic# in#approaching#important#people.# In#the#case#of#Rachmaninoff,#the#acquaintance#was#made#possible#through#a#letter#given#to#Bachauer#from#Freeman.#Freeman#and#Rachmaninoff#were#both# students# at# the#Conservatoire# in#Moscow.4#The#letter,#written#in#Russian,#was#sent#to#Paris#by#Freeman#and#was#then#taken#to#London#where#Rachmaninoff#was#touring#in#1929.#The#persistent#young#artist#agreed#to#follow#Rachmaninoff#wherever#he#performed,#in#order#to#receive#advice#on#her#playing.#During#the# early# 30’s,# she# painstakingly# traveled# to# various# cities# of# England,# to# Paris,# to#Switzerland#and#other#places#where#Rachmaninoff#toured.5#He#personally#edited#for#her#the# fingerings# in# the# scores# of# all# of# his# concertos,# the# Tchaikovsky# concertos# and#Taneyev’s#prelude#&#fugue.#According#to#Aris#Garoufalis,#some#of#these#scores#are#kept#in#the# archive# of# the# Athens# Conservatory6# and# there’s# a# possibility# that# several# Chopin#scores#edited#by#Cortot#are#there#also.##

Up#until# 1933#Bachauer’s# family# offered# catalytic# financial# support,# helping# the# young#artist# create# a# circle# of# important# contacts# in# the# artistic# world.# This# was# doomed# to#change#very#rapidly#when#Bachauer’s#father#declared#bankruptcy#in#1933.#For#the#next#4#years#Gina#Bachauer#was#forced#to#stay#in#Greece,#making#her#international#career#inert.#She# taught# piano# in# the# Athens# Conservatory# till# 1937# and# made# frequent# recital#performances# during# the# same# period.# In# 1937,# she# met# John# Christodoulou# a#cosmopolitan#Alexandrian.#His#brother#was#married#to#Gina’s#aunt,#Ellie#and#she#was#the#one# who# introduced# John# to# her.7# The# couple# first# met# in# a# concert# Gina# gave# in#

3#Deno#Gianopoulos,%Interview%by%author.#4#Freeman#was#a#student#of#Sergei#Ivanovich#Taneyev.#Deno#Gianopoulos,#Interview%by%author.##5#Graham#Wade,#Gina%Bachauer:%A%pianist’s%Odyssey,#(Otley#Yorkshire:#GRM#Publications,#1999),#13=14.#6#Aris#Garoufalis,#Interview%by%author,#Athens,#Greece,#March#the#3rd#2008,#(dvd#movie).#7#Deno#Gianopoulos,#Interview%by%author.##

Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

#

757#

Alexandria# along#with#Woldemar# Freeman.# Christodoulou#was# a# very# charismatic# and#cultivated#individual#and#had#an#enormous#effect#on#Bachauer.#Furthermore,#he#knew#all#the#powerful#people#of#the#Alexandrian#upper#class#and#Gina#soon#found#herself#being#a#part#of#the#elite.#Alexandria#was#a#cultural#intersection#for#Egyptians,#Greeks,#Jewish#and#British#people.# Through#Christodoulou#Gina#met# and#became#good# friends#with#Baron#George#de#Menasce,#Count#Patrice#de#Loghch,#Lady#Alderson,#Lady#Crossfield,#Despina#Zervoudakis,# Clifford#Heathcote=Smith# and# the#Christou# family.#The# last,# entrusted# the#management#of#the#local#cinema#franchise#to#her#husband#and#Gina#undertook#the#task#of# Yianni# Christou’s8# music# education.# The# Christou# and# Christodoulou# families# were#actually#the#same#family#in#the#past.#In#Alexandria#Bachauer#developed#her#relationship#with#the#Jewish#Music#community.#Her#piano#class#was#mostly#attended#by#Greeks#and#Jews.# During# wartime# Bachauer# gave# around# 620# recitals# for# the# allied# troops,# week#after# week,# many# of# them# in# Baron# George# de# Menasce’s# house.# These# performances#were# organized# by# ENSA# (the# Entertainments# National# Service# Association).9# In# 1943#Bachauer#was# acquainted#with# Prince# Paul# of# Greece# (the# later#King# of# Greece)# and# a#strong#friendship#commenced,#establishing#a#permanent#link#between#Bachauer#and#the#Greek#Royal#Family.#Her#family,#of#Bavarian#origin,#was#one#of#the#first#Austrian#families#to#follow#King#Otto’s#arrival#to#Greece.10# #Bachauer#at#age#eleven#had#played#for#Prince#Andrew# in# beneficiary# concerts# for# the# support# of# the# Greek# army# during# the# Greek#Turkish#Conflicts#of#1921#and#192211#in#a#beneficiary#concert.#It’s#easily#understood#that#the# artist# felt# a# strong# bond# with# the# Greek# Royal# heritage,# long# before# she# was#introduced#to#Prince#Paul.##

Bachauer’s# English# Career# started# after#WWII,#when# Bachauer# had# to# deal#with# some#very#hard# facts#upon#her#return# to#Greece.#One#of#her#brothers#had#been#killed#by# the#German# occupiers# and# thrown# into# the# sea# and# her# uncle# had# been# forced# to# commit#suicide#in#order#to#escape#the#German#execution.#After#a#few#years#Gina#would#claim#that#her# father#eventually# succumbed# to# the#hardships#of# the#Greek#civil#war,# since#he#had#been# abducted# by# the# communist# rebels# in# a# response# to# the# atrocities# # of# December#1944# and# January# 1945# performed# by# the# “security# battalions”# (tagmata# asfaleias).#However,# her# father’s# death# came# much# later,# in# 1952.# In# April# 1950# her# beloved#husband# passed# away# after# a# sudden# heart# attack.# Christodoulou’s# death# shocked#Bachauer#and#she#avoided#recollections#of#him#in# future# interviews#and#conversations,#as#these#were#too#painful#for#her.#It#has#been#sometimes#implied#that#Gina#got#over#his#death# quickly,# embarking# in# a# new# romance# with# Alec# Sherman,# her# future# husband.#Although# it#might# perhaps# have# been# easier# to# disregard# her# first# husband# for# public#conception,#this#is#far#from#the#truth#though,#as#Bachauer#continued#to#have#a#very#close#relationship# throughout# her# life#with#Marilena#Klonaris,# an#Alexandrian# painter# and# a#

8#Yianni#Christou#later#dedicated#his#first#piano#sonata#to#Gina#Bachauer.#9#The#Entertainments#National#Service#Association#,#or#ENSA#was#an#organization#set#up#in#1939#by#Basil#Dean#and#Leslie#Henson#to#provide#entertainment#for#British#armed#forces#personnel#during#World#War#II.# ENSA#operated# as#part# of# the#Navy,#Army#and#Air#Force# Institutes.# It#was# superseded#by#Combined#Services# Entertainment#(CSE)# which# now# operates# as# part# of# the# Services# Sound# and# Vision#Corporation#(SSVC).#

10Prince#Otto#Friedrich#Ludwig#von#Wittelsbach#of#Bavaria#arrived#in#Nauplion#on#the#25th#of#December#1933#and#become#the#first#King#of#modern#Greece.###

11Graham#Wade,#Gina%Bachauer:%A%pianist’s%Odyssey#(Otley#Yorkshire:#GRM#Publications,#1999),#6.#

#

Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

#

758#

niece#of#John#Christodoulou#from#his#sister#Kalypso.#Gianopoulos#recollects#that#a#person#close#to#Bachauer#mentioned#that#throughout#her#life#she#kept#a#little#locket#of#her#father#and# first# husband,# that# she# touched# before# each# concert.# When# in# U.K.,# while# still#married#to#Christodoulou#Bachauer#would#stay#at#Alec#Sherman’s#family#at#their#house,#in#a#rented#room.#

Trying# to# leave# the# past# behind# her,# Bachauer#made# a# successful# attempt# to# launch# a#career#in#England#from#1945#and#onwards.#One#of#her#first#concerts#to#England#was#for#a#Jewish# beneficiary# concert.# In# 1947# she# was# fortunate# to# collaborate# with# one# of#Britain’s# most# prestigious# managing# agencies,# Ibbs# and# Tillett.12# A# contract# with# the#record# label# His# Master’s# Voice# soon# followed# in# 1948# and# as# a# result# Bachauer#produced#her# first#78’’# recordings,#which#have#been#recently#reissued#on#cd.13# In#1950#she#made#her#U.S.#debut#and#on#the#2nd#of#May#1951#she#gave#her# first#concert#under#Dimitri#Mitropoulos#and#the#New#York#Philharmonic#at#Carnegie#Hall.##

On#the#21st#of#November#1951,#Bachauer#eventually#married#Alec#Sherman#and#soon#his#role# starting# transforming# from# that# of# a# conductor,# to# her#wife’s#manager.# He# didn’t#instantly#quit#his#career,#but#he#progressively#withdrew#himself#from#the#podium,#having#accepted# the# fact# that#Bachauer#was# the#more% talented%part% of% the% couple.14# Sherman’s#decision#influenced#Bachauer’s#work#ethic#leading#to#compensational#behavior#towards#Sherman:#Perhaps#after#a#mutual#decision#she#started#touring#the#globe#on#exhaustion,#on#her#prime#giving#more#than#100#performances#each#year,#a#situation#that#eventually#caused#the#inevitable.15#Sherman#proved#to#be#a#very#drastic#catalyst#in#Bachauer’s#rise#to#stardom.#Following#his#advice,#she#effectively#got#involved#with#the#Jewish#community#of#both#London#and#New#York.#Clarissa#Davidson16# in#London#and#Sol#Hurok17# in#New#York# where# extremely# supportive# and# especially# the# latter# played# a# crucial# role# on#Bachauer’s# U.S.A.# career.# At# the# time,# Bachauer# and# Sherman#were# living# in# Highgate#London,# in# an# eleven# room#apartment# in# the# famous#Witanhurst# building,18# hosted#by#Lady# Crosfield.19# Before# Bachauer,# Venizelos’# widow# used# to# live# at# the# very# same#apartment.##

In#1953#Bachauer#was#represented#in#the#U.S.#by#Marcs#Levine’s#NCAC,20#and#by##the#late#50s#she#engaged#in#a#long#collaboration#with#Sol#Hurok.#Hurok#established#Bachauer##as#“the#Queen#of#pianists”#and##“a#Pianist#in#the#grand#style”.#Her#fame#as#one#of#the#world’s#greatest#pianists#was#supported#by#her#numerous#recordings#of# the#classical,# romantic#

12Ibbs# and# Tillett# was# founded# by# Robert# Leigh# Ibbs# and# John# Tillett,# who# trained#under#impresario#Nathaniel#Vert#(Narciso#Vertigliano).#

13Gina#Bachauer:#Her%first%HMV%recording%1949H1951#reissued#by#apr,#cd#audio#disk#(Including#works#by#J.#S.#Bach,#F.#Liszt#and#W.#A.#Mozart).#

14Princess#Irene#(of#the#exiled#Greek#Royal#Family),#meeting%with%author,#GR#Louis#Hotel,#Athens,#15th#of#April#2008,#(written#notes).#

15Deno#Gianopoulos,#Interview#by#author.#16According#to#Giannopoulos#she#was#a#big#supporter#of#Israel.#17Sol#Hurok#(Solomon#Isiaevich#Hurok;#born#Solomon#Izrailevich#Gurkov#(April#9,#1888,#Ukraine,#Russian#Empire—#March#5,#1974,#New#York#City,#USA)#was#a#world#famous#20th#century#American#impresario.##

18Witanhurst#is# the# name# of# a# historical#Georgian=style#mansion#located# on# a# 5# acre# (20,000# m²)#site#estate#in# the# village# of# Highgate,# Northern# London.# It# is# the# second=largest# house# in# London# in#private#ownership,#the#largest#being#Buckingham#Palace.#

19Wife#of#Arthur#Crossfiled,#Lady#Crosfield#was#born#Dominiki#Eliades,#she#was#of#Greek#ancestry#and#was#one#of#Britain’s#top#tennis#players.#She#was#also#a#talented#pianist.##

20National#Concerts#and##Artists#Corporation.#

Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

#

759#

and# impressionistic# repertoire.21# Unfortunately,# some# of# Bachauer’s# biggest# concert#successes# like# the# Prokoviev# 3rd# piano# concerto# were# never# commercially# recorded.##Following# Sherman’s# # and# Hurok’s# guidance# Bachauer# became# a# very# active# musical#personality# in# the# Jewish#community#of# the#U.S.,# the# Israeli#Art#Music#Scene,# the#music#society#of#Utah.22#She#was#a#founding#artist#of#the#Kennedy#Institution#for#Fine#Arts,#an#associate# artist# of# the# Jerusalem# Music# Center# and# the# patron# of# many# young# artists#including# Daniel# Barenboim# and# the# Greek# pianist# and# professor# of# Berkeley,# Deno#Gianopoulos.#Her#protégées#would# frequently# stay#at#her#place,# rehearse#on#her#piano#when#she#was#away#on#tour#and#receive#financial#support# for#their#studies.# In#the#60’s#she#helped#Princess#Irene#of# the#ex=Royal#Family#of#Greece#establish#a#piano#career#by#performing# concerts# for# 2# pianos# with# her.23# Bachauer,# after# achieving# international#acclaim,#would#usually#perform#for#free#when#in#Greece.#After#her#death#on#the#22ND#of#August# 1976,24# she# bequeathed# her# house# in# Halandri# to# the# Athens# Conservatory,#clearly#stating# that#she#wanted# its#exploitation# for# the#benefit#of#young# talented#Greek#artists.25# During# the# dictatorship# of# the# hunda# regime# in# Greece,# she# refused# to#participate#in#any#artistic#event#in#Greece.#

After#the#Greek#political#changeover#of#1974#and#the#referendum#to#repeal#monarchy#of#December# the# 8th# 1974,26# the# new# Konstantinos# Karamanlis# government# was# very#reluctant# in# promoting# people# that# had# a# direct# link# to# the# Greek# Royal# family.# The#political#conflict#between#Karamanlis#and#the#Royal#family#had#reached#its#peak#on#the#July#of#1963#when#Karamanlis#auto=exiled#himself,#due#to#King#Paul’s#denial#of#a#more#democratic#revision#of#the#constitution.##

When#Apostolos#Kostios#met#bachauer#in#the#Intercontinental#Hotel#in#Vienna#in#197527#she#narrated#two#anecdote#stories#to#him.#The#first#was#about#her#visit#to#the#Ministry#of#culture#and#more#specifically#to#the#secretary#of#music#affairs,#where#she#tried#to#make#suggestions# on# the# promotion# of# Greek#music# and# the# structure# and# operation# of# the#Athens#festival.#After#several#minutes#of#discussion#the#secretary#asked#her#"what#do#you#do#for#a#living",#clearly#not#knowing#who#she#was.# #Bachauer#left#furious,#slamming#the#door#behind#her.#On#the#second#story#she#explained#how#she#had#approached#the#Athens#Conservatory# and# had# informed# the# direction# that# she# had# found# funds# from# Greek#

21Nancy# Allred# has# compiled# a# full# catalogue# of# her# commercial# recordings# and# her# performance#repertoire#in#her#dissertation#thesis#(Nancy#C#Allred.#Gina%Bachauer:%Her%Performance%Career:%A%Study%of%Her% Repertoire% in% Concert% and% Recording.# University# of#Missouri:# DMA#Diss.,# 1999).# Theodore# Loustas#included# in# a# 2011# paper# many# of# her# non=commercially# released# recordings# (Loustas,# Theodore,#“Distinguished#Greek#pianists#of#the#past:#analytical#discography#and#concise#biographical#information”,#Polyphonia#18#(Spring#2011).#

22Being# a# longtime# friend# and# collaborator# of# Maurice# Abravanel,# she# made# frequent# visits# and#performance#in#Utah.#After#Sherman’s#death,#almost#the#entity#of#the#Bachauer#archive#was#donated#to#the#Brigham#Young#University,#where#the#famous#“Gina#Bachauer#Piano#Competition#“#is#held#every#year.###

23Usually#performing#Mozart’s#concerto#for#4#hands#No.#10,#K.#365.#24Failing#to#reach#her#scheduled#beneficiary#concert#of#the#same#night#she#passed#away#of#a#heart#attack.#Her# neighborhood# doctor# Gerasimos# Fasois# verified# her# death# (According# to# Maria# Saraki,# a# local#neighbor# of# Bachauer=# Saraki# Maria,# interview# by# author,# Athens,# 12th# of# December# 2007,# written#notes).##

25In#her#handwritten#will#she#also#stated#that#her#aunts,#Elle#Christodoulou#and#Anna#Antonopoulou,#her#uncle#Nasos#Antonopoulos#and#her#maid#Panagiota#Kostopoulou#were#to#stay#in#the#residence#until#their#death.#The#rest#of#Gina#Bachauer’s#property#was#left#to#her#husband,#Alec#Sherman.###

2669.2%#of#the#voters#voted#no#to#Monarchy.#27Apostolos#Kostios,#Interview%by%Tasos%Kolydas,#Athens=Greece,#26th#of#April#2009,#(mp3#audio#tape).#

Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

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760#

industrialists# and# ship# owners# in# order# to# arrange# master# classes# for# pianists# in# the#Athens#Conservatory.#She#had# the#certainly# that# the#programme#could#go#on# for#years#since#she#had#agreed#with#top#names#of#the#international#piano#scene.#The#professors#of#the#conservatory#signed#a#petition#stating#that#this#undermining#attempt#is#equivalent#to#a#motion#of#censure#regarding#their#ability#to#teach#and#if#materialized,#it#would#lead#to#their#resigning#from#their#teaching#posts.##

On#the#20th#of#November#1981#the#Greek#state#issued#a#stamp28#in#her#memory.#PASOK,#the# Greek# socialist# party# had# recently# won# the# elections# of# the# 18th# of# October,#establishing#a#powerful#majority#of#173#elected#members#in#the#Greek#parliament.#The#stamp#was#perhaps#issued#in#order#to#ground#unity#amongst#all#Greeks,#since#it#was#well#known# that# Bachauer# was# supporting# the# exiled# Royal# family,# or# in# order# to# attract#Royal=friendly# voters# to# the# conservative# party# of#New#Democracy.# If# that# is# the# case,#then#the#stamp’s#scheduled#circulation#by#Georgios#Rallis’#government#was#issued#with#a#critical#delay#zeroing#its#effectiveness#on#voters.##

Picture,1.,Gina,Bachauer's,honorary,stamp,

PASOK’s# ties#with# the#Palestinian#Authority#under# the# leadership#of#Yasser#Arafat#had#neutralized# the# traditionally#good#relations#between#Greece#and# Israel,# something# that#had# a# direct# effect# on# the# public# opinion.# Moreover,# in# a# time# of# drastic# social# and#democratic# reforms,# the# artists# that# had# a# conservative# background# tied# to# a# Royal=friendly#attitude#went%out%of%fashion.###

In# the#years# that# followed# till# the#present#day# (2011),#Bachauer’s#name# in#Greece#was#almost# forgotten.# In# a# period# of# social# reforms#within# Greece,# mostly# during# the# 80s,#relations#with# the#Royal# family#and# the# Jewish#community#were# considered#a#political#taboo#and#were#therefore#avoided.##This#can#be#understood#by#considering#the#turbulent#political#past#associated#with#the#role#of#the#Royal#family#and#the#frustration#it#caused#to#people#of#the#=till#then#suppressed=#left#parties.## 28Nitsa#Somomonidou,#a#cordial#friend#of#Bachauer#stated#that#she#had#designed#and#made#the#dress##that#is#portreyed#on#the#stamp#(Solomonidou,#Nitsa,#Interview%by%author,#Athens=Greece,#11th#of#March,#2008,#cd#audio#tape).#

Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

#

761#

Some#might# say# that# perhaps#Bachauer’s# Austrian# vaguely# foreign# sounding# =in#Greek#terms=#name,29#once#her#ticket#to#an#easy#acceptance#abroad,#had#something#to#do#with#her#name’s#negligence,#but#that#isn’t#the#case#with#other#similar#examples#like#Dimitris#Horn#and#Carolos#Koun.##

Till#2011#no#major#musicological#articles#or#papers#had#been#published#by#the#scientific#Greek#periodicals,#Musicologia,%Musikos%Logos#and#Polyphonia.#The#first#exception#was#a#paper#by#Theodore#Loustas#containing#her#complete#discography30#that#came#out#in#the#spring#of#2011.##

The#Greek#Radio#and#Television#broadcast#ERT,#has#lost#most#of#the#recorded#footage#of#Bachauer#playing#live,#due#to#the#often#multiple#use#of#the#same#tapes.#It#is#rumored#that#Bachauer’s# Grieg# Concerto# performance# at# the# Athens# festival#was# erased# in# order# to#record# a# football# match.# The# recovered# footage# includes# the# following:# a)# A# short#fragment# of# her# first# after=hounda# performance# at# the# Athens# Festival# on# the# 10th# of#August# 1975,# featuring# the# 5th# Beethoven# piano# concerto# under# Colin# Davis# and# the#London# Royal# Symphony# Orchestra.# b)# 2# Announcements# of# her# appearances# at# the#Athens#Festival#of#years#1975#and#1976.#c)#Bachauer#and#Rostropovich#being#awarded#by# the#Minister# of# Culture# Konstantinos# Trypanes# on# the# 18th# of# September# 1975.# e)#Announcement#of#her#Christian#Catholic#memorial#service#of#the#22nd#of#August#1977.#e)#Radio#interview#with#Manos#Hadjidakis#for#the#3rd#programme#of#the#Greek#radio.##

Her#house#in#Halandri31#was#inherited#according#to#her#will,#by#the#Athens#Conservatory#and#has#been#characterized#as#a#preserved#listed#building#according#to#a#1999#law.##

#

#

#Picture,2.,Bachauer's,house,in,Halandri, Picture,3.,Her,hand,written,will,

29Her#remaining#relatives#in#Greece#have#changed#their#last#name#to#Bachariou.##30Loustas,# “Distinguished# Greek# pianists# of# the# past:# analytical# discography# and# concise# biographical#information”.#

31On#the#corner#of#Prophites#Elias#and#Markou#Mpotsari#streets.##

Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

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762#

However,#the#Athens#Conservatory#is#in#shortage#of#funds,#not#being#able#to#function#the#2/3#of# its#main#building#and#has# left# the#building# to# its# current# state#of#abandonment.#Perhaps# the# building# is# of# better# financial# use# to# the# Conservatory# as# a# field,# so#Bachauer’s#house#been#practically# left# to# fall.# It’s#worth#mentioning# that# the# State#had#undertaken# the# conventional# obligation# to# make# the# Athens# Conservatory# fully#functional#by#the#year#1985,#something#that#hasn’t#been#done.32##

The# self=funded#Gina#Bachauer# International#Music#Association#was# inactive# for#many#years,#but#since#2008#has#been#providing#scholarships#to#young#talented#musicians#from#Greece.# In# 2010,# the# author,# Stelios# Spyrakis# and# Constantine=P.# Carambelas=Sgourdas#created# the# website# bachauer.org# where# someone# can# find# useful# information# on#Bachauer’s#life#and#work.##

As#paradox#as#it#may#sound,#Bachauer’s#name#was#kept#alive#in#the#local#community#of#her#city#Halandri,#through#a#metaphysic#rumor#that#was#spread#in#the#area#that#strange#piano# sounds#were# coming#out#of#her#abandoned#house.#Those# that# spread# the# rumor#failed#to#notice#that#the#house#that#they#indicated#as#Bachauer’s,#was#located#about#1km#away#from#her#actual#residence#and#was#actually#owned#by#Prapopoulos,#a#local#wealthy#citizen.#The#municipal#authorities#of#Halandri#had#announced#her#as#an#honorary#citizen#before#her#death,#on#the#6th#of#July#1955#and#created#a#marble#bust33#that#was#placed#in#a#small#park#just#before#the#Rematia#theatre#a#few#years#after#her#death.#Her#statue#has#been#vandalized#and#sprayed#with#paint#several#times#and#it#regularly#gets#taken#off#for#cleaning#and#restoration.##

Picture,4.,Bachauer's,marbel,bust,in,Halandri,,Athens,

32Aris# Garoufalis# estimated# in# 2008# that# the# project# completion# would# cost# 4# to# 5# million# Euros.#(Garoufalis,#Aris,#Interview#by#author,#Athens,#March#the#3rd#2008,#dvd#video#tape).#

33The#inscription#of#the#statue#indicates#an#alternative,#but#false#year#of#birth:#1912.#

Proceedings+of+Crossroads'Conference+2011+–+School+of+Music+Studies,+A.U.Th.+/+I.M.S.++

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As# Calomoiris# wisely# pointed# out,# “In# order# to# promote# and# establish# a# Greek# artist#abroad#you#must#first#establish#him/her#in#your#own#country”.34##Gina#Bachauer#is#still#a#very# recognizable# artistic# figure# in# the# international# music# world.# Various# piano#competitions# are# named# after# her,# her# recordings# are# still# selling# both# in# their# cd#reissues#and#mostly#in#the#collectors#after#market.#Bachauer#is#a#cultural#asset#for#Greek#civilization#and#it’s#our#great#duty#to#promote#her#life’s#work#and#keep#her#memory#alive.#Bachauer#was#above#all#a#Greek#artist#of#undeniable#talent,#generosity#and#contribution#to#our#country’s#cultural#heritage.#It’s#about#time#we#return#the#favor#and#do#something#for#her.##

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34Apostolos#Kostios,#Interview%by%Tasos%Kolydas.#

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