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

++

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#Bachauers#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#Greeces#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#Huroks#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,#Bachauers#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# Bachauers# objective# artistic# achievement# and# illustrates# the# way# in# which# Bachauers# 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.#Bachauers#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% pianists% Odyssey,# (Otley# Yorkshire:# GRM# Publications,# 1999),# 2=3# (Wades# 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).# #

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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#Bachauers#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# Wassenhovens#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# cole% 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# 30s,# 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# Taneyevs#prelude#&#fugue.#According#to#Aris#Garoufalis,#some#of#these#scores#are#kept#in# the# archive# of# the# Athens# Conservatory6# and# theres# a# possibility# that# several# Chopin# scores#edited#by#Cortot#are#there#also.## Up# until# 1933# Bachauers# 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#Bachauers#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#Ginas#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.## 6#Aris#Garoufalis,#Interview%by%author,#Athens,#Greece,#March#the#3rd#2008,#(dvd#movie).# 7#Deno#Gianopoulos,#Interview%by%author.##

5#Graham#Wade,#Gina%Bachauer:%A%pianists%Odyssey,#(Otley#Yorkshire:#GRM#Publications,#1999),#13=14.#

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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# Christous8# 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# Menasces# 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#Ottos#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.#Its#easily#understood#that# the# artist# felt# a# strong# bond# with# the# Greek# Royal# heritage,# long# before# she# was# introduced#to#Prince#Paul.## Bachauers# 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# fathers# death# came# much# later,# in# 1952.# In# April# 1950# her# beloved# husband# passed# away# after# a# sudden# heart# attack.# Christodoulous# 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%pianists%Odyssey#(Otley#Yorkshire:#GRM#Publications,#1999),#6.# #

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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#Shermans#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# Britains# most# prestigious# managing# agencies,# Ibbs# and# Tillett.12# A# contract# with# the# record# label# His# Masters# 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# wifes# manager.# He# didnt# 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# Shermans# decision#influenced#Bachauers#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#Bachauers#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# Bachauers# 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#Levines#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#worlds# 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# m)# 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#Britains#top#tennis#players.#She#was#also#a#talented#pianist.## 20National#Concerts#and##Artists#Corporation.#

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and# impressionistic# repertoire.21# Unfortunately,# some# of# Bachauers# biggest# concert# successes# like# the# Prokoviev# 3rd# piano# concerto# were# never# commercially# recorded.## Following# Shermans# # and# Huroks# 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# protges# 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#60s# 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# Pauls# 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#Shermans#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#Mozarts#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#Bachauers#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).#

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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#stamps#scheduled#circulation#by#Georgios#Rallis#government#was#issued#with#a# critical#delay#zeroing#its#effectiveness#on#voters.##

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

PASOKs# 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),# Bachauers# 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).#

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

Some# might# say# that# perhaps# Bachauers# Austrian# vaguely# foreign# sounding# =in# Greek# terms=#name,29#once#her#ticket#to#an#easy#acceptance#abroad,#had#something#to#do#with# her#names#negligence,#but#that#isnt#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# Bachauers# 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.##

761#

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

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# Bachauers# house# been# practically# left# to# fall.# Its# worth# mentioning# that# the# State# had# undertaken# the# conventional# obligation# to# make# the# Athens# Conservatory# fully# functional#by#the#year#1985,#something#that#hasnt#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# Bachauers#life#and#work.## As#paradox#as#it#may#sound,#Bachauers#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#Bachauers,#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.#

762#

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

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#its#our#great#duty#to#promote#her#lifes#work#and#keep#her#memory#alive.# Bachauer#was#above#all#a#Greek#artist#of#undeniable#talent,#generosity#and#contribution# to#our#countrys#cultural#heritage.#Its#about#time#we#return#the#favor#and#do#something# for#her.## # #

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

763#