MARIA BERGMANN
German pianist (1918 - 2002)

I have been able to find out very little about Maria Bergmann.  Certainly nothing regarding her professional training.  As to what she became, suffice it to say that she was a radio pianist for the Southwest German Radio.  That meant, for those of you who are not familiar with the concept, that she was required to perform anything and everything from solo pieces to concerti, often at the drop of a hat.  None of this touring with two or three set programs for her.  Just about anyone with chops can do that.  She had to play Mozart one night and Pousseur the next, and play them perfectly.

Her Haydn is indeed perfection. Sonata 34 begins where Scarlatti left off, as does much of early Haydn which was born of the Baroque. Maria Bergmann captures not only the stylistic essence of the origin of this music, but also gets whatever it was about Haydn that caused him to make the choices and follow the paths that ultimately led him to and through the horizons of what was to become classicism.  So many who perform Haydn approach him from the perspective of the end of his musical journey. But as Ferdinand Leitner, one of Germany's great post war conductors, said to me after conducting a group of early Haydn simphonies with the Baroque orchestra of the Cologne radio, "Isn't that young Haydn wonderful?" What I wouldn't give to have heard her play Scarlatti.

As was the case with many of the radio studio pianists, Maria Bergmann was often called on to perform concerti and accompany major artists.  Among those with whom she played were conductors Rafael Kubelik and hand Rosbaud, violinists Arthur Grumiaux, Henryk Szerynk, cellists Pierre Fournier and Janos Starker, and soprano Suzanne Danco. Examples of her art as a soloist and an accompanist are included.  The Mozart aria is like a mini piano concerto supporting a beautiful vocal display.

And if any further evidence of Maria Bergmann's technical mastery and phenomenal range is needed, there is the beautiful quintet by Henri Pousseur dedicated to the memory of Anton Webern.

Haydn  Piano Sonata in E minor, Hob XVI:34

i Presto
03:59 ➢ ii Adagio
07:32 ➢ iii Vivace molto