Annemarie Schindler

 For many years Annemarie Schindler organised her concert series in the "Villa Schindler". Today, her concert grand piano is one of the principal actors of piano duo.I spoke to her of childhood dreams, stellar performances, the curse of CD recordings, the blessings of performing for an audience and of tunes that make one happy.

Mrs Schindler, it is probably not an overstatement to say that music is a huge and important part of your life. Do you still remember when you discovered your love for music?

Yes, I can still remember that very well. I was relatively young then, around ten years old. I often had trouble falling asleep, so I would read or listen to the radio at night. One evening beautiful music came on, which I listened to with fascination until the end - it was Beethoven's "Pastorale".

Do you play an instrument yourself?

What is the method called?

It is a method developed by Michel Sogny, who was also the artistic director of the Villa Schindler for the first few years.

Why did you choose the piano?

We had a piano at home. My father loved music and the only memory I have of my mother, who died very young, is of her playing the piano for me.

Many years ago, when I mentioned that I would have loved to meet Arthur Rubinstein in person, you casually told me that he sat right next to you at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées! You personally met many of the great personalities that others have only heard about or know from the Internet. Yehudi Menuhin was even the honorary president of the Friends of the Villa Schindler. Which of your world-famous artists impressed you the most, or perhaps even motivated you to establish your concert series at the Villa Schindler?

I would have loved to play the piano or sing well, but I realized right away that I wouldn't amount to anything in that respect. And then it occurred to me that it was the artists who should be helped. They certainly have a difficult life – and so an idea was born, which would only become a reality with Villa Schindler decades later.

Lastly, you orchestrated your concert series in the Villa Schindler for almost 25 years. There is - at least today - a huge selection of musical events to choose from. What did you want to do differently with your concert series?

My motivation was not to simply organise yet more concerts; instead, it was always my aim to help young musicians. Anybody can organise concerts. I was more concerned about facilitating their first concerts and introducing them to an audience.

How has your approach to music changed over time?

There were such unbelievably beautiful moments….I fulfilled another dream, which was to get to know artists. The many hours, days and evenings that I spent with young artists are unforgettable. It has changed my life for the better. These artists, who I often call "my children", are incredibly special to me.

You are familiar with many artists and therefore have an insight into the world of classical music. Drawing from your conversations with your audience, acquaintances, and friends, what would you say is the public's biggest misconception about the music business?

I think that the general public often lacks the knowledge of what it actually means to be an artist and just how much it takes to be one. The audience doesn't know how much work and sacrifices it takes and that only very, very few can make a career out of art. I attended many competitions, and so many of the contestants, even first award winners, never made a career.

Has the concert business changed in your view?

Yes, I think so. I believe there will always be a concert audience that will faithfully go to concerts and follow the artists. But unfortunately, the media greatly influences the concert organisers programming as well as the artists they book. In my view, this has also significantly changed the quality of the live concerts. There are so many good artists, but only the most famous are invited. And there is one more thing: all these CD recordings! Every artist has a CD. But these recordings also take away the spontaneity. People start comparing a concert with a CD, which is not right either. That's especially hard for the singers. Isn't the beauty of it to sit in a concert and discover a new artist? There are still plenty of wonderful artists and outstanding moments where everything just comes together. The artist can somehow feel when the listener is unbiased and open. Those are great moments of musical art.This is why it is so essential that concerts continue to take place in front of an audience.

To engage young artists for your concerts, you have, amongst other things, travelled to many major competitions. What were your criteria for inviting an artist to the Villa Schindler or not inviting them despite their success at a competition?

Yes, that is quite simple: it is that something, called gut feeling. I don't believe that I really understand anything about music. I love music, and I like to listen to it. But I am not a music critic or musicologist.

What is a beautiful concert for you?

A beautiful concert is when I can forget everything else and can just feel happiness. That is an amazing feeling. And then there are those rare stellar moments when I say to myself: "It would have been worth it to have lived for this moment alone!'"

Have the performers changed over time?

Many of your artists had their Austrian debut at the Villa Schindler. Today most of them perform on the world's great stages. How does it feel when you then see your protégés on posters and in the great concert halls?

(laughs) It makes me very proud, of course! And then I think what a brilliant gut feeling I have. Most of my artists really perform all over, and that makes me incredibly happy.

You helped young artists for many years. Today your concert piano is a vital part of the piano duo project. In other words, your support has turned into a "mobile support".

[laughs].. that is a great word!  And just like with our piano duo project, my aim for my concerts was for the audience and the artists to get to know each other. That was the reason for the buffet and the cocktails after the concerts. It wasn't about cocktails! It was important for me to end the concerts with good conversations.

How did you come to own this unique instrument?

We started looking for a pre-owned Steinway grand piano before we opened the Villa Schindler. At the time, the Steinway dealer in Vienna let us know that he was expecting a grand piano from Prague to sell. It was love at first sight. The piano still needed to be restored and was in Vienna and Hamburg for that purpose.

What is a beautiful grand piano for you?

Your Steinway follows a very similar path to that of the many young artists who regularly performed at the Villa Schindler: how does it feel for you today to experience your grand piano at concerts or during recordings and to hear or read about it on the Internet? Though it is far away from Tyrol it might be played by the same artists who once performed at the Villa Schindler?

I can only repeat what I said earlier – how proud and happy I am. And thus my life continues amid the "mobile" grand piano. A dream come true!

These days you get to be part of the audience. Can you enjoy the concerts even more now that you are not responsible for their success?

No! It was probably only during the first year that I was slightly nervous that everything should go well. But from then on, I wasn't nervous anymore and enjoyed my concerts thoroughly. But it is amusing to think that I always wished that if I were to no longer organise my concerts, I would follow my artists' careers and travel to see them perform. But to think that they are playing my grand piano!

For Till Fellner’s concert, you travelled all the way from Paris to Vienna...

…yes, of course! And all my friends from Tyrol came as well!

What did it feel like to experience the last two Schubert sonatas in such an important concert hall, played by a great pianist, in front of a moved audience – and on your grand piano?

Schubert is one of my favourite composers. And then to hear my grand piano in a big concert hall! In Vienna! And with Till Fellner! It was a fantastic experience that none of us will ever forget!

…and the icing on the cake was Alfred Brendel sitting in the box...

That's right! I had completely forgotten that I saw him. He too was one of my favourite pianists. In particular for Schubert! Schubert evenings with Brendel were magic moments.

Earlier, we talked about whether pianists have changed. From your observation, have the pianos changed?

…then we are well equipped for our piano duo project: we have two concert grands from two different centuries, and neither of them has harsh tones...

What do you hope for in regard to our piano duo project?

Ah! For me personally: a new chapter in my life [laughs]. I am looking forward to traveling again and accompanying the artists to their concerts and recordings. The artists will be thrilled – just as my friends, who will on join me from Tyrol from time to time.

So you will accompany our piano duo?

Yes, I would love to, as often as I can. I can't travel that much, but I will follow my artists - and the mobile grand - from time to time.

Annemarie Schindler, thank you for the interview!