Country

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Austria

Birth

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June 20, 1926 in Vienna, Austria

Genre

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Keyboard

 

Ingrid Haebler was a renowned classical pianist born on June 20, 1929, in Vienna, Austria. She was born into a family of musicians, and her father was a well-known conductor. Haebler began playing the piano at the age of three and showed exceptional talent from a young age. She received her first piano lessons from her mother and later studied with Richard Hauser, a prominent Viennese pianist. Haebler made her debut as a soloist at the age of 12, performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. She continued her studies at the Vienna Academy of Music, where she was taught by Bruno Seidlhofer. In 1949, she won the first prize at the Geneva International Music Competition, which marked the beginning of her international career. Haebler's repertoire was vast, and she was particularly known for her interpretations of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. She was also a champion of lesser-known composers, such as Jan Ladislav Dussek and Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Her playing was characterized by its clarity, precision, and elegance, and she was praised for her ability to bring out the subtleties of the music. Haebler performed extensively throughout Europe, the United States, and Japan. She made her American debut in 1957, performing with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Leonard Bernstein. She also performed with other major orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Vienna Philharmonic. Haebler was a prolific recording artist, and her recordings of Mozart's piano sonatas and concertos are considered some of the finest interpretations of the composer's works. She also recorded the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert, as well as works by Bach, Haydn, and Chopin. Haebler received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. In 1963, she was awarded the Mozart Medal by the Mozartgemeinde Wien in recognition of her contributions to the interpretation of Mozart's music. She was also awarded the Grand Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria in 1979 and the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art in 1999. Haebler continued to perform and record well into her seventies. She retired from performing in 2006, at the age of 77, but continued to teach and give masterclasses. She passed away on December 6, 2019, at the age of 90. Ingrid Haebler was a consummate musician and a true ambassador of classical music. Her contributions to the interpretation of Mozart's music, in particular, have left an indelible mark on the world of classical music. Her legacy lives on through her recordings and the countless musicians she inspired and taught throughout her career.

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