Béla Hartmann

Since becoming a semi-finalist at the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2000 Czech-German pianist, composer, teacher and writer Béla Hartmann has enjoyed a wide ranging career, performing in venues from New York (Carnegie Hall) and London (Wigmore Hall) to smaller venues across the UK and Europe. His London series of the complete Piano Sonatas of Schubert at Steinway Hall culminated in the release of his highly praised debut CD of Schubert Piano Works (Meridian), and his performances for the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe at St James Piccadilly featured Beethoven's piano variations, including the monumental Diabelli Variations. Aside from that his repertoire includes contemporary works by composers such as Birtwistle, Boulez and Bussotti, and he gave UK premieres of works by Widmann and Petr Eben. His most recent CD features the early Piano Concerto in A minor by Mendelssohn, recorded with the Keld Ensemble. Béla Hartmann is also a keen musical essayist and has published articles and reviews on a wide range of music-related topics.

Béla Hartmann studied with Vadim Suchanov and Nicolas Economou in Munich, John Bingham at Trinity College of Music, London, and with Elisso Virssaladse in Munich.

As a teacher Béla Hartmann has worked with pupils of all ages and levels from beginners to post graduate music college students. His pupils have enjoyed successes at concerts, competitions and auditions, have performed piano concertos, gained diploma qualifications and gone on to pursue professional careers. He has adjudicated in competitions and given masterclasses as well as lecture recitals.

Béla Hartmann only recently began composing but has in that time written a variety of small and large pieces for aspiring pianists. He is particularly interested in chamber music collaborations between early and intermediate pupils. His own concert pieces often take their inspiration from vocal works by Brahms and other late romantic composers, and the poetry of Rilke.

BÉLA HARTMANN'S WEBSITE

 

Articles about Béla Hartmann

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Rough winds do shake

Classical music news. The Pursuit of Musick - Some new publications and other news

Articles by Béla Hartmann

Béla Hartmann discusses whether or not musicians should speak out in public

Béla Hartmann discusses quality in the Arts

Béla Hartmann asks some searching questions about the pressure being placed on Russian artists following Putin's invasion of Ukraine

Béla Hartmann is impressed by music for clarinet and piano by Brahms and Widmann played by Jörg Widmann and András Schiff

Annie Fischer plays Mozart and Bartók. 'Her phrasing makes even the most complex and profound passages instantly understandable ...'

Béla Hartmann muses on growing social equality and democratization

Stokowski conducts Schubert and Dvorák. '... one is never left in any doubt as to the force of the conductor ...'

Béla Hartmann writes about the relevance of biography to an appreciation of the arts

Several Composers in Search of an Identity