JOHANNA MARTZY

The Awakening of a Virtuoso

Johanna Martzy was born on October 26, 1924 in Timișoara, Romania. From an early age, she was captivated by the violin and began her musical studies at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, where she was quickly spotted for her exceptional talent. Her meteoric rise was interrupted by the arrival of the Nazis in Hungary, where she was interned in a camp until the end of the war.

A Dazzling Trajectory

Freed, she took up her instrument again, and quickly made a name for herself on the international scene. She won first prize at the Geneva Competition in 1947, and performed on the world's greatest stages, from London to New York. However, her career was also marked by constant challenges, including accusations concerning her alleged political affinities during the war and a constant battle against sometimes hostile music critics.

The Eclipse of a Star

Despite the obstacles, Johanna Martzy remained an artist devoted to her art, refusing to compromise. In 1965, she began to gradually withdraw from the stage, finding refuge in Switzerland, where she died in 1979. Despite belated recognition, she remains an emblematic figure of twentieth-century violin, hailed for her exceptional talent. The Lost Recordings has had the privilege of rediscovering and restoring a series of previously unreleased studio and concert recordings by Johanna Martzy, made between 1955 and 1965. These documents attest to the artist's immense talent and the lasting impact of her music.