“Dear friends, may this beautiful instrument bring you happiness and inspiration. All my love, Lili Kraus, London, Christmas 1959.”
So read the handwritten inscription in the piano Michael Parekowhai obtained for On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer currently on display at Te Papa.
In the museum’s collection there are photographs of Lili taken around 1946/47 by two different photographers – Brian Brake/Spencer Digby Studios and Frank Hofmann.
Perhaps the piano in these pictures is the same one revamped and giving pleasure and evoking emotion on level 5 at present?
You can find out more about Lili on the Christchurch City Libraries’ blog and Christchchurch Art Gallery blog, and read more about the piano restoration on the NZ Herald site.
Good morning,
Nice to fall on your blog, thank you.
I would like to put a photo of Lili Kraus on
http://www.francemusique.fr/emission/carrefour-de-lodeon-acte-2 .
The Producer and speaker is Frédéric Lodéon. it is a french radio of the groupe Radio France.
I ask your autorisation to publish your photo and if it can interest you, to give the adress of your beautiful blog. Our subject for 1er octobre is Lili Kraus with the french man who know her the better, Philippe Morin. He has produce a box of recordings of Lili Kraus which is to come by Erato-Warner.
I can give more information if you need.
Portrait of Lili Kraus, circa 1947, Wellington. Brian Brake, Spencer Digby Studios. Spencer Digby / Ronald D Woolf Collection. Gift of Ronald Woolf, 1975. Te Papa
Thank you for an answer.