Elmas, Stephan |
| COMPOSER, PIANIST (TURKEY) |
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BORN 24 Dec 1862, Izmir - DIED 11 Aug 1937, Genève GRAVE LOCATION Genève, Genève: Cimetière de Plainpalais, Rue des Rois (D-366) |
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Stephan Elmas came from an Armenian family of entrepeneurs in Smyrna. When he was thirteen years old he was able to perform a piano recital of the works of Liszt. Encouraged by his local teacher he left for Weimar, hoping for an audition with Liszt. He met Liszt and the latter recommended him to study at the Conservatory. There Franz Krenn and Anton Door were his teachers. He revisited Smyrna for his father's funeral but immediately returned to Viena afterwards. On 24 February 1887 he gave a succesful retical in the Bösendorfer-Saal in Vienna and after that he undertook concert tours in Europe. He played his own compositions, but also works by Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann. During his travels he befriended Anton Rubinstein, Jules Massenet and Joseph-Édouard Risler. In 1912 he settled in Geneva. In 1925 he became a citizen of honour of that city. Over time he developed hearing problems and started living as a recluse. The Swiss armless painter Aimée Rapin became a close friend and she took care of him. He died in 1937 in Geneva. Related persons • was advised by Liszt, Franz |
| Images |
 The grave of Stephan Elmas at the Cimetière de Plainpalais, Genève. Picture by Androom (06 Dec 2007) |
Sources • Stéphan Elmas – Wikipedia |
