Lily von Márkus – piano virtuoso and composer

[Wheesht]

An interesting entry in the (German language) Hungarian Artists' Almanac, 1929: Ungarischer Künstleralmanach – Das Kunstleben Ungarns in Wort und Bild:

Lily von Márkus
Piano virtuoso and composer

A young master of the piano who has gained recognition for her artistry not only in her homeland, but in almost all of Europe's major cities. Lily von Márkus has already performed on numerous concert tours in Germany, England, France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Romania and played with today's greatest conductors. In the year 1912 Lily von Márkus played before the Romanian Queen Carmen Sylva in the Royal Palace in Bucharest, and in the following year she played before the King and Queen of Belgium at Ostend. In 1928 Lily von Márkus was awarded the Golden Medal for Art and received the Parchment Honorary Diploma from the Fascists in Naples. Of the compositions of the young artist, her concerto for piano with orchestral accompaniment was played by the Philharmonic in Budapest in 1918 conducted by Kerner, and in 1928 a Scherzo (Goblin's Prank) for large orchestra was also performed by the Philharmonic, conducted by Dohnányi.

 (My translation)

So far I have been unable to find out when she was born and when she died, nor the whereabouts of her piano concerto, if that has survived...

[Wheesht]

Some more information is gradually coming to light: Lily von Markus, who was also called 'de Markus', was a cousin of Nijinsky's wife, Romola de Pulszky.

Somewhat hidden in Hungarian wikipedia is this (translated):

Lili (Lily), pianist, (Budapest, June 30, 1888-?) She studied with István Tomka at the National Conservatory of Music, and from 1903 to 1905 her teacher was Sauer. She gave successful concerts in major European cities. Her most significant compositions include: Álmodtam szépet, gyönyörűt... (Melodrama based on a poem by Petőfi, 1914); Gavotte ancienne (1915); Waltz for orchestra; Piano concerto; Songs.
Her husband was the painter Lajos Szentgyörgyvári Gyenes, born in 1888 [possibly 1890?].

[Jonathan]

I have a biography of Sauer, I'll see if there is any mention of her in that (when I get home from work).

[Wheesht]

Thanks!
An article about her in the newspaper "Pester Lloyd" of 5 April 1927 says that she has just returned from her sixth tour of Italy, where she was celebrated in the papers, not only as a virtuoso but also as a composer. The article concludes with the statement that she is busy completing her symphony in four movements.

[Jonathan]

Unfortunately, I've been through the whole book, including the appendixes and there is no mention of her.  Sorry I wasn't able to help with this.  Good luck in finding something more about her, she sounds like a fascinating woman.
Best regards,
Jonathan

[Wheesht]

Thank you very much indeed for going through all that trouble, it is much appreciated.

I hope I may find some more information about her in addition to scans of a handwritten card to the French music critic Robert Brussel from December 1925 in which she invites him to her concert in Paris.

[FBerwald]

In Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life by Béla Bartók Jnr, there's an entry -
"1906 - 12 January – Again in Vienna he sends a postcard with many signatures to Lily Márkus."
Would this be the same person?

[Wheesht]

I would have said so, yes.