Belai, Bela

*1885/8/2 @ A - Wien
†1953/?/? @ F - Massy (bei Paris)

Biographisches etc.:

• LexM / Institut für Historische Musikwissenschaft der Universität Hamburg
• Handbuch österreichischer Autorinnen und Autoren jüdischer Herkunft: "Emigr. 1939 aus Lübeck nach Shanghai; amtl. Namensänderung am 7.1.1917" (urspr. Bela Rosenfeld)
• Piano teaching philosophies and influences on pianism at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China
  (Chi Lin, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, 2002):
  « After Marcus left China, Zhou studied with Bela Belai for two years. According to Zhou, Belai was one of Liszt’s students in Hungary.
  Belai was a blind musician who had an especially deep understanding of works by Romantic composers such as Chopin and Liszt. In two years, Belai changed Zhou’s concept of piano playing. He taught Zhou how to play with relaxed arms, free wrists and loose shoulders. He also emphasized exercises consisting of double-notes (major thirds, major sixths, and octaves), all of which involved the relaxation of the wrists and arms.
  Zhou was assigned some Classical pieces, many Romantic pieces by Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, and Richard Strauss, and some works by Debussy and Ravel. In order to help Zhou improve her octaves, Belai asked her to practice excerpts featuring octave passages from Liszt’s works such as the Rigoletto, Paraphrase de concert, the Piano Concerto in E-flat Major and some concert etudes. Through her studies with Belai, Zhou expanded her repertoire and greatly developed her technical capabilities. » (s.a. als html).
  
  The Piano Is My Life - female pianist Zhou Guangren:
  Guangren's sixth teacher was Bela Belai(?), a Hungarian, a student of Liszt (several times removed). He was a blind musician, extremely musical and had an especially deep understanding of works by romantic composers such as Chopin and Liszt. Regrettably, he left the country shortly after Guangren began studying with him.