ML: "Me about 16/17
Mother
ML: With her sisters Ursel and Ilse (ML on the right)
ML: "Our Salon – in pink silk
ML: "In our music room: mother at the piano
ML:"Simon (3 1/2?) and Marius (1 3/4 years younger). In my house."
ML 2006
ML: Parents on holiday
ML: December 2006
ML: "Uncle (mother’s brother)
ML:"Me and Vivian Joseph with whom I played a lot"
ML: "(From left) Sister Ursel
ML: 2006
ML:"Walter and me with Marius
ML: Parents on holiday
ML: "My room
ML: Mother and 3 cousins
ML:"Picture of me here in my music room. My violin is an Amati"
ML: "Marius on cello (c. 5 years) and Simon on piano (c. 6 ¾ years)."
ML: Mother
ML: December 2006
ML: "String trio I had for at least 6 years. Watson Forbes
Maria Lidka
Born: 1914
Place of Birth: Berlin
Arrived in Britain: 01/01/1934
Interview Number: 142 (S)
Experiences: Early Pre War Emigration to Britain
Interview Summary
Date of interview: 13/12/2006
Maria Lidka, nee Marianne Liedke, was born 1914 in Berlin. She left the gymnasium in 1930 to study the violin. She came to the UK in 1934 as a student.
She later changed her name to Maria Lidka and became a well known violinist. She was part of a Czech trio and played frequently in the lunchtime concerts organised by Myra Hess. She lived in London and had two sons.
Place of Birth
The Russians had this Revolution, and of course a lot of people had to leave, and he came. He was called Maxim Shapiro. Very fine pianist. And my father paid for his concerts in Berlin. To give him a chance. But he came to us regularly, so we had a lot of music. We had so-called musical evenings, you know where there were about 20 people or more and then somebody played. I think I also played later on. This Russian friend said, ‘You must be a violinist.’ I was thrilled. My mother said, ‘You want that?’ I said, ‘Of course I want that.’ I was 14 or 15. So I was taken out of school, from one day to another. My father was amazing in that respect. He said, ‘And the best teacher.’
becoming a pianist