Biography

1930 Friedrich Gulda was born on 16 May in Vienna. He was the second child of Friedrich Johann Gulda (1888-1957) and Marie Aloysia Gulda, née Súttay (1893-1984).
1936 Attended primary school on Kolonitzgasse in the third district of Vienna.
1937 First piano lessons at the Wiener Volkskonservatorium (or Viennese Conservatory) in the second district of the city.
1938 In contrast to his elder sister, Hedwig (born in 1928), who gave up her piano lessons after just one year, Friedrich Gulda (or Fritz as his parents called him) continued his lessons and received private instruction from Professor Felix Pazovsky from this date until 1942.
1939 First composition: “Allegretto für Klavier“
1942 Completed the entrance examination for the then “Reichshochschule für Musik Wien” (or Viennese College for Music). He was encouraged by Professor Bruno Seidlhofer to study music theory with Professor Dr Joseph Marx, in addition to his study of the piano.
  His first public performance took place on 20 December during the second concert of the “Reichshochschule für Musik Wien“ in the “Brahmssaal” (or Brahms Auditorium) of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (or Society of Music Friends).
1944 On 24 June, solo performance in Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A-minor at the final concert in the “Reichshochschule für Musik Wien“ with the Viennese Symphony Orchestra in the Große Musikvereinssaal (the Große Saal or Large Hall is also known as the Golden Hall. It is situated in the Musikverein, which translated simply means "music club") in Vienna.
1945 Marie Gulda spent the end of the war together with her two children in Margarethen am Moos (approximately 25 kilometres south-east of Vienna). For a short time, Friedrich Gulda trained the local choir and acted as church organist. Friedrich Gulda (senior) returned to Vienna in September after release from captivity as a Russian prisoner of war.
1946 Awarded first prize at the “Internationaler Musikwettbewerb“ (or International Music Competition) in Geneva.
  On 22 November, solo performance in Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto with the Viennese Symphony Orchestra at the “Konzert der österreichischen Preisträger am internationalen Wettbewerb in Genf 1946“ (or Concert of the Austrian Prize Winners from the International Music Competition in Geneva 1946) given in the Große Musikvereinssaal at the Musikverein in Vienna.
  First solo concert in the Große Musikvereinssaal took place on 10 December and included works by Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Debussy and Prokofiev.
1947 Premiere of “Messe in B-Dur“ (or Mass in B-Major) (final composition for Professor Marx) on 17 April in the parish church at Simmering in Vienna.
  Passed final piano examination on 17 June with distinction.
1948 The young pianist performed around 30 concerts which took him across Europe
1949 First tour of South America consisting of 37 concerts, including performances in Rio de Janeiro, Sào Paolo, Montevideo and Buenos Aires.
1950 Debut at Carnegie Hall in New York on 11 October –
  afterwards, first impressions of live jazz performance at the New York “Birdland“ club.
  Performed a total of more than 70 concerts.

1951 Premiere of “Galgenlieder“ (or Gallows Songs) (original edition) on 7 April at the Wiener Konzerthaus (or Viennese Concert House).
  Debut at the Salzburger Festspiele (or Salzburg Festival) on 3 August.
1952 Exceptional programme during the concert in the Große Musikvereinssaal on 29 January, including pieces by Bartok, Prokofiev and Schönberg.
  Jazz performance at the “Strohkoffer“ in Vienna, together with Joe Zawinul and Fatty George amongst others.
1953 Performance of all 32 piano sonatas by Beethoven in chronological order in Vienna.
  Recording of “Galgenlieder“ at the RAVAG studio in Vienna in October.
  Premiere performance of “Musik für Streichquartett“ (or Music for String Quartet) by the Samohyl Quartet on 30 November in the Mozartsaal (Mozart Hall) of the Viennese Konzerthaus.
  At the beginning of December, Friedrich Gulda played Prokofiev’s 3rd Piano Concerto many times, conducted by Paul Hindemith
  Debut performance with the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra on 14 December (Mozart Concerto in C-Minor KV 491, conducted by Clemens Kraus).
1954 Led his first master class at the "Internationale Sommerakademie Mozarteum" (or Mozarteum International Summer Academy) in Salzburg.
  Martha Argerich travelled to Vienna to take private lessons with Friedrich Gulda.
1955 Foundation of the “Klassisches Gulda Orchester“ (or Classical Gulda Orchestra).
  Made first recordings of his own jazz compositions and arrangements at the RAVAG studio in Vienna.
  Opening of “Fatty´s Saloon“ – focal point of the Viennese jazz scene and at the same time, one of the largest jazz establishments in Europe.
1956 Marriage to Paola Loew – shortly followed by the birth of his first son, David Wolfgang Gulda, on 27 January (coincidentally Mozart’s 200th birthday).
  Debut performance at “Birdland“ club in New York on 21 June (14 day engagement); followed by participation at the “Newport Jazz Festival“.
1957 Publication of the essay “Jazz und wir“ (or “Jazz and Us“) in the “Österreichische Musikzeitung” (ÖMZ) (or “Austrian Music Journal”).
1958 Completion of Gulda’s recordings of all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas at Decca Records. Nevertheless, the first complete recording was made at the ORF (or Austrian Broadcasting) Broadcasting Centre in Vienna in 1953.
  Chamber music concertos with the cellist, Pierre Fournier, the Wiener Konzerthausquartett (or the Viennese Concert House Quartet) and the Bläservereinigung der Wiener Philharmoniker (or the Wind Ensemble of the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra).
1960 Continued to give concerts as a classical pianist (112 performances), although works played frequently at the beginning of his career such as Prokofiev’s 7th piano sonata, Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition“ or Bartok’s Suite op.14 had completely disappeared from Gulda’s repertoire in the meantime.
1961 Paul Gulda, Gulda’s second son from his marriage to Paola Loew, was born on 25 October.
  End of October, Friedrich Gulda held a workshop in Hamburg (first performance of 3 jazz pieces: “A Wild One“, “Awakening“, “Tehran“).
1962 Friedrich Gulda played baritone saxophone for the first time during a jazz-workshop-concert at the “Ruhrfestspiele” (or Ruhr Festival) at the end of June (first performance of “Music for 3 Soloists and Band”).
  Following the opening concert at the Berliner Festwochen (or Berlin Festival) (23 and 24 September) and a jazz evening in Berlin (2 October) including the premiere performance of “Music for Piano and Band No. 1”, Friedrich Gulda withdrew from concert performance altogether and cancelled any outstanding concert dates.
1963 From September, some sporadic appearances as a classical pianist
1964 Tour of South America: First half of the concert programme: classical piano music; second half: jazz trio together with Jimmy Rowser and Albert Heath, performing his compositions (”Little Suite“, ”The Horn and I“, ”The Air from other Planets”, “Prelude and Fugue”).
  First performances by the newly founded “Eurojazz-Orchester” take place in Graz and Vienna at the end of May (first performances of “Music for Piano and Band No. 2” and “The Veiled Old Land”).
1965 Performed “Music for Piano and Band No. 2” together with the ”L.A. Neophonic Orchestra” on 4 January in Los Angeles.
  Participation in Jazz Workshop (Hamburg) and Jazz-Fernsehfilm (Vienna) at the end of February.
  Premiere performance of the revised “Galgenlieder“ on 13 June 1965 at the Viennese Konzerthaus together with singers, Christa Ludwig and Walter Berry.
1966 Friedrich Gulda instigated the “Internationaler Wettbewerb für Modernen Jazz Wien 1966“ (or Viennese International Competition for Modern Jazz 1966), which took place in May.
  Performed concerts with the “Eurojazz-Orchester“ and Joe Zawinul from 27 – 31 May in Vienna and Berlin (including the premiere performance of ”Variations for Two Pianos and Band“).
  Opened the Wiener Festwochen (or Viennese Festival) together with the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Georg Szell, performing Beethoven’s 5th Piano Concerto on 5 June in the Große Saal of the Viennese Musikverein.
  Friedrich Gulda and Paola Loew separated and he relocated from Vienna to Zurich.
1967 First tour of Japan in February.
  Friedrich Gulda married his second wife, Yuko Wakiyama.
  New recordings of all the Beethoven Sonatas for “Amadeo“ in July.
1968 Rico Gulda, Friedrich Gulda’s third son, was born on 9 April in Zurich.
  Friedrich and Yuko Gulda relocated to Munich together with their son, Rico.
  Friedrich Gulda instigated the “1. Internationale Musikforum Ossiachersee 1968“ (or First International Music Forum of Ossiachersee 1968) with the theme: ”Improvisation in der Musik – gestern, heute, morgen“ (or Improvisation in Music – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow).
  On 14 November, Friedrich Gulda was awarded the “Deutsche Schallplattenpreis 1968“ (or German Record Prize 1968) for the recording with “Amadeo” of 32 Beethoven Sonatas.
1969 Cyclical performance of 32 Beethoven Sonatas on eight evenings (from 28 May to 21 June) at the Viennese Konzerthaus.
  On 15 June, Friedrich Gulda was awarded the ring of honour at the “3. Wiener Beethovenwettbewerb“ (or “Third Viennese Beethoven Competition”). His subsequent provocative and critical acceptance speech led to a scandal unprecedented in the history of the Wiener Musikakademie (or Viennese Academy of Music) and five days later, he returned the ring.
  The theme of the “2.Internationale Musikforum Ossiachersee 1969“ (or Second International Music Forum of Ossiachersee 1969) was “Freiheit und Willkür, Bindung und Zwang im Spiegel der Musik“ (or “Freedom and Chance, Commitments and Constraints mirrored in Music”). It was held from 27 June to 5 July.
  On 8 July, Friedrich Gulda appeared on Gerhard Bronner’s TV show “Die große Glocke“ (approximately “Shout it from the Rooftops“) dressed up as Albert Golowin – a character he had invented himself
  On 30 November at the Viennese Konzerthaus, Friedrich Gulda performed his first piano concert to consist exclusively of his own compositions.
  Friedrich Gulda led a jazz workshop for Hamburg Television (including the premiere performance of “Wheel in the Right Machine – Workshop Suite”) on 7 December.
Speech
1970 In September, the first articles were published in the press concerning Friedrich Gulda’s planned musical “Drop-Out“.
  Various premiere performances including: “Variationen über Light My Fire” (or “Variations on Light my Fire”) (30 June), “Sinfonie in G” (or “Symphony in G”) (20 November), “Suite for Piano, E-Piano and Drums”, “Introduktion und Scherzo“ (or “Introduction and Scherzo”) (both on 25 November).
1971 Following a one-year break, the “3.Internationale Musikforum“ (or Third International Music Forum) on the Ossiachersee, with performances by Pink Floyd and Joe Zawinul’s “Weather Report“, goes off without a hitch (Theme: “Erste, zweite, dritte Welt? – Weltsprache Musik“ or “First, Second, Third World? – Music as a Universal Language“).
  Friedrich Gulda performed with Paul and Limpe Fuchs for the first time.
  Numerous concert evenings held during the Autumn with programmes consisting exclusively of works by J.S. Bach und F. Gulda.
  Various premiere performances, including: “Play Piano Play“ (12 March), “Concertino for Players and Singers“ (13 December).
1972 Joint concerts together with “Weather Report“, performing throughout South America from 24 April until 15 May (final South America tour).
  Performance in Villingen (Germany) at the beginning of April. The first complete performance of Book One of Bach’s “Wohltemperiertes Klavier“ (WTK) (or “Well-Tempered Clavier”) took place in Rio de Janeiro on the 17 May.
  “Anima“ – “Freie Musik“ (or “Anima” – “Free Music”) with Paul and Limpe Fuchs – including performances in Vienna, Salzburg, Zurich and Frankfurt.
1973 Numerous “Anima“ concerts, partly beginning with Preludes and Fugues from Bach’s WTK.
  The second complete performance of Book Two of Bach’s WTK took place on 18 May in Tulln.
On 22 and 29 May respectively, Gulda performed the complete WTK at the Viennese Konzerthaus.
  The “Musikforum“ was forced to relocate from Ossiach to nearby Viktring.
  Separation from Yuko Gulda.
1974 First solo evening without a fixed programme at the Viennese Konzerthaus.
  “Projekt Anima“ took place from 26 July to 6 August. It involved 10 concerts in and around Salzburg together with Albert Mangelsdorff, Barre Phillips and Mounir Baschir amongst others.
  Only sporadic performances as a classical pianist.
  Premiere performances of: “Für Paul“ (or “For Paul“) (15 January) and “Wings” (29 March), amongst others.
  Friedrich Gulda met his third partner, Ursula Anders.
1975 Numerous concert evenings of “Freie Musik“ together with Ursula Anders, partly combined with classical piano music during the first half of the performance.
  Premiere performance of “G´schichten aus dem Golowinerwald“ (Stories from the Golowin Forest) at the Viennese Konzerthaus on 27 May.
  Friedrich Gulda moved his main residence to Weißenbach am Attersee.
1976 With the exception of performances at “Tage Freier Musik“ (or “Days of Free Music” (19 – 22 August) at Schloss Moosham (or Castle Moosham) in the Lungau region of Salzburg with Cecil Taylor, Barre Phillips, John Surman and Albert Mangelsdorff amongst others, Friedrich Gulda appeared at more than 20 concerts, performing exclusively “Freie Musik“ with Ursula Anders.
1977 Continued to perform more or less exclusively “Freie Musik“ with Ursula Anders.
  On 5 and 6 December, Friedrich Gulda performed his own works at concerts at the Viennese Konzerthaus. The concerts were entitled “Guldas eigene Klassik“ (or Gulda’s Own Classics”) and included joint performances with Fritz Pauer, Roland Batik, Erich Kleinschuster and the ORF Big-Band amongst others.
1978 Stage performance of “Besuch vom alten G.“ (or Visit of Old G.“) by and starring Friedrich Gulda, Kurt Meisel and Ursula Anders on 25 and 26 February at the Cuvilliés Theatre in Munich and at the Salzburger Landestheater (or Salzburg Regional Theatre) on 2 May.
  Friedrich Gulda performed three concerts, in Gmunden (15 -17 September), Vienna (12, 13 und 15 October) und Munich (17, 23 und 24 October) respectively, playing classical piano music for the first time in a long while in front of an audience, together with his own compositions and “Freie Musik“.
1979 Together with Joe Zawinul’s Band “Weather Report“, Dizzy Gillespie, Mounir Baschir and others, Friedrich Gulda played at the “Weltmusiktage“ der “Szene der Jugend“ (or “World Music Days of the Youth Scene“) in Salzburg in July.
  On 13 November, Friedrich Gulda made a surprise appearance at the Viennese Konzerthaus during the lead up to a performance by the pop singer, Randy Newman. He played Mozart Sonatas together with his own compositions and improvisations on the Fiakerlied (a folk song about a traditional Austrian horse and carriage).
  On 15 December, Friedrich Gulda presented a programme consisting purely of Mozart’s compositions, entitled “Mozart for the People“. The stage was lit using red lighting, the sound amplified through speakers and the audience was younger than average. He caused a commotion before the performance by abusing the spectators, calling them “stinking reactionaries“.
  From 16 – 18 December, he performed “Freie Musik“ again, together with Günther Rabl and Ursula Anders.
1980 In February, he performed “Bach for the People“ at the Brucknerhaus (or Bruckner House) in Linz on an electronically amplified clavichord.
  Premiere performance of “Opus Anders“ on 22 September at the Brucknerhaus in Linz.
  Performed a total of 12 concerts, in which Mozart’s compositions for the piano were allotted more and more programme time.
1981 Three matinees, performing all of Mozart’s Piano Sonatas at the Munich National Theatre in February, as well as three evening performances in Paris (19, 20 und 23 March) and at La Scala in Milan (1, 6 and 12 April).
  Premiere performance of “Konzert für Violoncello und Blasorchester“ (or Concerto for the Violoncello and Wind Orchestra”) on 5 October in Villach with Heinrich Schiff as a soloist.
1982 Concert with Chick Corea at the Münchner Klaviersommer (or Munich Piano Summer) on 27 June.
  Premiere performance of “Concerto for Ursula“ on 18 September at the Berliner Philharmonic.
1983 Several concerts performing on two pianos together with Chick Corea, entitled “All-Music-Program“.
  Performed “Concerto for Ursula“ on 2 March in Munich and 26 October in Paris
1984 Recorded Mozart’s “Konzert für zwei Klaviere in Es-Dur KV 365” (or “Concerto in Es-Major for Two Pianos”) together with Chick Corea, Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra.
1986 Friedrich Gulda performed classical piano recitals more frequently and increasingly dedicated himself to the works of Frédéric Chopin, sometimes with “Freie Musik” performed with Limpe Fuchs (“Consonanza personale“).
  Participated in the Münchner Klaviersommer (four concerts at the beginning of July).
  Concert together with Wolfgang Ambros and Jessye Norman at a party thrown by their mutual record company on 5 September at the Viennese Konzerthaus.
  Performed two duo-concerts together with Joe Zawinul in Cologne and Vienna at the end of November.
1987 Trio with Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on 4 July at a jazz festival in the Viennese Stadthalle, as well as duo-concerts with Zawinul and Corea respectively in Parma, Barcelona, Winterthur and Innsbruck.
1988 Premiere performance of “Concerto for Myself“ on 9 March at the Munich Philharmonic.
  On 26 July, one day before the opening of the Salzburg Festival, Friedrich Gulda first gave a concert together with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe on the Salzburger Domplatz (or Cathedral Square in Salzburg) followed by a jam session with Joe Zawinul’s Band “Syndicate“ on Kapitelplatz.
Friedrich Gulda proceeded to skip all further commitments for the Salzburg Festival, thereby causing a huge scandal.
1989 Appearance with Herbie Hancock at the Münchner Klaviersommer on 15 July.
  Trio with Zawinul and Hancock on 24 July at the Salzburger Sporthalle (or Salzburg Sports Hall).
1990 Conception and musical direction of the opening of the Viennese Festival (12 May) on the Rathausplatz (or Vienna’s City Hall Square) with the theme “Offene Grenzen“ (or Open Borders”) with Gulda’s newly established jazz-rock formation “The Paradise Band“ amongst others.
  Performances with Barbara Dennerlein and Marilyn Mazur.
1991 Solo recital in Paris with the title “Le Monde Musical de F. G.“ (or “Friedrich Gulda’s Musical World“) on 3 April.
  Last concert together with the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra (Mozart’s Concerto KV 466 and Friedrich Gulda’s “Concerto for Myself“) on 30 September in Bratislava.
  Numerous concerts entitled “Mozart no End and the Paradise Band“ (including dates in Vienna, Frankfurt, Zurich, Milan and Barcelona to name but a few).
1992 Premiere concertante stage performance of "Paradise Island“ on 20 July at the Munich Philharmonic.
1993 Third and final tour of Japan in November.
1994 Programme of compositions exclusively by Bach, performed on the clavinova for the first time on 10 April at the Brucknerhaus.
  Mozart evenings in Berlin and Zurich in October.
  First dance-music-events with DJs and the “Paradise Girls“ on 3 November in the Wiener Sofiensäle (or Viennese Sofien Halls) and on 5 November at the Brucknerhaus in Linz.
1995 Friedrich Gulda played piano music by Mozart, which subsequently flowed into dance parties with DJs, the “Paradise Band“ and the “Paradise Girls“ in Munich (23 June) and Vienna (3 November).
1996 “Mozartiana“ – a staged musical collage of Mozart’s original music, techno und house music at the Münchner Klaviersommer on 24 July.
1997 “Mozartiana“ – Open air performance at the Linzer Klangwolke (a festival for art, technology and society which takes place annually in Linz) on 13 September.
  During the performance “The Gulda Experience“ on 23 November, Friedrich Gulda had the Große Wiener Konzerthaussaal (or the large hall at the Viennese Konzerthaus) cleared for dancing.
  Friedrich Gulda set up his own company, “Paradise Productions“.
1998 Friedrich Gulda hosted a clubbing on 29 October at the Radiokulturhaus Wien (or Viennese House of Radio and Culture), together with DJ Pippi and the “Paradise Girls“ with “Midnite Party“. He later described the TV recording of the event as his only relevant obituary.
1999 On 28 March, Friedrich Gulda publicly staged his own death by initiating his own obituary, ahead of two planned Easter concerts due to take place in Salzburg, entitled “Friedrich Gulda’s Resurrection Party“.
  Friedrich Gulda played his last concert at the Viennese Musikverein on 4 November.
2000 Friedrich Gulda died of a heart attack on 27 January 2000 – Mozart’s Birthday – at his flat in Weißenbach.