Marie Bigot

Marie Kiéné Bigot de Morogues (3 March 1786 – 16 September 1820) was a French pianist and composer. She is best known for her sonatas and études. Career Marie Kiéné was born in Colmar in Alsace. After marrying M. Bigot, she moved to Vienna in 1804, where she lived for five years. She was highly accomplished at the piano and played for Haydn, who exclaimed, “Oh, my dear child, I did not write this music – it is you who has composed it!” He wrote on the sheet from which she played, “On 20 February 1805, Joseph Haydn was happy”. She became a friend of Salieri. Her husband being the librarian of Count Razumovsky, she also became friendly with Beethoven, who admired her playing. She was the first to play for him, from the autograph, his newly written Appassionata Sonata, impressing him so much that he told her, “That is not exactly the character I wanted to give this piece; but go right on. If it is not wholly mine, it is something better.” He gave her the autograph of the Appassionata. In 1808, after a misunderstanding over Beethoven’s invitation to take Marie and her three-year-old daughter, Caroline, for a drive and her refusal, the famous composer sent an apologetic letter to her an