| Alfred Brendel | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | January 5, 1931 Vízmberk, Czechoslovakia |
| Genre(s) | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, pedagogue |
| Instrument(s) | Piano |
| Website | www.alfredbrendel.com |
Alfred Brendel KBE (born January 5, 1931) is an Austrian pianist, born in Czechoslovakia and a resident of the United Kingdom. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Loučná nad Desnou (formerly Vízmberk, Wiesenberg is a village in the Czech Republic, in Olomouc Region. Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra In Education, a teacher is one who helps Students or pupils often in a School, as well as in a Family, religious or A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located He is known as one of the most distinguished classical pianists of the second half of the 20th century. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music The twentieth century of the Common Era began on
Contents |
Biography
Brendel was born in Vízmberk, Czechoslovakia, now Loučná nad Desnou Czech Republic, to a non-musical family. Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Loučná nad Desnou (formerly Vízmberk, Wiesenberg is a village in the Czech Republic, in Olomouc Region. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, They moved to Zagreb when Brendel was six, and later to Graz, where they lived during World War II, towards the end of which the 14 year old Brendel was sent to Yugoslavia to dig trenches. Zagreb (ˈzɑːgrɛb is the Capital and the largest city of Croatia. Graz (etymologically from Slovene: Gradec IPA /gradeʦ/ "little castle" with a population of around 290000 as of 2008 (of which 252852 have principal World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian However, he developed frostbite and was taken to hospital. Frostbite ( congelatio in Medical terminology) is the Medical condition whereby damage is caused to Skin and other tissues Throughout his childhood, Brendel had occasional piano lessons, but otherwise little formal music education. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers
After the war, Brendel composed music, as well as continuing to play the piano and to paint. A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e However, he never had any more formal piano lessons and although he attended masterclasses with Edwin Fischer and Eduard Steuermann, he is largely self-taught. Edwin Fischer ( October 6, 1886 &ndash January 24, 1960) was a Swiss classical Pianist and conductor Eduard Steuermann ( June 18, 1892 in Sambir Poland (now part of Ukraine) – November 11, 1964 in New York City
Brendel gave his first public recital in Graz at the age of 17. [1] He called it "The Fugue In Piano Literature", and as well as fugal works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms and Franz Liszt, it included some of Brendel's own compositions. In Music, a fugue (ˈfjuːg is a type of contrapuntal composition or technique of composition for a fixed number of parts, normally referred WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" Johannes Brahms ( pronounced ˈbʁaːms (May 7 1833 &ndash April 3 1897 was a German Composer However, he gave up composing shortly after this to concentrate on the piano. In 1949 he won 4th prize in the Ferruccio Busoni Piano Competition in Bolzano, Italy and moved to Vienna the following year. Ferruccio Dante Michelangiolo Benvenuto Busoni (April 1 1866 &ndash July 27 1924 was an Italian Composer, Pianist, musical educator and conductor. For the mathematician see Bernard Bolzano; for other uses see Bolzano (disambiguation. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. At the age of 21, he made his first record, Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 5. Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who The last complete piano concerto by Sergei Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No He went on to make a string of other records, including three complete sets of the Ludwig van Beethoven piano sonatas (one on Vox Records and two on Philips Records). Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. The Baroque keyboard sonata In the Baroque era the use of the term "sonata" generally referred to either the Sonata da chiesa ( Church sonata VOX Records is a budget classical Record label founded by George Mendelssohn a distant descendant of the composer Felix Mendelssohn, in 1945 Philips Records is a Record label that was founded by Dutch electronics giant Philips. He has also recorded works by Liszt, Brahms (including Brahms' Concertos), Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8 1810 &ndash July 29 1856 was a German Composer, Aesthete and influential Music critic Unlike virtually all classical pianists, he has recorded very little Chopin other than the Polonaises. An important collection of Alfred Brendel is the complete Mozart Piano Concertos recorded with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields which is included in the Phillips 180 CD complete Mozart Edition.
Brendel recorded extensively for the Vox label -- particularly his first set of the Beethoven sonatas -- but secured a major recording contract only in the 1970s, nor did he play much outside Austria. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich His breakthrough came after a recital of Beethoven at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, the day after which three major record labels called his agent. The Queen Elizabeth Hall ( QEH) is a Music venue on the South Bank in London, England that hosts daily classical, Jazz London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Around the same time he moved to Hampstead, London, where he still resides. Hampstead is an area of London, England, located north-west of Charing Cross. [1] Since the 1970s, Brendel has recorded for Philips Classics Records. Philips Classics Records was started in the eighties as the new classics Record label for Philips Records. [2]
Brendel has been married twice. His first marriage, from 1960 to 1972, was to Iris Heymann-Gonzala, and they had a daughter, Doris. In 1975, Brendel married Irene Semler, and the couple have three children; a son, Adrian, who is a cellist, and two daughters, Katharina and Sophie. [3]
Work
Brendel is regarded as one of the most thoughtful interpreters of classical Germanic works by such composers as Beethoven, Schubert and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. He plays relatively few 20th century works, but is closely associated with Arnold Schoenberg's Piano Concerto. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Arnold Schoenberg ( pronounced ˈʃøːnbɛrk (13 September 1874 &ndash 13 July 1951 was an Austrian and later American Composer, associated with Arnold Schoenberg 's Piano Concerto, Op 42 (1942 consists of one movement with four sections Andante Molto allegro Adagio and Giocoso In recent years, however, he has stopped playing many of the most physically demanding pieces in the repertoire, such as the Hammerklavier Sonata of Beethoven, owing to problems with arthritis. Ludwig van Beethoven 's Piano Sonata No 29 in B flat major, opus 106, known as the Große Sonate für das Hammerklavier, or more simply as the Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation plural arthritides is a group of conditions involving damage to the Joints of the body
Critical reaction to Brendel’s playing has been mixed. While he has been lauded by Michael Steinberg as “the new Schnabel”, critic Harold C. Schonberg noted that some critics and specialists accused the pianist of “pedanticism. Artur Schnabel ( April 17, 1882 &ndash August 15, 1951) was an Austrian classical Pianist, who also composed Harold Charles Schonberg (November 29 1915 - July 26 2003 was an American Music critic and Journalist, most notably for The New York Times ”[4]. Brendel's playing is sometimes described as being "cerebral"[5], and he has said that he believes the primary job of the pianist is to respect the composer's wishes without showing off himself, or adding his own spin on the music:
"I am responsible to the composer, and particularly to the piece". [3]
As well as his former mentor and teacher, Edwin Fischer, he cites Alfred Cortot, Wilhelm Kempff, and the conductors Bruno Walter and Wilhelm Furtwängler as particular influences. Edwin Fischer ( October 6, 1886 &ndash January 24, 1960) was a Swiss classical Pianist and conductor Alfred Denis Cortot ( Nyon, Switzerland September 26, 1877 &ndash Lausanne June 15, 1962) was a Franco-Swiss Pianist Wilhelm Walter Friedrich Kempff ( November 25, 1895 &ndash May 23, 1991) was a world-renowned German Virtuoso Pianist Conducting is the act of directing a Musical performance by way of visible gestures WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Bruno Walter ( September 15, 1876 &ndash February WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Wilhelm Furtwängler (January 25 1886 &ndash November 30 1954 was a
In recent years, Brendel has worked with younger pianists such as Paul Lewis, Mark Gasser, Roberto Carnevale, Andrew von Oeyen and Till Fellner. Paul Lewis is an English Classical music Pianist Paul Lewis was born to a Liverpool family Mark Gasser (born 1972 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire is a British Concert pianist. Roberto Carnevale (born 15 June 1966) is an Italian Composer, Pianist and conductor. Andrew von Oeyen (born November 12 1979 is an American classical Pianist. He has also performed in concert and recorded with his son Adrian. [6]
In November 2007, Brendel announced that he would retire from the concert platform after his scheduled concert of 18 December 2008 in Vienna, which is to feature him as soloist in the Piano Concerto No. 9 of Mozart. [7]
Publications
Brendel is also a published poet and author. [8] His books include:
- Musical Thoughts and Afterthoughts (Essays) (1976)
- Music Sounded Out (1990)
- One Finger Too Many (Poetry) (1998)
- Alfred Brendel on Music (collected essays) (2001)
- Me, of All People: Alfred Brendel in Conversation with Martin Meyer (2002)
- Cursing Bagels (Poetry) (2004)
Awards
- KBE (1989)
- Sonning Award (2002; Denmark)
References
- ^ a b "Brendel, Alfred", Grove Music Online, 2007. The Léonie Sonning Music Prize, or Sonning Award, which is recognized as Denmark 's highest musical honor is given annually to an international Musician The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Accessed June 3, 2007. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ Anthony Holden. "Alfred Brendel, A Personal 75th Birthday Selection", The Observer, 8 January 2006. Retrieved on 2007-11-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
- ^ a b Nicholas Wroe. "Keeper of the flame", The Guardian, 5 October 2002. Retrieved on 2007-11-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
- ^ The Great Pianists from Mozart to the Present, Harold C. Schonberg, Simon & Schuster, Second Edition, 1987, ISBN 0671638378
- ^ Tom Service. "Alfred Brendel (Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Suffolk)", The Guardian, 16 June 2003. Retrieved on 2007-11-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
- ^ Andrew Clements. "Adrian and Alfred Brendel (Wigmore Hall, London)", The Guardian, 1 July 2003. Retrieved on 2007-11-24. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 380 - Theodosius I makes his adventus, or formal
- ^ Charlotte Higgins. "Alfred Brendel, piano maestro, calls time on concert career", The Guardian, 21 November 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
- ^ Alfred Brendel. "Hymns, Pianos and Laughing Angels", The Guardian, 27 March 2004. Retrieved on 2007-11-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
External links
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