In memoriam Alfred Brendel (piano)

//Summary - Level-B2//

Alfred Brendel, a celebrated Austrian pianist, died in London at 94. Known for his deep interpretations of German and Austrian composers like Beethoven and Schubert, he avoided showy playing and Romantic classics. He was the first to record all Beethoven’s piano works and continued to teach after retiring. His poetic style and legacy remain influential worldwide.

A)
1)
Alfred Brendel (1931–2025)
The renowned contemporary pianist Alfred Brendel passed away in London on 17 June, at the age of 94.

2)
Born in Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic) in 1931, Brendel grew up in Yugoslavia (now Croatia) and Austria. He studied composition and piano at the Graz Conservatory.

Although Edwin Fischer's masterclass greatly influenced him, he went on to study almost entirely independently.

3)
At 17, he gave his first recital in Graz in 1948. The following year, he placed fourth in the Busoni International Competition and began performing regularly.

In 1971, he moved to London and made his American debut in 1973, performing with the Vienna Philharmonic and other orchestras worldwide.

B)
4)
During his 60-year career, he centred his repertoire around German and Austrian music, such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, and received the highest acclaim.

Although he performed modern works by composers such as Liszt, Busoni and Schoenberg, he distanced himself from Romantic classics by composers like Chopin and Rachmaninoff.

5)
He clearly opposed the trend of performing with period instruments and was convinced of the expressive power of modern pianos.

He constantly strove to remain faithful to the composers and prioritised the structure and logic of the works over flashy techniques.

In December 2008, his final concert was a collaboration with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Vienna Philharmonic Society.

6)
He built an extensive discography of recordings, primarily with the PHILIPS label. He is also renowned for being the first to record all of Beethoven's piano works.

He continued exploring deeply throughout his life, recording all 32 piano sonatas thrice.

7)
Mozart's piano concertos and Schubert's sonatas, impromptus and Wanderer Fantasy, which he composed in his prime, are also memorable.

He was unparalleled in these repertoires for his sense of structure, rich cantabile, and lyricism, which were backed by his deep insight into the works.

C)
8)
Since his first visit to Japan in 1971, he has performed frequently there, and his intelligent and poetic music is etched in the memories of many audiences. In 2009, he was awarded the Praemium Imperiale in Japan.

Following his retirement from performing, he continued to influence musicians worldwide through masterclasses and lectures, and his legacy lives on in pianists such as Paul Lewis, Imogen Cooper, Till Fellner and Kit Armstrong.

In memoriam Alfred Brendel (piano)

https://ebravo.jp/archives/192360

Alfred Brendel (1931 - 2025(aged 94)) - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Brendel
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%83%AB%E3%83%95%E3%83%AC%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%83%BB%E3%83%96%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%83%AB

Alfred Brendel (5 January 1931 – 17 June 2025) was a Czech-born Austrian classical pianist, poet, author, composer, and lecturer, based in London. He is noted for his performances of music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, and Franz Liszt. He made three recordings of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas and was the first pianist to record Beethoven's complete works for solo piano.

Alfred Brendel: Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 | Lucerne Festival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LuqVBUZN_4

[Local Report] Kazuki Yamada makes his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic! He shows off his talents on the world's most significant stage!

https://ebravo.jp/archives/192324

Kreisler - Preludium and Allegro - Preludium and Allegro | Sumire Hirotsuru - Sumire Hirotsuru

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3zXe54WlwE