Clifford Curzon

Sir Clifford Curzon ( born May 18, 1907 in London as Clifford Michael Siegberg; † September 1, 1982 ) was a British pianist.

Life

Although after his exams (1926-1928) graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in his hometown could take up a teaching position at this institution, he decided in 1928 for further training with Artur Schnabel in Berlin and Wanda Landowska and Nadia Boulanger in Paris.

He adopted his wife, harpsichordist Curzon Lucille ( née Wallace ), 1954 originating from the marriage of Maria Cebotari and Gustav Diessl orphans Peter and Fritz.

Self-criticism and an inquiry- pensive attitude of the masterpieces of music, which he shared with his teacher beak and " conquering " it from the virtuoso difference, also recorded Curzon's later career of, in which he repeatedly lodged longer breaks in numerous chamber music performances renounced any Solisteneitelkeit and his own record recordings looked extremely skeptical.

He limited his repertoire over the years strengthened and eventually was regarded as Mozart, Schubert and Brahms specialist, as a " philosopher " and " Sensibilissimus " on the piano. The critic Harold C. Schonberg (New York Times) told him that only his pianissimo had twenty shades.

Daniel Barenboim names him as one of his musical idols.