Claudio Arrau León (February 6, 1903 – June 9, 1991) was a Chilean pianist … Read Full Bio ↴Claudio Arrau León (February 6, 1903 – June 9, 1991) was a Chilean pianist of world fame for his deep interpretations of a vast repertoire spanning from the baroque to 20th-century composers. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.
Arrau recorded the complete piano music of Robert Schumann, and edited his works for publication, as well as all Beethoven piano sonatas in Urtext edition. He is also famous for his recordings of Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Liszt, Chopin, Schubert and Debussy, among others. He played with style and passion, with a prodigious technique. Many claimed that his rich, weighty tone lent his interpretations a distinctive voice, some saying it sounded thick and muddy and others praising its rounded tone, saying it sounded as though Arrau were almost playing the organ or "plowing" his "paws" into the "flexible" keyboard. According to American critic Harold Schonberg, Arrau always put "a decidedly romantic piano tone in his interpretations." Although he often played with slower and more deliberate tempi from his middle age, Arrau had a reputation for being a fabulous virtuoso early in his career. According to Joseph Horowitz in his book Conversations With Arrau (1982), many critics feel his overall approach became less spontaneous and more reserved and introspective after the death of his mother, to whom he was extremely close.
At the time of his death at 88 in Mürzzuschlag, Austria, Arrau was working on a compact disc recording of the complete works of Bach for keyboard, and had Haydn, Mendelssohn, Reger, Busoni and Boulez's 3rd Sonata in preparation. His remains were interred in his native city of Chillán, Chile.
The Robert Schumann Society established the Arrau Medal in 1991. It has been awarded to András Schiff, Martha Argerich and Murray Perahia.
Arrau recorded the complete piano music of Robert Schumann, and edited his works for publication, as well as all Beethoven piano sonatas in Urtext edition. He is also famous for his recordings of Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Liszt, Chopin, Schubert and Debussy, among others. He played with style and passion, with a prodigious technique. Many claimed that his rich, weighty tone lent his interpretations a distinctive voice, some saying it sounded thick and muddy and others praising its rounded tone, saying it sounded as though Arrau were almost playing the organ or "plowing" his "paws" into the "flexible" keyboard. According to American critic Harold Schonberg, Arrau always put "a decidedly romantic piano tone in his interpretations." Although he often played with slower and more deliberate tempi from his middle age, Arrau had a reputation for being a fabulous virtuoso early in his career. According to Joseph Horowitz in his book Conversations With Arrau (1982), many critics feel his overall approach became less spontaneous and more reserved and introspective after the death of his mother, to whom he was extremely close.
At the time of his death at 88 in Mürzzuschlag, Austria, Arrau was working on a compact disc recording of the complete works of Bach for keyboard, and had Haydn, Mendelssohn, Reger, Busoni and Boulez's 3rd Sonata in preparation. His remains were interred in his native city of Chillán, Chile.
The Robert Schumann Society established the Arrau Medal in 1991. It has been awarded to András Schiff, Martha Argerich and Murray Perahia.
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03Piano Concerto No.1 in C, Op.15 (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Rondo: Allegro scherzando9:30Alceo Galliera
04Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Flat, Op.19 (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro con brio14:03Alceo Galliera/Philharmonia Orchestra/Claudio Arrau
05Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Flat, Op.19 (1991 Digital Remaster): II. Adagio9:02Alceo Galliera/Philharmonia Orchestra/Claudio Arrau
06Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Flat, Op.19 (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Rondo (Molto allegro)6:38Alceo Galliera/Philharmonia Orchestra/Claudio Arrau
08Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op.37 (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro con brio0:01Alceo Galliera
10Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op.37 (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Rondo (Allegro)9:31Alceo Galliera
11Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor' (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro0:01Alceo Galliera
12Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor' (1991 Digital Remaster): II. Adagio un poco mosso7:47Alceo Galliera
13Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor' (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Rondo (Allegro)10:42Alceo Galliera
16Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, Op.58 (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Rondo: Vivace - Presto10:13Alceo Galliera
17Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op.53 'Waldstein' (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro con brio12:09Claudio Arrau
18Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op.53 'Waldstein' (1991 Digital Remaster): II. Introduzione (Adagio molto)4:17Claudio Arrau
19Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op.53 'Waldstein' (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Rondo (Allegretto moderato)10:46Claudio Arrau
20Piano Sonata No. 26 in E Flat Major, Op.81a 'Les adieux' (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Adagio - Allegro "Les Adieux"6:58Claudio Arrau
21Piano Sonata No. 26 in E Flat Major, Op.81a 'Les adieux' (1991 Digital Remaster): II. Andante espressivo "L'Absence"3:50Ludwig van Beethoven
22Piano Sonata No. 26 in E Flat Major, Op.81a 'Les adieux' (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Vivacissimamente - Poco andante "Le Retour"6:05Ludwig van Beethoven
23Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op.57 'Appassionata' (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro assai10:25Claudio Arrau
24Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op.57 'Appassionata' (1991 Digital Remaster): II. Andante con moto7:02Claudio Arrau
25Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op.57 'Appassionata' (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Allegro, ma non troppo - Presto8:24Claudio Arrau
26Piano Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op.54 (1991 Digital Remaster): I. In tempo d'un minuetto5:58Claudio Arrau
32Piano Sonata No. 24 in F Sharp, Op.78 (2011 - Remaster): I. Adagio cantabile - Allegro ma non troppo7:28Claudio Arrau
34Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op.101 (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Allegretto, ma non troppo4:20Claudio Arrau
35Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op.101 (1991 Digital Remaster): II. Vivace alla Marcia5:06Claudio Arrau
36Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op.101 (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Adagio, ma non troppo3:07Claudio Arrau
38Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110: I. Moderato cantabile, molto espressivo7:15Claudio Arrau
40Piano Sonata No. 31 in A Flat, Op.110 (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Adagio ma non troppo3:53Claudio Arrau
41Piano Sonata No. 31 in A Flat, Op.110 (1991 Digital Remaster): IV. Fuga (Allegro, ma non troppo - L'istesso tempo di arioso - L'istessa tempo della Fuga - Meno allegro)7:19Claudio Arrau
42Piano Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op.111 (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato9:01Claudio Arrau
43Piano Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op.111 (1991 Digital Remaster): II. Arietta (con variazioni) - Adagio molto, semplice e cantabile0:01Claudio Arrau
46Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15: III. Rondo (Allegro non troppo) - 1988 Digital Remaster12:59Carlo Maria Giulini
47Konzertstück in F Minor, Op.79 (1821) (2004 Digital Remaster): Larghetto affetuoso -6:18Alceo Galliera
48Konzertstück in F Minor, Op.79 (1821) (2004 Digital Remaster): Allegro passionate -5:06Alceo Galliera
49Konzertstück in F Minor, Op.79 (1821) (2004 Digital Remaster): Tempo di marcia -2:25Alceo Galliera
51Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83: I. Allegro non troppo - 1988 Digital Remaster0:01Carlo Maria Giulini
52Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83: II. Allegro appassionata - 1988 Digital Remaster9:21Carlo Maria Giulini
53Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83: III. Andante - 1988 Digital Remaster12:08Carlo Maria Giulini
54Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83: IV. Allegretto grazioso - 1988 Digital Remaster10:02Carlo Maria Giulini
55Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op.23 (1991 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso0:01Alceo Galliera
56Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op.23 (1991 Digital Remaster): II. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo primo7:52Alceo Galliera
57Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op.23 (1991 Digital Remaster): III. Allegro con fuoco7:15Alceo Galliera
58Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op.16 (2001 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro molto moderato14:29Alceo Galliera
60Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op.16 (2001 Digital Remaster): III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato - Andante maestoso10:47Alceo Galliera
64Schubert: Fantasy in C Major D. 760, 'Wanderer': I. Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo6:31Claudio Arrau
77Piano Sonata No.3 in B Minor, Op.58 (2001 Digital Remaster): Scherzo: Molto vivace2:41Claudio Arrau
10112 Études Op. 25 (2007 Digital Remaster): No. 9 in G flat major ('Butterfly's Wings')1:04Claudio Arrau
1053 Nouvelles Etudes, Op. posth (pur la 'Méthode des Méthodes' de Moscheles) (2007 Digital Remaster): No. 1 in F Minor2:05Claudio Arrau
1063 Nouvelles Etudes, Op. posth (pur la 'Méthode des Méthodes' de Moscheles) (2007 Digital Remaster): No. 2 in D Flat Major2:24Claudio Arrau
1073 Nouvelles Etudes, Op. posth (pur la 'Méthode des Méthodes' de Moscheles) (2007 Digital Remaster): No. 3 in A Flat Major2:04Claudio Arrau
109Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op.54: I. Allegro affettuoso - Andante espressivo - Tempo I - Cadenza - Allegro molto16:36Alceo Galliera
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