Wilhelm Kempff (25 November 1895 – 23 May 1991) was a German pianist and co… Read Full Bio ↴Wilhelm Kempff (25 November 1895 – 23 May 1991) was a German pianist and composer.
Kempff was born in Jüterbog, Germany and studied in Berlin and Potsdam. He toured widely throughout continental Europe and much of the rest of the world, but did not make his first London appearance until 1951, and did not play in New York until 1964. He gave his last public performance in Paris in 1981 and died in Positano, Italy at the age of 95.
Considered one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century, Kempff is celebrated today for his recordings of Schumann, Brahms, Schubert, Mozart, Bach, Liszt, Chopin and particularly, of Ludwig van Beethoven. He recorded over a period of some sixty years. Kempff was among the first to record the complete sonatas of Franz Schubert, long before these works became popular. He also recorded two celebrated sets of the complete Beethoven sonatas, one in mono and the other in early stereo.
Kempff also played chamber music with Yehudi Menuhin and Pierre Fournier, among others. Particularly famous are the recordings of the complete Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano with Menuhin.
In 1957 Kempff began to give an annual Beethoven interpretation course in his villa in Positano. Six years after his death, friend and former student John O'Conor took over the course.
A lesser-known activity of Kempff was composing. He composed for almost every genre and used his own cadenzas for Beethoven's Piano Concertos 1-4. His second symphony was premiered in 1929 at the Leipzig Gewandhaus by Wilhelm Furtwängler. He also prepared a number of Bach transcriptions, including the Siciliano from the Flute Sonata in E, which has been recorded by the pianist İdil Biret.
Kempff was born in Jüterbog, Germany and studied in Berlin and Potsdam. He toured widely throughout continental Europe and much of the rest of the world, but did not make his first London appearance until 1951, and did not play in New York until 1964. He gave his last public performance in Paris in 1981 and died in Positano, Italy at the age of 95.
Considered one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century, Kempff is celebrated today for his recordings of Schumann, Brahms, Schubert, Mozart, Bach, Liszt, Chopin and particularly, of Ludwig van Beethoven. He recorded over a period of some sixty years. Kempff was among the first to record the complete sonatas of Franz Schubert, long before these works became popular. He also recorded two celebrated sets of the complete Beethoven sonatas, one in mono and the other in early stereo.
Kempff also played chamber music with Yehudi Menuhin and Pierre Fournier, among others. Particularly famous are the recordings of the complete Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano with Menuhin.
In 1957 Kempff began to give an annual Beethoven interpretation course in his villa in Positano. Six years after his death, friend and former student John O'Conor took over the course.
A lesser-known activity of Kempff was composing. He composed for almost every genre and used his own cadenzas for Beethoven's Piano Concertos 1-4. His second symphony was premiered in 1929 at the Leipzig Gewandhaus by Wilhelm Furtwängler. He also prepared a number of Bach transcriptions, including the Siciliano from the Flute Sonata in E, which has been recorded by the pianist İdil Biret.
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01J.S. Bach: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 (Arranged For Piano By Wilhelm Kempff)Wilhelm Kempff
02J.S. Bach: "Es ist gewisslich an der Zeit" BWV 307/734 - Arranged by Wilhelm Kempff2:34Wilhelm Kempff
03J.S. Bach: Sonata No.2 in E flat major, BWV 1031 - Arr. Wilhelm Kempff - Siciliano3:32Wilhelm Kempff
05J.S. Bach: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, Cantata BWV 147 - Arr. for piano by Wilhelm Kempff - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring3:15Wilhelm Kempff
06J.S. Bach: In dulci jubilo, BWV 751 Anh.III 172 (von Johann Michael Bach) - Arranged by Wilhelm Kempff2:04Wilhelm Kempff
07J.S. Bach: Cantate No.29 "Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir", BWV 29 - Arranged by Wilhelm Kempff - Sinfonia4:27Wilhelm Kempff
08J.S. Bach: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme Cantata, BWV 140 - Arr. for piano by Wilhelm Kempff - Zion hört die Wächter singenWilhelm Kempff
09J.S. Bach: Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings, and Continuo No.5 in F minor, BWV 1056 - Arranged by Wilhelm Kempff - Largo3:35Wilhelm Kempff
11Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice (Orphée et Eurydice) - Arranged by Wilhelm Kempff - La Plainte d'Orphée (Ballet)3:02Wilhelm Kempff
12Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice (Orphée et Eurydice) - Arranged by Wilhelm Kempff - Ronde des esprits bienheureux1:40Wilhelm Kempff
17J.S. Bach: English Suite No.3 in G minor, BWV 808 - 4b. Les agréments de la même Sarabande2:29Wilhelm Kempff
29J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in C sharp minor (WTK, Book I, No.4), BWV 849 - Prelude2:47Wilhelm Kempff
41J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in F sharp minor (WTK, Book I, No.14), BWV 859 - Prelude1:08Wilhelm Kempff
42J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in F sharp minor (WTK, Book I, No.14), BWV 859 - Fugue2:52Wilhelm Kempff
51J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in B minor (WTK, Book II, No.24), BWV 893 - Prelude3:10Wilhelm Kempff
53J.S. Bach: Capriccio in B flat, BWV 992 "On the departure of a dear brother" - 1. Arioso (Adagio)1:35Wilhelm Kempff
54J.S. Bach: Capriccio in B flat, BWV 992 "On the departure of a dear brother" - 2. (Andante)Wilhelm Kempff
55J.S. Bach: Capriccio in B flat, BWV 992 "On the departure of a dear brother" - 3. Adagisissimo2:52Wilhelm Kempff
56J.S. Bach: Capriccio in B flat, BWV 992 "On the departure of a dear brother" - 4. (Andante con moto)0:44Wilhelm Kempff
57J.S. Bach: Capriccio in B flat, BWV 992 "On the departure of a dear brother" - 5. Allegro poco. Aria di Postiglione1:24Wilhelm Kempff
58J.S. Bach: Capriccio in B flat, BWV 992 "On the departure of a dear brother" - 6. Fuga all'imitatione di posta2:12Wilhelm Kempff
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Wilhelm Kempff Plays Bach. Transcriptions For Piano
Wilhelm Kempff Lyrics
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