Alfred Brendel (born January 5, 1931) is an Austrian pianist, born in Czechoslovakia. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical pianists of the second half of the 20th century.
Brendel was born in Vízmberk, Czechoslovakia, now Loučná nad Desnou Czech Republic, to a non-musical family. 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. Read Full BioAlfred Brendel (born January 5, 1931) is an Austrian pianist, born in Czechoslovakia. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical pianists of the second half of the 20th century.
Brendel was born in Vízmberk, Czechoslovakia, now Loučná nad Desnou Czech Republic, to a non-musical family. 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. However, he caught frostbite and was taken to hospital. Throughout his childhood, Brendel had occasional piano lessons, but otherwise little formal music education.
After the war, Brendel composed music, as well as continuing to play the piano and paint. 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.
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. 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. At the age of 21, he made his first record, Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 5. 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). He has also recorded works by Liszt, Brahms (including Brahms' Concertos), Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. Unlike virtually all classical pianists, he has recorded very little Chopin other than the Polonaises.
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. 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. Around the same time he moved to London, where he still resides. Since the 1970s, Brendel has recorded for Philips Classics Records.
Brendel is regarded as one of the most thoughtful interpreters of classical Germanic works by such composers as Beethoven, Schubert and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He has recorded the complete piano music of Beethoven. He plays relatively few 20th century works, but is closely associated with Arnold Schoenberg's Piano Concerto. 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.
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.”. Brendel's playing is sometimes described as being analytic, 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," he has said. 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.
In recent years, Brendel has worked with younger pianists such as Paul Lewis, Mark Gasser, Roberto Carnevale and Till Fellner and he has performed and recorded with his son Adrian Brendel, a cellist. He has also published poetry, which has been compared by Andrew Motion to Miroslav Holub in style.
Brendel resides in London.
Brendel was born in Vízmberk, Czechoslovakia, now Loučná nad Desnou Czech Republic, to a non-musical family. 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. Read Full BioAlfred Brendel (born January 5, 1931) is an Austrian pianist, born in Czechoslovakia. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical pianists of the second half of the 20th century.
Brendel was born in Vízmberk, Czechoslovakia, now Loučná nad Desnou Czech Republic, to a non-musical family. 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. However, he caught frostbite and was taken to hospital. Throughout his childhood, Brendel had occasional piano lessons, but otherwise little formal music education.
After the war, Brendel composed music, as well as continuing to play the piano and paint. 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.
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. 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. At the age of 21, he made his first record, Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 5. 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). He has also recorded works by Liszt, Brahms (including Brahms' Concertos), Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. Unlike virtually all classical pianists, he has recorded very little Chopin other than the Polonaises.
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. 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. Around the same time he moved to London, where he still resides. Since the 1970s, Brendel has recorded for Philips Classics Records.
Brendel is regarded as one of the most thoughtful interpreters of classical Germanic works by such composers as Beethoven, Schubert and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He has recorded the complete piano music of Beethoven. He plays relatively few 20th century works, but is closely associated with Arnold Schoenberg's Piano Concerto. 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.
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.”. Brendel's playing is sometimes described as being analytic, 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," he has said. 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.
In recent years, Brendel has worked with younger pianists such as Paul Lewis, Mark Gasser, Roberto Carnevale and Till Fellner and he has performed and recorded with his son Adrian Brendel, a cellist. He has also published poetry, which has been compared by Andrew Motion to Miroslav Holub in style.
Brendel resides in London.
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1. Allegro
Alfred Brendel Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics can frequently be found in the comments below, by filtering for lyric videos or browsing the comments in the different videos below.
Elaine Blackhurst
Timothy Thorne
You’re right, I agree particularly that some of the modulations in this movement of exceptional depth and beauty sound Schubertian - the famous Lestat sonata section clearly foreshadows Romantic piano sonorities.
The most intriguing thing though is what exactly was going through Haydn’s mind at the time as this sonata was written, astonishingly, as early as 1789/90 whilst he was still in effect a full time operatic Kapellmeister, isolated in the wilds of Eszterhaza; parts of it are are simply unprecedented for the time.
I wonder what prompted it?
It is also interesting to speculate what his friend Mozart would have made of it, and also Beethoven would have known it - did you notice the foreshadowing of the famous ‘Fate’ motif from his 5th symphony?
It occurs in the first movement bars 53 - 56, and 179 - 180 for example, and is one of several such foreshadowings of this motif that occur in Haydn.
This astonishing sonata was written for his friend Maria Anna von Genzinger to whom he wrote some of his most intimate and revealing letters; it was almost certainly too difficult for her - she asked for the well known crossed-hands section in b flat minor (5 flats) to be rewritten in a simplified form - if ever done, now lost.
Similarly, the e flat minor section in the Finale (6 flats!) must also have been very challenging; Robbins Landon speculates that Haydn may well have taught her to play the difficult sections on his next visit to Vienna.
Whilst difficult for an amateur such as Frau von Genzinger, the work is actually less challenging than most of the keyboard works written for Therese Jansen in London a few years later.
It remains a fascinating thought as to what prompted this deeply felt, and in the case of the Adagio e Cantabile, almost unique movement.
Freddy Cerdas
Beautiful music by Haydn and Mozart. The pianist is a genius, as well.
Charles Lee
Alfred Brendel's tone and dynamics are amazing.
jonathan veale
One of the remarkable things I find about Brendel is that, no matter what he interprets, there is always at least one passage that's memorable for its outstanding musicality and resonance.
manuel 1849
This should have more views
Christ Is All I Got
One thing I learned from all these master performers is that they all barely leave their hands from the keys. They all keep their hands as close to the notes as possible and apply little force
Salo Kin
Agreed. Except when they don't - when the mood changes or the structure signals something important.
DaeJungLim
I love to hear Aldred's piano playing..... thanks...
Geoffrey Witte
Spectacular, Brendel as always. There are no words....only ones ears.
Really thank you.
Timothy Thorne
Geoffrey Witte the Mozart sonata is spectacular! This is so different from the small C Major sonata K. 545. This present work is moody and rhetorical, and must have made a profound impression on the young Beethoven. In fact, Beethoven even borrowed a melodic fragment in the second movement of this sonata, for his own Pathetique Sonata's slow movement.
Heino Viik
Geniuses! Excellent sound and picture quality!