I never got to see him perform, but I was able to see him speak at Harvard after his retirement from the concert stage.
He was a giant and I will miss him.
I think the first recording of his I heard was Beethoven's Piano Sonata No.18, Op.31 No.3 from the 1970-77 recordings, and I was struck by just how different his interpretation was compared to some of the perhaps-more-well-known performers such as Daniel Barenboim. Even just the first two bars from the first movement were different and interesting enough to capture my attention.
The Schubert sonata in B flat was the last piece and I was in pieces, I've always found that one a roller-coaster. The hall was full, 2000+ people, and for a change plenty of younger people (I'm in my 7th decade and often I'm sort of lower quartile in age at some concerts).
We have the recordings at least.
[1] https://www.business-live.co.uk/retail-consumer/review-alfre...
[1] https://www.pianistdiscography.com/discography/pianistLabel....
[1] https://geocities.restorativland.org/Vienna/2192/essays4.htm...
here is one of Liszt's most well known pieces played by Brendel
Hungarian Rhapsodies S. 244 No. 2 Lento a capriccioso (Alfred Brendel)(1968) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeuzUVQDsEw
how had I not heard this versions? thanks
toomuchtodo•4h ago
https://alfredbrendel.com/
https://www.bruceduffie.com/brendel2.html
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03h7grg