Celebrated pianist and writer Alfred Brendel dies aged 94

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/17/celebrated-pianist-and-writer-alfred-brendel-dies-aged-94

69•mykowebhn•7mo ago

Comments

toomuchtodo•7mo ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Brendel

https://alfredbrendel.com/

https://www.bruceduffie.com/brendel2.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03h7grg

mykowebhn•7mo ago

One of my favorite pianists. His recording(s) of the complete Beethoven Sonatas are unequaled, IMHO. His intellectual approach was balanced by an emotional expressiveness that would often move me to tears.

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.

sunrunner•7mo ago

I wholeheartedly agree and can only really add my own personal examples.

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.

2b3a51•7mo ago

I saw Brendel perform Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert pieces at Symphony Hall in Birmingham some time ago. Google tells me it was 2008 [1].

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...

ziotom78•7mo ago

The B-flat sonata is one of my most beloved pieces! There is a recording by Brendel released by Philips that contains the last three sonatas and the three Klavierstücke [1]. I highly recommend it!

[1] https://www.pianistdiscography.com/discography/pianistLabel....

mykowebhn•7mo ago

Thank you for sharing this! I had no idea the B flat sonata was the last piece he played. It's one of my favorites, but I can't listen to it that often because I find it so sad and wistful, and now knowing this it might be even more so!

viccis•7mo ago

Wow, sad to hear. His Beethoven and Schubert recordings in particular are phenomenal. He has left quite a legacy.

djtango•7mo ago

While many will speak of his Schubert and Beethoven, I always liked him for his coverage of Liszt[1] and used his recording of the full Années de pèlerinage as a reference of sorts.

[1] https://geocities.restorativland.org/Vienna/2192/essays4.htm...

johngossman•7mo ago

My favorite too.

ysofunny•7mo ago

because of just don't tell me, show me

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

bonki•7mo ago

Another, lesser-known gem: His recording of Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition.

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