b. 1953 Hungarian-British pianist Schiff studied at the Franz Liszt Academy, Budapest, before winning prizes at both the Moscow Tchaikovsky (1974) and Leeds (1975) piano competitions. Having appeared with most of the world’s major orchestras, he has focused increasingly on chamber and solo repertoire, recording the keyboard works of Bach (on the piano), the Mozart and Schubert sonatas, the complete solo piano music of Beethoven and Janáček, and works by Bartók and ...
b. 1959 English conductor and pianist Born in England to Italian parents, he studied in the US, working as assistant conductor at the New York City Opera and in Europe (including at Bayreuth). While music director of Norwegian Opera 1990–92 and La Monnaie, Brussels 1992–2002 he made distinguished debuts at Berlin, Vienna and the Met. He was appointed music director of Covent Garden from 2002. While excelling in the Italian operatic repertory ...
1907–82 English pianist Curzon studied in Berlin and Paris. He toured Europe from 1932 and America from 1939. He gave the first performance of works by Lennox Berkeley and Alan Rawsthorne, but was associated mainly with the Classical repertory, especially Mozart. His recordings include the First Piano Concerto by Brahms, conducted by Szell. Introduction | Contemporary | Classical Personalities | Jacqueline Du Pré | Contemporary | Classical ...
1875–1965 German/French organist Born in Alsace, at that time part of the German Empire, Schweitzer studied in Paris with Charles Widor (1844–1937), who encouraged him to write his book on J. S. Bach. Schweitzer also studied organ building, and was convinced of the unsuitability of the modern organ for Bach’s music. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical Personalities | Andrés Segovia | Modern Era | Classical ...
(Al-yek-san’-der Skre-a’-bin) 1872–1915 Russian composer and pianist Scriabin’s early music, nearly all for piano, is close to Chopin, but his philosophical and religious views (he was influenced by Nietzsche and, more strongly, by theosophy) brought a rhapsodic and visionary quality that continued to intensify throughout his short life. Convinced that music has a religious power and function, he planned a sort of ceremonial ‘Mysterium’ combining all the arts, and at the time ...
b. 1931 Austrian pianist Austrian-born Brendel studied in Zagreb and Graz and later attended classes with Edwin Fischer. He made his debut in Graz in 1948 and became well known in the 1950s through his many recordings. He is widely admired for his performances of the sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert. Introduction | Contemporary | Classical Personalities | Christophe Coin | Contemporary | Classical ...
1877–1962 French pianist In his early years, Cortot combined the piano with conducting, directing the first performance in Paris of Götterdämmerung at the age of 24. As a pianist he specialized in Romantic music, especially Schumann and Chopin, and in music by contemporary French composers. He co-founded the Cortot-Thibaud-Casals piano trio in 1906. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical Personalities | Marcel Dupré | Modern Era | Classical ...
b. 1930 American conductor, pianist and composer Previn’s family fled Germany in 1938, settling finally in Los Angeles, where he began parallel careers as an orchestrator and conductor at MGM (he went on to win four Academy awards for film music) and a jazz pianist. His classical conducting debut in 1962 led to numerous international engagements before his appointment as principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra (1968–79). He gained a high ...
1893–1987 Spanish guitarist Self-taught, Segovia made his debut at the age of 15. Considering it his mission to have the guitar taken seriously, he transcribed music written for the lute and the vihuela. Contemporaries who wrote for him included Falla, Joaquín Rodrigo (1901–99) and Villa-Lobos; he played with much passion and intensity. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical Personalities | Rudolf Serkin | Modern Era | Classical ...
b. 1963 German violinist After studying in Germany and Switzerland, Mutter performed at the Lucerne Festival in 1976. She appeared at the Salzburg Festival in 1977, the same year as her English debut with the English Chamber Orchestra under Barenboim at the Brighton Festival. She has recorded all the Beethoven sonatas. Introduction | Contemporary | Classical Personalities | David Oistrakh | Contemporary | Classical ...
(An’-ton Roo’-ben-stin) 1829–94 Russian pianist and composer Rubinstein’s younger brother Nikolai (1835–81) founded the Moscow Conservatory. As a child prodigy Anton played to Liszt. His legendary virtuosity was acclaimed across Europe and the US, where he toured with Wieniawski in 1872. He espoused German Romanticism and thus, as founder-director of the St Petersburg Conservatory (1862), represented the ‘conservative’ opposition to the radical nationalism of ‘The Five’. Rubinstein founded the Russian Music Society and ...
(An’-ton Stya-pa-no’-vech A-ren’-shke) 1861–1906 Russian composer and pianist Arensky studied with Rimsky-Korsakov at the St Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, but was also heavily influenced by Tchaikovsky whom he met, along with Taneyev, while he was working as professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Among his pupils were Rachmaninov, Glière and Alexander Scriabin. During a virtuoso career he held the coveted positions of Director of the Russian Choral Society (1888–95), council member of the School ...
(An-ton’-yo da Ka-ba-thon’) 1510–66 Spanish keyboard composer and player Blind from birth, Cabezón learnt the organ from an early age and became one of the great keyboard players of his day. He began his career as organist to Queen Isabella. After her death he worked for her children, later attaching himself solely to the future king, Philip II. Cabezón’s works are all for keyboard and include intabulations of vocal works by other people’s ...
(An-ton’-yo Ve-val’-de) 1678–1741 Italian composer and violinist Vivaldi was born in Venice. After learning the violin with his father, and possibly other teachers too, he joined the orchestra of St Mark’s. He was ordained in 1703, later acquiring the nickname Il prete rosso (‘the Red Priest’), because of his red hair. Partly because of fragile health and partly perhaps as a result of his musical talent and ambition, Vivaldi abandoned the priesthood shortly ...
(Ärk-an’-jel-o Ko-rel’-le) 1653–1713 Italian composer and violinist Corelli studied in Bologna, but by the mid-1670s was living in Rome, where he acquired a reputation as one of the city’s foremost violinists. His first patron in Rome was the exiled Queen Christina of Sweden, to whom he dedicated his earliest printed collection, 12 trio sonatas op. 1 (1681). Next he worked as director of music for Cardinal Pamphili. From 1690, Corelli’s most important patron ...
AUTHORITATIVE
An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
CURATED
Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.