Home > Wilhelm Kempff

Kempff was born in Jüterbog, Germany and studied in Berlin and Potsdam. He toured widely throughout contintental 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 died in Positano, Italy.

Considered one of the greatest pianists of 20th century, Kempff is celebrated today for his recordings of Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( January 27, 1756 December 5, 1791) was one of the most significant and influential of all composers of Western classical music. His works are loved by many and are frequently performed. Life Mozart was born in Salzburg, now in Au, Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach ( March 21, 1685 July 28, 1750) was a German composer and organist of the Baroque period, and is almost universally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time. His works, noted for their intellectual depth, technical comma, Franz LisztFranz Liszt ( October 22, 1811 July 31, 1886) was a virtuoso pianist and composer. Ferenc as the composer is often referred, is the Hungarian variant of his name, although he was aristocratically German speaking. He was also christened as Franciscus . and Frederic Chopin. 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.

Kempff also played chamber music with Yehudi MenuhinSir Yehudi Menuhin ( April 22, 1916 March 12, 1999), later Baron Menuhin of Stoke D'Abernon was an American-born violinist, violist, and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was a student of Louis Persinger, Georges and Pierre Fournier among others. Particularly famous are the recordings of the complete Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano with Menuhin.

A lesser known activity of Kempff was also composing. He composed for almost every genre. His second symphony was premiered in 1929 at the Leipzig Gewandhaus by Wilhelm FurtwänglerWilhelm Furtwangler ( January 25, 1886 November 30, 1954) was a German conductor and sometime composer. Furtwangler was born in Berlin. His father Adolf was an archaeologist and his mother a painter, and his brother Phillip a mathematician. Most of his ch. He also prepared a number of Bach transcriptions.