Brendel, Alfred [key], 1931–, Austrian pianist, b. Moravia (now in the Czech Republic). He debuted publicly in 1948 and, after winning a prize at the Busoni competition in Bolzano, Italy, in 1949, embarked upon a distinguished career as a soloist, ultimately performing with most of the world's major orchestras and conductors before he retired in 2008. Brendel, who has lived in London since the early 1970s, is particularly known for his interpretations of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Brahms, and Liszt. He has been acclaimed for his profound understanding of musical architecture, for his combination of lyricism and rigor, and for the intellectual and emotional depth of his playing. He has published two collections (1976, 1990) of essays, which are combined with other writings in Alfred Brendel on Music (2001).
See Me of All People: Alfred Brendel in Conversation with Martin Meyer (2002).
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