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Artist
Wilhelm Kempff
12+ albums
ClassicalpianogermanclassicBC pianists
about
Wilhelm Kempff (25 November 1895 – 23 May 1991) was a German pianist and composer. Kempff was born in Jüterbog, Germany and studied in Berlin and Potsdam. He toured widely throughout continental 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 gave his last public performance in Paris in 1981 and died in Positano, Italy at the age of 95. Considered one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century, Kempff is celebrated today for his recordings of Schumann, Brahms, Schubert, Mozart, Bach, Liszt, Chopin and particularly, of Ludwig van Beethoven. 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. He also recorded two celebrated sets of the complete Beethoven sonatas, one in mono and the other in early stereo. Kempff also played chamber music with Yehudi Menuhin and Pierre Fournier, among others. Particularly famous are the recordings of the complete Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano with Menuhin. In 1957 Kempff began to give an annual Beethoven interpretation course in his villa in Positano. Six years after his death, friend and former student John O'Conor took over the course. A lesser-known activity of Kempff was composing. He composed for almost every genre and used his own cadenzas for Beethoven's Piano Concertos 1-4. His second symphony was premiered in 192
top songs
1
Menuet in G Minor (trans. W. Kempff)
39,4852Keyboard Suite No. 1 (Set II) in B-Flat Major, HWV 434: IV. Menuet (arr. W. Kempff for piano)
14,7413Fantasia In D Minor
11,8464Impromptu in E flat major D899 Op.90 no.2
8,0485Moment Musical in F minor D780 Op.94 no.3
7,1896Keyboard Suite No. 1 (Set II) in B-Flat Major, HWV 434 (arr. W. Kempff for piano): 7 Keyboard Suites, Set II, No. 1: IV. Menuet (arr. W. Kempff)
7,0097Piano Sonata In F Major Op. 57 No. 23 "Appassionata" - II. Andante con moto - attacca (Beethoven)
6,1958Piano Sonata In F Major Op. 57 No. 23 "Appassionata" - III. Allegro, ma non troppo - Presto (Beethoven)
5,6259Invocation
5,59510Arabesque,Op.18
5,466albums
KEMPFF: Italian Suite / Piano Sonata / Transcriptions
Wilhelm Kempff Plays Beethoven: Vol. II, Piano Sonatas
Franz Schubert - Passion For Piano
W.A.Mozart - Passion For Piano
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Robert Schuman - Passion For Piano
Beethoven: The 32 Piano Sonatas
Complete Beethoven Edition Vol. 5: Piano Sonatas
Essential Masters Collection
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Brahms: Fantasias Op.116; Intermezzi Op.117; Piano Pieces Opp.118 & 119
Wilhelm Kempff Plays Bach. Transcriptions For Piano
Wilhelm Kempff, Piano (Vol.2)
Schumann: Piano Works