Brendel has died at 94.
A great pianist especially in Beethoven
13 Likes
A extraordinary musician. Ripā¦
4 Likes
Not too shabby playing Schubert too. Brendel and Ashkenazy are in a class of two head and shoulders above all other pianists IMHO.
I donāt know much about Brendelās music but I did visit the family estate in Plush, Dorset, where the Brendel family hosted an annual music festival in the church and with artists in residence. A wonderful place with lovely atmosphere, very civilised. RIP.
A dear friend of mine used to live in Belsize Park in London in the 1970s. When his kids were small, they used to go round and play with friends whose father was a pianist. Not just any pianist it turned out, but Alfred Brendel!
On hearing the news my friend writes to me:
āSorry to hear thatā¦ his son was a friend of Toms (his son) at primary school, now a famous cellist ( Adrian Brendel).
I remember going to a concert in which Alfred was playing.. he walked smartly onto the stage, gave a small bow to the applauding audience, sat down and started to play immediately, without any pauseā¦quite surprising .. the audience shut up quickly..ā
G
2 Likes
A very clever man and a talented and thoughtful pianist who will be much missed. He leaves behind a tremendous recorded legacy.
1 Like
One of the musicians who has given me the most joy. I remember a Beethoven 4th Concerto he gave, maybe at the Proms, where I had to consciously make myself breathe because the playing was so captivating. The Beethoven sonata recitals I saw were equally compelling.
As others have said his recorded legacy is fantastic, his sonatas, especially the late ones are my go to, intense intelligence without lacking emotion.
Thanks you for the music, RIP.
4 Likes
Yes indeed, a sad loss. I saw Alfred Brendel live at the Barbican in 2006 I think it was. I was in London for work and got a last minute ticket. The seat was on the stage so the piano was in front of me with the auditorium beyond. He played the Schubert D894 piano sonata. A great experience.
1 Like
When I was a boy, my parents had one of the āGreat Composersā series. These were a booklet with a 10 inch 33 rpm record inside. The composer was Beethoven and it was Alfred Brendel playing the Waldstein. My first experience of Beethoven piano music.
2 Likes
The BBC is now playing one of Brendelās last concerts at the Snape Maltings 1.00 to 3.00pm.
Sounds fantastic on my Nat 01. What a great pianist. Sadly missed.
I saw him play one time, in the early 2000s. He started so quickly that it seemed he was still six inches in the air when the music began.
2 Likes
I met Alfred Brendel in 1971 when he performed at the Abbotsholme Arts Society. The society was founded in 1968 by Gordon Clark, the Director of Music at Abbotsholme School at which I was a pupil.
4 Likes
Sad news. Brendel was one of the greats, Everything he played was always reliably and unexaggeratedly excellent. He chose his repertoire and it was clear he loved that music.
He was a true Musicologist too. His program notes (many can be found accompanying his LPās) were extremely learned and elucidating.
I was lucky enough to see him play Schubert in Carnegie Hall in the late 90ās and very glad I managed to catch him live. R.I.P. Alfred.
1 Like
On 8 April 2005 I was trekking in the Langtang Valley in Nepal. As I crested the brow of a rather steep hill I came across a tea house with a youg lady sitting outside. It turned out she was English and lived not far from where I lived (and still live) in London. It seemed an amazing coincidence. She introduced herself at Kat. We chatted and at some stage she mentioned her family name was Brendel. I commented something to the effect of, "Well, the only Brendel I know is Alfred Brendelā and she said, "Yes, Iām his daughter!ā.
We actually met again later in the trek. She was running short of money so I lent her a small sum, which she said sheād repay when next in London. She never didā¦but I donāt really mind! 
What a wonderful pianist her father was.
Stephen
2 Likes
Not really known for his Chopin, however, I think itās quite wonderful. This is the CD reissue on Vanguard from recordings made in Vienna, 1968. Iāve seen this released with many different covers over the yearsā¦
2 Likes
Years ago there was a discussion between Brendel anmd Rosen (The Classical Style) in the New York Review of Books.
I did not really understand it but it was great that they cared so much about what Beethoven intended (the score was ambiguous)
My understanding was that he changed the notation and said ākeep the same speedā. Was it the speed of the original notation or of the new notation. So slow down or keep the original speed.They discussed it over many issues (it was one of the late sonatas).
Was Beethoven saying āI am changing notation so play at the same speedā or āI am changing notation so play at the same metronome marking but at half the speedā ?
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1996/02/01/getting-back-to-life/
Rosen ..
1 Like
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.