38:
295:, and made his US debut in 1939, returning regularly for many years after the Second World War. In his early years as a star soloist Curzon played a more Romantic and virtuosic repertoire than that associated with him in his later career. Established pianists of the time generally ignored concertante works by such composers as
282:
in Paris. Curzon believed that his own pianistic style owed much to the examples of
Schnabel and Landowska; although, he said, they disliked each other and were diametrically opposite in their musical aesthetics, he learned about phrasing from Schnabel and about precision of technique from Landowska.
244:, along with two other students. At around the time Curzon was graduating, his father became seriously ill, affecting the family business; money became short, and in 1926 Curzon, though not drawn to teaching, accepted a salaried post as a sub-professor at the RAM. One of his pupils at this period was
403:
The virtues which he applied to Mozart's piano concertos—he regarded them as the most perfect music ever composed—included line-drawing that colours itself and a control of structure through harmony and feeling for ensemble, which was overwhelming when the conductor was sympathetic. He achieved them
370:
wrote, "They do not quite make an easeful ensemble. The ear is constantly attracted by individual touches of fine musical art, but we receive a sense that each master is playing with his eye on the other, so as not to overstep the bounds of modesty." As a soloist Curzon made
American tours in the
415:
Curzon suffered throughout his career from stage fright and, unlike most star pianists, he played not from memory at concerts but with the score on his music stand. In private life, Mann records, Curzon was "an ideal host, a lively raconteur, a keen connoisseur of painting and literature, and
346:
After the war Curzon began to limit his appearances in the concert hall and recording studios, devoting himself to extensive periods of private study. Throughout his career he maintained a rigorous regime of practice, playing for several hours every day.
208:
was a frequent visitor, and his performances of his music on the family piano were the young Curzon's earliest abiding musical memories. The boy's first musical studies were as a violinist, but he soon concentrated on the piano.
382:
From the post-war years onwards, Curzon increasingly concentrated on less virtuoso repertoire than hitherto. He became celebrated for his performances of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms. Max
Loppert, his biographer in
342:
recording company in 1937 and remained with them throughout his career, he was rarely at ease in the studios, and frequently refused to allow the release of recordings in which he felt dissatisfied with his performance.
389:, wrote that in the works of these Austro-German classical masters "he was unequalled for sensitivity and directness of manner, beauty of tone and an inner stillness. In such works as Mozart's Concerto in B
291:
Curzon built a successful career as a soloist, enabling him to resign from the RAM in 1932. In addition to frequent concerts in
Britain, he toured Europe in 1936 and 1938 under the auspices of the
216:(RAM) in London, and two years later was admitted to the senior school of the academy at the unusually early age of fourteen. He studied with Charles Reddie, whose own teacher,
241:
179:, for most of his career, Curzon was not at ease in the studio, and vetoed the release of many of his recordings, some of which were published after his death.
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K595, his unique combination of nervous energy and
Olympian calm earned him a reputation as a supreme Mozartian." Another biographer of Curzon,
204:. The household was musical: Mary Curzon was a talented amateur singer, Michael's sister was a professional singer, and his uncle, the composer
963:
270:
In 1928 Curzon temporarily left the RAM. A legacy from the mother of a colleague enabled him to move to Berlin for two years, to study with
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307:, with which Curzon made a mark. He was also known for his espousal of new music, giving premieres and early performances of works by
196:, London, the younger son and second of three children of Michael Siegenberg, a Jewish antiques dealer, and his wife Constance Mary,
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172:. He played regularly in continental Europe and North America, making tours in the 1930s and for most of his post-war career.
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Curzon died in
September 1982, aged 75. He is buried next to his wife in the churchyard of St Patrick's,
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248:, two years his senior. He continued to pursue a career as a soloist. A family friend introduced him to
224:. Curzon won many prizes, including the RAM's MacFarren Gold Medal, and then continued his studies with
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among others. During the war, shortage of time prevented him from undertaking the
British premiere of
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years between 1948 and 1970, played at
European music festivals and toured the continent with the
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and virtuoso music, and for championing modern works. Later he concentrated on composers such as
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Young. The family name was changed to Curzon in August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the
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455:'s poem "An die Musik": "Du holde Kunst" (O fairest art), familiar from Schubert's setting.
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was the conductor of the academy's student orchestra, and in 1924 he gave Curzon his first
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gives it as 1923. The BBC's Prom archive shows the date of the concert as 3 October 1924.
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made in 1964, 1967 and 1970. Some of these recordings were released after his death.
812:, Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music, retrieved 18 December 2015
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133:; 18 May 1907 – 1 September 1982) was an English classical pianist.
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431:(1898–1977). They had no offspring, but they adopted the two sons of the soprano
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appreciative of other countries and their cultures, food, drink and language."
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Curzon was a highly self-critical performer, and although he signed for the
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471:. He was elected a Fellow of the RAM in 1939, and in 1980 he received the
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221:
568:"Sir Clifford Curzon is Dead at 75; One of the World's Leading Pianists"
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233:
643:
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864:"The gravestone of the concert pianist, Sir Clifford Michael Curzon"
698:
De Jongh, Nicholas. "Clifford Curzon, Britain's greatest pianist",
152:
in Paris. In his early career he was known for his performances of
479:(1981) and was awarded honorary doctorates by the universities of
37:
362:
Curzon formed the
Edinburgh Festival Piano Quartet in 1952. In
84:
65:
524:
Among recordings that Curzon barred from release were a 1944
609:, Oxford University Press, 2011, retrieved 17 December 2015
834:
Cardus, Neville. "Limitations of the festival atmosphere",
750:, Oxford University Press, 2014 retrieved 17 December 2015
680:
Constance Warren and her
Heather Hill for string orchestra
451:. On his gravestone are inscribed the opening words of
724:, Oxford University Press, retrieved 17 December 2015
769:, A–Z of Pianists, Naxos, retrieved 17 December 2015
538:, two Mozart concertos conducted by Britten, a 1961
424:While still in Paris, Curzon married the American
335:led to many joint concerts by the two musicians.
925:
490:
240:engagement, as one of the co-soloists in Bach's
974:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
542:, and three different recordings of Mozart's
475:'s gold medal. He was an honorary fellow of
465:Commander of the Order of the British Empire
509:The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
1019:Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medallists
603:"Curzon, Sir Clifford Michael (1907–1982)"
36:
646:, Proms, BBC , retrieved 17 December 2015
761:
759:
566:Waggoner, Walter H. (4 September 1982).
565:
175:Although signed to a recording company,
944:20th-century British classical pianists
878:
712:
710:
708:
607:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
386:Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
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779:Notes to Ivory Classics CD 64405-70906
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435:after she and her husband died young.
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16:English classical pianist (1907–1982)
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949:20th-century English male musicians
909:Youngrok Lee's Classical Music page
866:, Alamy, retrieved 17 December 2015
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544:Piano Concerto No.27 in B flat K595
242:Triple Keyboard Concerto in D minor
13:
841:
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404:with Britten often, and also with
182:
14:
1030:
898:
689:
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447:, near their holiday home in the
140:in London, and subsequently with
883:. London: Secker & Warburg.
526:Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto
511:gives the year as 1922, and the
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989:English male classical pianists
954:20th-century classical pianists
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744:"Curzon, Sir Clifford (Michael)
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959:20th-century English musicians
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1:
1004:Musicians awarded knighthoods
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491:Notes, references and sources
463:In 1958 Curzon was appointed
613:UK public library membership
7:
979:English classical composers
881:Putting the Record Straight
212:In 1919 Curzon entered the
124:Sir Clifford Michael Curzon
10:
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984:English classical pianists
905:Recordings and discography
872:
809:Decca Classical, 1929–2009
513:Oxford Dictionary of Music
477:St Peter's College, Oxford
473:Royal Philharmonic Society
467:(CBE), and in 1977 he was
458:
331:, but his friendship with
286:
228:, who had been a pupil of
994:Jewish classical pianists
825:, 3 September 1982, p. 12
634:, 14 August 1914, p. 6434
117:(m. 1931-1977; her death)
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73:
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35:
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1014:Pupils of Artur Schnabel
838:, 3 September 1952, p. 5
784:14 February 2019 at the
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438:
836:The Manchester Guardian
821:"Sir Clifford Curzon",
752:(subscription required)
726:(subscription required)
364:The Manchester Guardian
274:. He then studied with
879:Culshaw, John (1981).
854:, 23 March 1977. p. 18
718:"Curzon, Sir Clifford"
684:MusicWeb International
413:
373:BBC Symphony Orchestra
220:, had been a pupil of
214:Royal Academy of Music
138:Royal Academy of Music
136:Curzon studied at the
97:Royal Academy of Music
788:(1999), OCLC 43556430
669:, March 1971, p. 1764
663:. "Clifford Curzon",
401:
297:Ignacy Jan Paderewski
1009:People from Highgate
702:, 26 May 1976, p. 12
540:Liszt B minor Sonata
309:Germaine Tailleferre
218:Bernhard Stavenhagen
850:"Lucille Wallace",
765:Summers, Jonathan.
377:Sir Malcolm Sargent
230:Theodor Leschetizky
192:Curzon was born in
722:Grove Music Online
631:The London Gazette
572:The New York Times
250:Sir Thomas Beecham
890:978-0-436-11802-9
767:"Clifford Curzon"
611:(subscription or
453:Franz von Schober
325:Aram Khachaturian
238:Promenade Concert
226:Katharine Goodson
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106:Composer, pianist
77:September 1, 1982
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999:Knights Bachelor
969:Benjamin Britten
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280:Nadia Boulanger
276:Wanda Landowska
206:Albert Ketèlbey
202:First World War
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146:Wanda Landowska
115:Lucille Wallace
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265:Queen's Hall
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79:(1982-09-01)
58:May 18, 1907
18:
939:1982 deaths
934:1907 births
748:Who Was Who
661:Blyth, Alan
483:(1970) and
222:Franz Liszt
188:Early years
928:Categories
554:References
445:Patterdale
399:, wrote:
259:Coronation
131:Siegenberg
87:, England
54:1907-05-18
852:The Times
823:The Times
644:"Prom 48"
615:required)
532:, a 1947
379:in 1954.
194:Islington
162:Beethoven
68:, England
62:Islington
782:Archived
487:(1973).
469:knighted
392:♭
261:Concerto
166:Schubert
154:Romantic
873:Sources
459:Honours
287:Soloist
263:at the
887:
686:(2022)
682:', at
626:Notice
485:Sussex
254:Mozart
170:Brahms
158:Mozart
111:Spouse
85:London
66:London
496:Notes
481:Leeds
439:Death
340:Decca
177:Decca
885:ISBN
408:and
375:and
358:and
319:and
303:and
278:and
168:and
148:and
129:(né
74:Died
48:Born
917:at
720:,
327:'s
256:'s
198:née
127:CBE
29:CBE
930::
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52:(
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