Wilhelm Kempff
Wilhelm Walter Friedrich Kempff was born in Jüterbog, Germany, on November 25, 1895. His father, also named Wilhelm Kempff, fame from a line of respected church organists, and first taught his son music and keyboard playing. Young Wilhelm had lessons with Ida Schmidt-Schlesike, then entered the Berlin Hochschule für Musik at the age of nine, to study composition with Robert Kahn and piano with Heinrich Barth. In 1914 he went to study at the Viktoriagymnasium in Potsdam, then returned to Berlin to continue his training at the Hochschule. He also entered the university, studying philosophy and music history. In 1916 he toured with the Berlin Cathedral Choir through Germany and Scandinavia, as pianist and organist. In 1917 he appeared at the Berlin Singakademie in a piano recital made of primarily of big works: Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata and Brahms' "Variations on a theme of Paganini." In 1918 he made his first concerto appearance with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, a venue where he would frequently appear over the years. With the end of World War I he was able to expand his career to an international stage. He maintained an impressive concert life over the next several decades, drawing acclaim from his appearances in Europe. South America, and Japan while becoming particularly treasured for his commanding performances of the central German Romantic piano classics from Beethoven to Brahms, plus Chopin. His career continued without interruption except for the years of World War II.
For some reason he put off performing in England and North America until late. His first London recital was not until 1951, and his American debut, in New York, was as late as 1964. Therefore it took the English-speaking world to catch up to what most of the rest of the world already recognized, which is that he was one of the most important and impressive performers in the Austro-German classic piano tradition. He also built an important presence as a teacher, particularly of accomplished students. He became director of the Stuttgart Hochschule für Musik from 1924 to 1929, and conducted master classes there. In 1931 he founded a summer course held at the Marmorpalais, Potsdam, also for master students, along with Edwin Fischer and Walter Gieseking. These lasted until 1941. Beginning in 1957 he directed Beethoven studies at Positano, Italy. As a performer he stressed lyricism, charm, and spontaneity in music, particularly effective in intimate pieces or passages. He always strove for a singing, lyrical quality, occasionally slipping into a slight degree of affectation in his phrasing. He avoided extreme tempos and display for its own sake. He left recordings of most of his repertory, including the complete sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert. He performed to an advanced age, often concertizing past his eightieth birthday. He appeared as a soloist in 1979 with the Berlin Philharmonic, marking an association with them that spanned over sixty years. He died in Positano on May 23, 1991, at the age of 95.
© Joseph Stevenson /TiVo
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Kempff
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 1953
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wilhelm Kempff / London Symphony Orchestra / Josef Krips play: Robert Schumann: Klavierkonzert, Op. 54
Wilhelm Kempff, London Symphony Orchestra
Concertmuziek - Released by Classico Ivano on 13 feb. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 in D Minor, Op.15
Wilhelm Kempff, Franz Konwitschny, Staatskapelle Dresden
Klassiek - Released by Vinyle Numérique on 4 jul. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 4 (Stereo Version)
Wilhelm Kempff, Ferdinand Leitner, Berliner Philharmoniker
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Wilhelm Kempff - Piano
Klassiek - Released by OperaPrima-Carillon on 23 apr. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Liszt: Two Legends
Klassiek - Released by Past Classics on 15 jan. 2009
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Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14, 8 & 23 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Wilhelm Kempff, Wiener Symphoniker, Jean Fournet
Klassiek - Released by Digital Revival on 1 jan. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106 (Recordings of 1936 (In Memoriam Wilhelm Kempff - 30th date of death))
Klassiek - Released by GazzaLadra on 31 mei 2021
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Chill With Chopin
Peter Katin, Claudio Arrau, Wilhelm Kempff
Klassiek - Released by Past Classics on 1 aug. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concertos & Appassionata
Wilhelm Kempff, Paul Van Kempen
Klassiek - Released by Urania on 7 feb. 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos 3 & 4
Klassiek - Released by Stave on 17 feb. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Greatest Pianists Of The 20th Century - Wilhelm Kempff
Klassiek - Released by Synergie OMP on 11 mei 2009
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Beethoven: Sonate pour violon et piano No. 5 "Le printemps" (Mono Version)
Wolfgang Schneiderhan, Wilhelm Kempff
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1959
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Concerto pour piano No. 3 (Mono Version)
Wilhelm Kempff, Berliner Philharmoniker, Paul Van Kempen
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Sonate pour piano No. 29 "Hammerklavier" (Mono Version)
Klassiek - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.17 and No.18
Klassiek - Released by Past Classics on 6 nov. 2011
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Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 15
Wilhelm Kempff, Karl Münchinger, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
Klassiek - Released by Vinyle Numérique on 17 feb. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a, ‚Les Adieux' - Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1 - Piano Sonata No. 18 in E Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 (Recordings of 1927, 1940 & 1944 (In Memoriam Wilhelm Kempff - 30th date of death))
Klassiek - Released by GazzaLadra on 31 mei 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.4 in G major, op.58
Wilhelm Kempff, Paul Van Kempen, Berliner Philharmoniker
Divers - Released by Vinyle Numérique on 13 apr. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wilhelm Kempff / Orchestre national de la Radiodiffusion française / Carl Schuricht play: Ludwig van Beethoven: Klavierkonzert Nr. 1, Op. 15
Wilhelm Kempff, Orchestre National de France
Concertmuziek - Released by Classico Ivano on 23 jan. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert - Schumann (Le Livre d’or de Paris-Inter - 21 mars 1960)
Klassiek - Released by Ina, musique(s) on 28 okt. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo