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 plays Schubert
Franz Schubert, Wilhelm Kempff
Clásica - Editado por UME - Global Clearing House el 21 nov. 2020
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Brahms: Fantasias (Seven Piano Pieces), Op. 116; Four Piano Pieces, Op. 119 (Wilhelm Kempff: Complete Decca Recordings, Vol. 12)
Clásica - Editado por Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. el 13 may. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: The Complete Violin Sonatas Vol.II
Yehudi Menuhin, Wilhelm Kempff
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 1 ene. 1970
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas in under 15 minutes
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 18 sept. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: The Well-tempered Clavier I - Selection
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 1 ene. 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
J.S. Bach; Handel; F. Couperin; Rameau; Beethoven (Wilhelm Kempff: Complete Decca Recordings, Vol. 1)
Clásica - Editado por Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. el 13 may. 2022
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Beethoven: Sonatas For Piano And Violin
Wilhelm Kempff, Wolfgang Schneiderhan
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 1 ene. 1953
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Steinway Legends: Wilhelm Kempff
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 1 ene. 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Bach Recital (Wilhelm Kempff: Complete Decca Recordings, Vol. 2)
Clásica - Editado por Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. el 13 may. 2022
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos.21 "Waldstein-Sonate", 23 "Appassionata" & 26 "Les Adieux"
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 1 ene. 1965
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Bach & Beethoven - Wilhelm Kempff
Clásica - Editado por UME - Global Clearing House el 6 mar. 2023
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Classical Music for Babies
Aldo Ciccolini, Gyorgy Cziffra, Wilhelm Kempff
Clásica - Editado por BNF Collection el 1 ene. 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos.4 & 5
Wilhelm Kempff, Berliner Philharmoniker, Ferdinand Leitner
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 7 abr. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Complete Piano Music
Daniel Barenboim, Anatol Ugorski, Wilhelm Kempff
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 2 sept. 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Nos. 1 - 32 (Live in Tokyo 1961)
Clásica - Editado por The Golden Legacy of Music el 20 oct. 2016
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Beethoven : Piano Concertos Nos.3 & 4
Berliner Philharmoniker, Ferdinand Leitner
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 1 ene. 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor" (Stereo Version)
Wilhelm Kempff, Ferdinand Leitner, Berliner Philharmoniker
Varios - Editado por BNF Collection el 1 ene. 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 - Haydn: Symphony No. 94 (1971, 1975) (Ludwig van Beethoven - Franz Joseph Haydn)
Clásica - Editado por Audite el 22 abr. 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 9 'Jeunehomme'; Piano Concerto No. 15 (Wilhelm Kempff: Complete Decca Recordings, Vol. 3)
Wilhelm Kempff, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger
Clásica - Editado por Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. el 1 nov. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Kinderszenen; Kreisleriana; Waldszenen
Clásica - Editado por Deutsche Grammophon (DG) el 1 ene. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kempff The Pianist
Clásica - Editado por UME - Global Clearing House el 14 nov. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo