Clifford Curzon
Clifford Curzon was among the finest English pianists of the twentieth century, known for his clear, ego-less performances of the German Classical and Romantic masterpieces. A quiet intellectual who nevertheless possessed a formidable technique, Curzon played everything from Mozart to Liszt with equal authority. His fans often cite this ability to emphasize the personality of each composer, rather than his own, as his most distinctive quality. Curzon recorded for the Decca label for over 30 years, leaving behind a modestly sized, but musically impressive catalog. His recordings of Mozart and Schubert are considered his best.
Curzon achieved success early, with a scholarship to London's Royal Academy of Music in 1919. His impressive student career earned him every prize available to a pianist at the Academy, and he made his professional debut in 1923 -- playing Bach's Triple Concerto with conductor Henry Wood at a Promenade Concert in Queen's Hall. In 1926, when still just 19 years old, he was invited to join the RAM faculty; he remained on the faculty there until 1932, when he became a full-time performing pianist. During his time teaching at the RAM, Curzon spent several extended periods abroad studying with great pianists: first with Artur Schnabel in Berlin, and then with Wanda Landowska and Nadia Boulanger in Paris. In 1936, Curzon made a recital tour of Europe with violist Lionel Tertis, and in 1939, he made his U.S. debut at New York's Town Hall. By 1941, he was making records for Decca, beginning a relationship that would last almost to the end of his life.
Curzon was an exacting perfectionist, often refusing to allow the release of recordings he felt were imperfect. This included recordings of Mozart concertos with the likes of George Szell, István Kertész, and Benjamin Britten conducting. For this and other reasons, he earned a reputation for being difficult, and at times highly temperamental -- an irony, considering his generally retiring nature, and the restrained elegance of his playing. Curzon was knighted in 1977.
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Schubert: Trout Quintet
Clifford Curzon, Members Of The Wiener Oktett
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 6 Sep 2013
24-Bit 176.4 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5 by Sir Clifford Curzon
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 16 May 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos.20 & 27
Clifford Curzon, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten
Classical - Released by Decca (UMO) on 1 Jan 1970
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 by Clifford Curzon
Clifford Curzon, George Szell, London Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 22 Nov 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Concerto pour piano No. 1 (Mono Version)
Clifford Curzon, Eduard van Beinum, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 (1977) (Ludwig van Beethoven)
Classical - Released by Audite on 1 Jan 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Art of George Szell, Vol. 2 (Edouard Lalo - Johannes Brahms - Carl Maria von Weber)
Alfredo Campoli, Clifford Curzon, The Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, George Szell
Classical - Released by West Hill Radio Archives on 4 Oct 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major, Op.73, Emperor
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 8 Jan 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gieg: Piano Concerto in A - Litolff: Concerto Symphonique No. 4 - Franck: Variations Symphoniques
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 6 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat major, Op. 72 "Emperor" (Album of 1958)
Clifford Curzon, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Hans Knappertsbusch
Classical - Released by GazzaLadra on 8 Aug 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Eroica Variations / Schubert: Moments Musicaux / Britten: Introduction & Rondo alla burlesca; Mazurka elegiaca
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 17 Aug 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos.20,23,24,26 & 27
Clifford Curzon, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten, London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2001
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20 in D minor & 27 in B flat
Clifford Curzon, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1970
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings 1949-1964 Vol.1
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 / Franck: Variations Symphoniques / Litolff: Scherzo
Clifford Curzon, London Symphony Orchestra, George Szell, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1962
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg: Concerto pour piano, 10 Mélodies & 3 Pièces pour piano (Les indispensables de Diapason)
Clifford Curzon, Oivin Fjeldstad, Kirsten Flagstad, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Classical - Released by Les Indispensables de Diapason on 18 Mar 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clifford Curzon Edition : Complete Recordings (Intégrale des enregistrements)
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings 1937-1971 Vol.3
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Trout Quintet / String Quartet in D minor "Death and the Maiden"
Clifford Curzon, Members Of The Wiener Oktett, Wiener Philharmonisches Streichquartett
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467 "Elvira Madigan" (Live in Lausanne 1980)
Concertos - Released by Claves Records on 30 Jun 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Piano Quintet, D. 667 "Trout"; Beethoven: Septet, Op. 20 (Vienna Octet — Complete Decca Recordings Vol. 12)
Clifford Curzon, Octuor Viennois
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on 19 Jan 2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo