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
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 06.09.2013
24-Bit 176.4 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5 by Sir Clifford Curzon
Klassik - Erschienen bei Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording am 16.05.2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos.20 & 27
Clifford Curzon, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca (UMO) am 01.01.1970
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 by Clifford Curzon
Clifford Curzon, George Szell, London Symphony Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording am 22.11.2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Concerto pour piano No. 1 (Mono Version)
Clifford Curzon, Eduard van Beinum, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 (1977) (Ludwig van Beethoven)
Klassik - Erschienen bei Audite am 01.01.1998
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
Klassik - Erschienen bei West Hill Radio Archives am 04.10.2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major, Op.73, Emperor
Klassik - Erschienen bei Past Classics am 08.01.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gieg: Piano Concerto in A - Litolff: Concerto Symphonique No. 4 - Franck: Variations Symphoniques
Klassik - Erschienen bei Past Classics am 06.03.2011
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
Klassik - Erschienen bei GazzaLadra am 08.08.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Eroica Variations / Schubert: Moments Musicaux / Britten: Introduction & Rondo alla burlesca; Mazurka elegiaca
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 17.08.2018
16-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
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1970
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings 1949-1964 Vol.1
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.2003
16-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
Klassik - Erschienen bei Les Indispensables de Diapason am 18.03.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clifford Curzon Edition : Complete Recordings (Intégrale des enregistrements)
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings 1937-1971 Vol.3
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467 "Elvira Madigan" (Live in Lausanne 1980)
Instrumentalmusik - Erschienen bei Claves Records am 30.06.2009
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
Klassik - Erschienen bei Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. am 19.01.2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 23 & 24
Clifford Curzon, London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.11.1968
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clifford Curzon and George Szell Beethoven and Brahms Piano Concertos
Klassik - Erschienen bei Archipel am 06.10.2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg Peer Gynt & Piano Concerto in A Minor
Clifford Curzon, Oivin Fjeldstad, London Symphony Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Mangora Classical am 03.07.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo