Wilhelm Backhaus
Wilhelm Backhaus was a German pianist, born in Leipzig on 26 March 1884. He studied at the Leipzig Conservatory until 1899, then took private lessons in Frankfurt am Main with the pianist and piano teacher Eugen d'Albert. He made his first concert tour at the age of sixteen.
In 1905 Backhaus won the Anton Rubinstein Competition; Béla Bartók took second place that year. He toured extensively throughout his life as a concert pianist and maintained a demanding performance schedule. In 1921 he gave seventeen concerts in Buenos Aires in less than three weeks.
Backhaus moved to Lugano in 1930 and became a Swiss citizen. He was particularly known for his interpretations of Ludwig van Beethoven and of Romantic composers, including Johannes Brahms, and was also valued as a chamber-music performer.
His playing combined a modern approach to the piano with clarity, precision and objectivity. Although his technical approach to music was analytical, his interpretations were expressive. He was among the first pianists to make numerous recordings and had a long concert career.
Backhaus recorded nearly all of Beethoven's works, as well as much of the music of Mozart and Brahms. In 1928 he became the first pianist to record Chopin's études; these recordings are generally regarded as his finest. A 1953 live recording of seven études documents a later development in his style: his technique remained exceptionally accomplished, while his playing became more relaxed and assured.
He also recorded Brahms's waltzes for EMI, Beethoven's complete piano sonatas in the studio in 1960, and Brahms's two piano concertos for Decca. Orfeo later issued recordings of live Beethoven performances. His chamber-music recordings include works by Brahms and Schubert. Backhaus died in Villach, Austria, on 5 July 1969, shortly before he was due to give a concert.