Birth

:

November 30, 1928

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

Huguette Dreyfus was a French harpsichordist and music educator who was born on July 30, 1928, in Mulhouse, France. She was the daughter of a Jewish family who had immigrated to France from Alsace-Lorraine. Her father was a doctor, and her mother was a pianist who introduced her to music at a young age. Dreyfus began playing the piano when she was six years old, but she soon switched to the harpsichord, which became her primary instrument. Dreyfus studied at the Paris Conservatory with the renowned harpsichordist, Robert Veyron-Lacroix. She won first prize in harpsichord in 1952 and began her career as a soloist and chamber musician. She quickly gained a reputation as one of the leading harpsichordists of her generation, known for her virtuosity, sensitivity, and musicality. Dreyfus made her debut at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris in 1954, performing Bach's Goldberg Variations. She went on to perform throughout Europe, the United States, and Japan, collaborating with many of the leading musicians of her time, including Gustav Leonhardt, Jordi Savall, and Frans Brüggen. She was particularly known for her interpretations of the music of Bach, Couperin, Rameau, and Scarlatti. Dreyfus was also a prolific recording artist, making over 100 recordings throughout her career. Her recordings of Bach's Goldberg Variations, Couperin's Pièces de clavecin, and Rameau's Pièces de clavecin en concerts are considered to be among the definitive interpretations of these works. She received numerous awards for her recordings, including the Grand Prix du Disque and the Diapason d'Or. In addition to her performing career, Dreyfus was also a dedicated music educator. She taught at the Paris Conservatory from 1965 to 1993, where she trained many of the leading harpsichordists of the next generation. She also taught at the Schola Cantorum in Paris and at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich. Dreyfus was a pioneer in the revival of early music, which was a movement that sought to perform music from the Baroque and Renaissance periods on period instruments. She was instrumental in the development of the French school of harpsichord playing, which emphasized a more expressive and nuanced approach to the instrument. She was also a champion of the historical performance practice, which sought to recreate the sound and style of music from earlier periods. Dreyfus continued to perform and teach well into her 80s, despite suffering from Parkinson's disease. She died on November 16, 2016, at the age of 88. Her legacy as a performer, recording artist, and educator continues to inspire and influence musicians around the world.

More....