Country

:

Czech Republic

Birth

:

February 11, 1912 in Napajedla, Moravia

Death

:

July 19, 1994 in Staatsburg, NY

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

Rudolf Firkusny was a Czech-American classical pianist who was born on February 11, 1912, in Napajedla, Moravia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. He was born into a musical family, and his father was a violinist and his mother was a pianist. Firkusny began playing the piano at the age of four, and he showed great talent from an early age. Firkusny studied at the Prague Conservatory, where he was a student of Josef Suk and Alois Haba. He made his debut as a soloist with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 16, and he quickly gained a reputation as one of the most promising young pianists of his generation. In 1938, Firkusny won the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, which was a major turning point in his career. He went on to perform with some of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. During World War II, Firkusny was forced to flee Czechoslovakia due to the Nazi occupation. He spent several years in France, where he continued to perform and teach. In 1944, he was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to a concentration camp, but he was eventually released and allowed to return to France. After the war, Firkusny moved to the United States, where he became a citizen in 1954. He continued to perform and record extensively, and he also taught at several universities, including the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music. Firkusny was known for his interpretations of the music of Czech composers, such as Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana, as well as the music of Chopin and Beethoven. He was also a champion of contemporary music, and he premiered works by composers such as Bohuslav Martinu and Olivier Messiaen. Throughout his career, Firkusny received numerous awards and honors. In addition to his victory at the Chopin Competition, he was awarded the Order of Merit by the Czech government in 1992, and he was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in 1995. Firkusny continued to perform and teach until his death on July 19, 1994, in Staatsburg, New York. He left behind a legacy as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, and his recordings continue to be admired by music lovers around the world.

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