Period

:

Baroque

Genre

:

Ballet

 

 

Choral

 

Basia Retchitzka was a renowned classical music artist who was born on January 16, 1916, in Warsaw, Poland. She was the daughter of a prominent Polish lawyer and a talented pianist. Her mother recognized her daughter's musical talent at an early age and began teaching her piano when she was just four years old. Retchitzka's family moved to Switzerland when she was six years old, and she continued her musical education there. She studied with several renowned pianists, including Edwin Fischer and Alfred Cortot. She also studied composition with Paul Hindemith and conducting with Hermann Scherchen. Retchitzka made her debut as a pianist at the age of 14, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. She quickly gained a reputation as a prodigious talent, and her career took off. In 1936, Retchitzka won first prize at the Geneva International Music Competition, which launched her international career. She went on to perform with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. Retchitzka was known for her virtuosic technique and her ability to bring out the emotional depth of the music she played. She was particularly renowned for her interpretations of the works of Chopin, Beethoven, and Schumann. One of Retchitzka's most memorable performances was her 1955 concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She performed a program of works by Chopin, Beethoven, and Schumann to a sold-out audience, receiving a standing ovation at the end of the concert. Retchitzka also had a successful recording career, recording for several major labels, including Deutsche Grammophon and RCA Victor. Her recordings of Chopin's piano music are particularly highly regarded. Throughout her career, Retchitzka received numerous awards and honors. In addition to her win at the Geneva International Music Competition, she was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for her recording of Chopin's Nocturnes. She was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Retchitzka continued to perform and record well into her later years. She gave her final concert in 1995, at the age of 79, performing a program of works by Chopin and Schumann. Basia Retchitzka passed away on December 7, 1997, at the age of 81. She left behind a legacy as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, known for her technical brilliance, emotional depth, and profound musicality.

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