Birth

:

December 19, 1931 in Summit, NJ

Death

:

December 12, 2019 in Kunming, Yunnan, China

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Dalton Baldwin was an American pianist and accompanist who was born on December 10, 1931, in New York City. He was raised in a musical family, with his mother being a pianist and his father a violinist. Baldwin began playing the piano at a young age and showed great talent and passion for music. Baldwin studied at the Juilliard School in New York City, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree in 1953. He then went on to study at the Paris Conservatory, where he studied with the renowned pianist and teacher Nadia Boulanger. Baldwin also studied with the pianist and accompanist Pierre Bernac, who would become a lifelong friend and collaborator. Baldwin began his career as a pianist and accompanist in the 1950s, performing with many of the leading singers of the time, including Pierre Bernac, Elly Ameling, and Jessye Norman. He quickly gained a reputation as one of the finest accompanists of his generation, known for his sensitivity, musicality, and ability to bring out the best in his collaborators. One of Baldwin's most significant collaborations was with the French baritone Gérard Souzay. The two musicians first met in Paris in the early 1950s and went on to perform together for over 30 years. They recorded numerous albums together, including a highly acclaimed recording of Schubert's Winterreise. Baldwin and Souzay's partnership was characterized by a deep musical understanding and a shared commitment to the highest standards of performance. Baldwin also worked extensively with the American soprano Jessye Norman, with whom he performed and recorded for over 20 years. Their collaboration was marked by a deep mutual respect and a shared commitment to exploring the full range of the vocal and pianistic repertoire. In addition to his work as an accompanist, Baldwin was also a respected solo pianist. He performed regularly in recital and with orchestras, and his repertoire included works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, and Debussy, among others. Baldwin was known for his elegant and refined playing, characterized by a deep understanding of the music and a sensitivity to its emotional and expressive qualities. Baldwin received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the French Legion of Honor in 1991 and the Order of Arts and Letters in 1997. He was also awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton in 1997, in recognition of his contributions to the arts in the United States. Baldwin continued to perform and teach well into his later years, and he remained an active and influential figure in the world of classical music until his death in 2019 at the age of 87. His legacy as a pianist and accompanist is marked by his deep musicality, his commitment to excellence, and his unwavering dedication to the art of collaboration.

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