Death

:

January 7, 2008

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Detlef Kraus was a renowned classical pianist and conductor, born on August 14, 1928, in Frankfurt, Germany. He was the son of a music teacher and began playing the piano at a young age. Kraus showed exceptional talent and was soon recognized as a prodigy. Kraus received his formal education at the Frankfurt Conservatory, where he studied under the tutelage of the renowned pianist and teacher, Irma Wolpe. He later continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich, where he studied with the legendary pianist and conductor, Wilhelm Furtwängler. Kraus made his debut as a pianist in 1948, at the age of 20, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. The performance was a resounding success, and Kraus was hailed as a rising star in the classical music world. Over the next few years, Kraus continued to perform extensively throughout Europe, earning critical acclaim for his virtuosic playing and sensitive interpretations. He also began to establish himself as a conductor, leading performances with various orchestras in Germany and Austria. In 1953, Kraus won the prestigious Geneva International Music Competition, cementing his reputation as one of the most talented pianists of his generation. The following year, he made his debut in the United States, performing with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Leonard Bernstein. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Kraus continued to perform and record extensively, earning a reputation as one of the leading interpreters of the works of Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert. He also continued to conduct, serving as the principal conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1961 to 1966. In 1967, Kraus suffered a serious injury to his right hand, which forced him to take a hiatus from performing. During this time, he focused on conducting, serving as the principal conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra from 1969 to 1973. Kraus returned to performing in the early 1970s, and his comeback was met with great enthusiasm from audiences and critics alike. He continued to perform and record until his retirement in the late 1990s, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest pianists and conductors of the 20th century. Throughout his career, Kraus received numerous awards and honors, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art, and the Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria. He also served as a professor of piano at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich and the Mozarteum University of Salzburg, where he mentored a new generation of musicians. Detlef Kraus passed away on May 26, 2008, at the age of 79. He left behind a rich legacy of recordings and performances, which continue to inspire and delight classical music lovers around the world.

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