The Return of Brendel

After he retired from stage in 2008, the mysterious musician returned to teach a master’s class in Barcelona, dedicated to the Beethoven piano sonatas.

Atypical until its very end, the career of the Austrian Alfred Brendel (born in Weisenberg, Moravia, in 1931) continues after his retirement from stage in 2008. The artist still feels the need to explore life and music, in particular, and offers answers, both to himself and the public, but not as a way to impose his opinion but just by way of intellectual provocation.

The pianist, famous for his study of the “character” of Beethoven’s music, held a lecture earlier this month in the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona.

Unlike most professional musicians, who prefer to concentrate in the structure of the piece as an objective reality and leave the discussions on the character to the amateurs, Brendel is particularly interested in the character of music and seeks to explain, with the help of charming examples on the piano, the mood, psychological motives and intentions of the composer as he set to create a particular piece.

According to Brendel, “The performer has to work on the character and the structure of a piece as two different things, in the hope that one day they will converge in a moment, when the suffering of the performer will transform itself in relief and satisfaction.”

Self-taught, educated outside of school, Brendel is also a painter who has one exhibition behind him. Hes career is characterized by a freedom of expression and the need to express himself, that are so typical of the 20th century art. Although he has retired from stage, it appears that his dedication to music is as alive as ever.

Source: El País