Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

For his many fans, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli was the greatest virtuoso of the 20th Century.  He never set out to dazzle audiences with pianistic tricks or pyrotechnics, even though he was technically one of the surest masters of the keyboard.  He balanced both the detail and the broad outline of a work, with a clarity of expression that illustrated the musical intentions of the composer.  Finally, and perhaps most importantly, he always found that ideal combination of romantic fervour and classical poise.  At the end of a Michelangeli performance, the listener is left with a deeper understanding of the music rather than simply spellbound by his extraordinary skill, dexterity and tone.

Michelangeli was born in Brescia in 1920.  His father gave him his first lessons, but it was clear, by the time Arturo was four that his special talent needed nurturing and he was enrolled in the Venturi College of music.  A year later, he gave his first ‘public’ performance, playing two studies by Czerny.  Milan Conservatory awarded his piano certificate when he was only fourteen.  In 1939, Michelangeli won the first prize at the Geneva International Competition.  On this occasion, the distinguished pianist Alfred Cortot exclaimed: “A new Liszt is born!”

His international career was delayed by World War II, during which he served in the Italian Air Force and, later, worked for the underground anti-fascist movement.  He first appeared in England in 1946 and, two years later, in America, and was invited to Warsaw for the celebrations of Chopin’s centenary in 1949.

Michelangeli always divided his time between performing and teaching, and held a number of appointments in Italy over the years, including professorship for the piano at the Arezzo Conservatory.  He also founded the International Piano Festival of Brescia, and remained its director for some years. His concert career took him to many new cities, including Moscow and Tokyo. 

For more than forty years, often plagued by ill health (which caused him frequently to cancel many engagements) Michelangeli continued to be one of the most sought-after pianists in the world.  He maintained a moderately small repertoire, seeming to return to certain pieces again and again, as if searching for new ways to polish and perfect his readings.  In 1988, he suffered a heart attack during a concert, but underwent immediate surgery and, after a long convalescence, reappeared for further concerts. He died on June 11, 1995, in Lugano, Switzerland, which had been his home for many years