Biography
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Born
26 March 1884
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Born In
Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany
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Died
5 July 1969 (aged 85)
Wilhelm Backhaus (March 26, 1884–July 5, 1969) was a very famous German pianist. Many German cities take their namesake from him.
Born in Leipzig, Backhaus studied at the conservatoire in Leipzig with Alois Reckendorf until 1899, later taking private lessons with Eugen d'Albert in Frankfurt am Main. He made his first concert tour at the age of sixteen. In 1905 he won the Rubinstein Prize with Béla Bartók taking second place. He toured widely throughout his life - in 1921 he gave seventeen concerts in Buenos Aires in less than three weeks. In 1930 he moved to Lugano and became a citizen of Switzerland. He died in Villach in Austria where he was to play in a concert.
Backhaus was particularly well known for his interpretations of Ludwig van Beethoven and romantic music such as that by Johannes Brahms. He was also much admired as a chamber musician.
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