Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli: Five Legendary Recordings

Last Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Italian pianist, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920-1995).

Michelangeli has been called “one of the most enigmatic performers of the twentieth century.” A noted perfectionist, his concert repertoire was considered to be small, and he agreed to the release of relatively few recordings during his lifetime. He practiced eight to ten hours a day, telling students, “One has to work to feel your arms and back ache all over. Music is a right for those who deserve it.” He also said,

It is not a profession to be a pianist and musician. It is a philosophy, a conception of life that cannot be based on good intentions or natural talent. First and foremost there must be a spirit of sacrifice.

Mysterious and reclusive, he was known to cancel concert appearances if conditions were not perfect. He was a consummate servant of the music. “Applause goes to Beethoven, to Chopin, to Debussy, not to me. I hate when applause is addressed to the pianist,” he once said. Following a performance, he said to his wife, “You see, so much applause, so much public. Then, in half an hour, you feel alone more than before.”

A powerful musicianship and supreme technical command are apparent in Michelangeli’s recordings. Here are five examples:

Debussy: Images (Reflets dans l’eau)

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15

A live recording with Carlo Maria Giulini and the Vienna Philharmonic:

Chopin: Mazurka No. 45 in G Minor, Op. 67 No. 2 – Cantabile

Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major

A 1957 recording with Ettore Gracis and the Philharmonia Orchestra:

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40

A 1957 recording with Ettore Gracis and the Philharmonia Orchestra:

Recordings

• Debussy: Images, Books I and II, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Amazon
• Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Carlo Maria Giulini, Vienna Philharmonic Amazon
• Chopin: Mazurka No. 45 in G minor, Op. 67, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Amazon
• Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Ettore Gracis, Philharmonia Orchestra Amazon
• Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Ettore Gracis, Philharmonia Orchestra Amazon