The Bodleian Libraries is saddened to learn of the death of the renowned and celebrated pianist Alfred Brendel.
Widely recognised as one of the world’s premier and most accomplished pianists, he was also an acclaimed multi-hyphenate who was celebrated as an essayist, poet, composer and a lecturer in his lifetime. He was also a long-standing friend to the Bodleian and, in 2012, we celebrated the endowment of the Alfred Brendel Bodleian Curator of Music, a post which is currently held by Martin Holmes. Brendel has enjoyed many connections with the University of Oxford over the years, including being awarded an honorary doctorate in 1983, and receiving an honorary fellowship at Exeter College.
A largely self-taught classical pianist, Brendel was born in Northern Moravia (now Czech Republic) to a non-musical family, but went on to study at the Graz Conservatory in Austria and to perform at concert halls all over the world. He is best known for his performances of Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt, and recorded the Piano Concertos of his beloved Beethoven four times, most recently in 1999 with Sir Simon Rattle and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s Librarian and Helen Hamlyn Director of University Libraries, said:
The Bodleian was privileged to work closely with Alfred Brendel, one of the greatest musicians of recent times, and proud that our key specialist role in music bear his name in perpetuity.
Martin Holmes, Alfred Brendel Bodleian Curator of Music, said:
It has been a great honour for me to have the name of such a distinguished musician associated with my job title. I was lucky enough to meet him several times and particularly privileged to have lunch with him only two weeks ago. He was a giant among pianists who will be greatly missed, but his vast legacy of recordings and writings will live on.
