Kempff - Wilhelm Kempff

German pianist. He was very popular in Japan as a Beethoven performer and had a great influence. Born in Uterbock, he studied piano and composition at the Berlin University of Music and graduated in 1917. The following year, he was appointed as a soloist for the Berlin Philharmonic, attracting attention, and since then, he has been active in a wide range of fields, including solo performance, chamber music performance, education, and composition. He first came to Japan in 1936 (Showa 11), and captured the hearts of Japanese audiences with his warm and tasteful performances. After World War II, he visited Japan frequently. Although he had some difficulties with his performance technique, he reached a unique level when it came to performing the slow movements of Beethoven's sonatas, Brahms' short pieces, and Bach, and was one of the virtuoso pianists who could speak to the essential joy of music.

[Hiroyuki Iwai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ドイツのピアノ奏者。ベートーベン演奏家として日本で非常な人気を博し、多くの影響を及ぼした。ユーターボク生まれ。ベルリン音楽大学でピアノと作曲を学び、1917年に卒業、翌年ベルリン・フィルハーモニーの独奏者に起用されて注目され、以後、独奏、室内楽演奏、教育、作曲と幅広い活動を行っている。36年（昭和11）に初来日し、温かい、味わい深い演奏で日本の聴衆の心をつかみ、第二次世界大戦後頻繁に来日を重ねた。演奏技巧に多少難点はあるものの、ベートーベンのソナタの緩徐楽章、ブラームスの小品、バッハの演奏にかけては独自の境地に達しており、音楽の本質的な楽しみを語りかけることができる名手の一人であった。

［岩井宏之］

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