One of the greatest pianists of the 20th century

He loved Steinways and Ferraris. Gifted with supreme technical command, he represented a nightmare to booking agents. In  1986 he refused to continue a recital in Zurich because cold air allowed into the hall on the day of the recital had thrown off the tuning of the piano. 99 years ago, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli was born in the town of Brescia, Italy and won the first prize in the Geneva Competition in 1940. During World War II, Mr. Michelangeli served as a pilot in the Italian Air Force and became a legendary piano teacher after the war. Two pianists who revered their work with him were Martha Argerich and Maurizio Pollini.

 

© Siegfried Lauterwasser / DG