Egon Petri

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Egon Petri

Egon Petri (born March 23, 1881 in Hanover , † May 27, 1962 in Berkeley , California , USA ) was a Dutch-American classical pianist .

Life

Egon Petri, the son of Dutch parents, was a Dutch citizen, and from 1955 an American citizen. He was born in Hanover in 1881 and grew up in Dresden . His father Henri Petri (1856–1914), a well-known violinist , was a student of Joseph Joachim , from 1882 concertmaster of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig and from 1889 “Royal Saxon concertmaster” of the Dresden court orchestra ; he received violin lessons from him. In addition, he took lessons in music theory (with Felix Draeseke ), piano (with Richard Buchmayer and Teresa Carreño ), organ and French horn . Attending the Dresden Kreuzschule contributed to his comprehensive general education. From 1899 to 1901 he played 2nd violin in his father's Petri Quartet .

In Berlin , where he also studied philosophy , in Weimar and Dresden he received lessons from the great pianist and composer Ferruccio Busoni (1866–1924), a friend of the family. Petri was soon considered the most important Busoni student and interpreter. The two performed as a piano duo , as late as 1921 in London . Petri also assisted his teacher in editing the piano works of Johann Sebastian Bach and, with his piano transcription of the aria Schafe Can Weiden from Bach's Jagdkantata, wrote an effective work in the Busoni tradition.

On September 22, 1905, Petri recorded eleven pieces for the Welte-Mignon reproduction piano in Leipzig . He traveled all over Europe as a soloist; an extensive tour of Russia took place in 1923. From 1929 he made numerous records. His American debut took place in New York in 1932 .

Petri was also internationally recognized as a teacher. 1906–1910 he taught at the Royal Manchester College of Music , 1921–1925 at the University of Music in Berlin , 1927–1939 in Zakopane (Poland). One day before the German invasion of Poland and with it the beginning of the Second World War , he managed to escape to England , leaving his possessions behind. He then emigrated to the USA; he never taught or performed in Germany again. 1940–1946 he taught at Cornell University in Ithaca (New York) , 1947–1957 at Mills College in Oakland (California) , 1952–1962 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In 1957 he worked briefly at the Music Academy of the City of Basel .

For Rudolf Firkušný , Petri was “not just a great pianist, but one of the greatest of all time”. The 1954 Grove's Dictionary counted "clear thinking" and "wonderful hands that never make unnecessary movement" among the characteristics of his game. Perhaps his most famous students around the world were Earl Wild and John Ogdon . In 1962 Egon Petri died at the age of 81 in Berkeley (California).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Wilhelm Joseph von Wasielewski and Waldemar von Wasielewski: The violin and its masters . 4th edition, Sendet, Wiesbaden 1904, p. 518.
  2. ↑ a b Michaele Benedict: Egon Petri and the Petriots . As of July 19, 2009.
  3. ^ A b Stanley Sadie (Ed.): The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians . Macmillan, London 1980. Lemma Petri, Egon .
  4. ↑ Biography on naxos.com . As of July 19, 2009.
  5. ↑ Year numbers according to Michaele Benedict. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians mentions other periods.
  6. ↑ All quotations from Michaele Benedict.
personal data
SURNAME Petri, Egon
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dutch-American classical pianist
DATE OF BIRTH March 23, 1881
PLACE OF BIRTH Hanover
DATE OF DEATH May 27, 1962
Place of death Berkeley , California , USA