{"id":30343,"date":"2023-07-06T17:11:49","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T15:11:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/?p=186132"},"modified":"2023-07-06T17:40:01","modified_gmt":"2023-07-06T15:40:01","slug":"who-is-andras-schiff-a-guide-to-the-acclaimed-hungarian-born-pianist-and-conductor","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/who-is-andras-schiff-a-guide-to-the-acclaimed-hungarian-born-pianist-and-conductor\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is Andr\u00e1s Schiff? A guide to the acclaimed Hungarian-born pianist and conductor"},"content":{"rendered":"

All you need to know about the Hungarian-born pianist and conductor Andr\u00e1s Schiff, who now divides his time between the UK, Italy and Japan <\/p>

By Steve Wright\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 06 July 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Known for his sensitive accounts of the Mozart piano concertos and Schubert piano sonatas among others, Andr\u00e1s Schiff is one of the most admired pianists performing today. How much do we know about the Hungarian-born performer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Who is Andr\u00e1s Schiff?<\/h2>\n
Andr\u00e1s Schiff is an acclaimed pianist and conductor. His discography as pianist includes much-praised accounts of the Mozart piano concertos<\/strong><\/a>, the Beethoven piano sonatas<\/strong><\/a>, and the Schubert piano sonatas.<\/p>\n
Five of the best works by Schubert<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
How old is Andr\u00e1s Schiff?<\/h2>\n
Schiff was born on 21 December, 1953.<\/p>\n
Where was he born?<\/h2>\n
Andr\u00e1s Schiff was born in Budapest, to Jewish parents. He was an only child.<\/p>\n
When did Schiff leave his native Hungary?<\/h3>\n
He emigrated from Hungary in 1979.^{Unable to gain US citizenship, he instead took Austrian citizenship in 1987, living in both London and Salzburg.<\/p>\n}
Which composers does Andr\u00e1s Schiff perform best?<\/h3>\n
Schiff is perhaps best known for his interpretations of the music of Mozart<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Beethoven<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Schubert<\/strong><\/a> and Bach<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 including the Partitas and the Goldberg Variations<\/em>. In fact, his recording of the latter made our shortlist of Goldberg Variations<\/em> best recordings<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p>But he\u2019s recorded a whole lot else besides, including the music of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/reviews\/instrumental\/domenico-scarlatti-7\/"\"><strong>Scarlatti<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/joseph-haydn-2\/"\"><strong>Haydn<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/johannes-brahms\/"\"><strong>Brahms<\/strong><\/a>, and <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/pyotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky\/"\"><strong>Tchaikovsky<\/strong><\/a>. His recordings of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/felix-mendelssohn\/"\"><strong>Mendelssohn<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s piano concertos are much admired, as are those of the complete Mozart piano concertos with the Camerata Academica Salzburg led by a fellow Hungarian, the conductor <strong><a title=\""S\u00e1ndor\" v=\"\" href=\""https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/S%C3%A1ndor_V%C3%A9gh"\">S\u00e1ndor V\u00e9gh<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Schiff has also recorded all five\u00a0Beethoven piano concertos with the\u00a0Staatskapelle Dresden\u00a0led by\u00a0<a title=\""Bernard\" haitink=\"\" href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/what-it-was-like-to-play-under-bernard-haitink-the-london-philharmonic-orchestra-members-reflect-on-the-great-maestro\/"\"><strong>Bernard Haitink<\/strong><\/a>, and the three piano concertos of his compatriot <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/bela-bartok\/"\"><strong>Bart\u00f3k<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0with the\u00a0Budapest Festival Orchestra\u00a0led by\u00a0Iv\u00e1n Fischer. Both of these orchestras featured in our list of the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/worlds-best-orchestras\/"\"><strong>world\u2019s best orchestras<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul><li><strong><a class=\""standard-card-newarticle-title"\" href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/nine-unmissable-recordings-bernard-haitink\/"\">Nine unmissable recordings by Bernard Haitink<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a class=\""standard-card-newarticle-title"\" href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/five-most-unusual-budapest-festival-orchestra-concerts\/"\">Five of the most unusual Budapest Festival Orchestra concerts<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><h3>And which orchestras has he conducted?<\/h3>\n<p>Schiff has regularly conducted orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, plus the San Francisco Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic.<sup id=\""cite_ref-nytimes.com_3-1"\" class=\""reference"\"\/><\/p>\n<iframe title=\""ANDRAS\" schiff=\"\" mozart=\"\" symphony=\"\" in=\"\" g=\"\" minor=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/P60tW-vMJdc?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<h3>Is Andr\u00e1s Schiff married?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes: Schiff is married to the violinist Y\u016bko Shiokawa. The couple have houses in London, Italy,<sup id=\""cite_ref-Kosman_2-1"\" class=\""reference"\"\/>\u00a0Japan.<\/p>\n<h3><sup id=\""cite_ref-14"\" class=\""reference"\"\/>Which pianists influenced him?<\/h3>\n<p>Schiff has mentioned his admiration for pianists including Artur Schnabel, Alfred Cortot,\u00a0<a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/sergey-rachmaninov\/"\"><strong>Sergei Rachmaninov<\/strong><\/a>, Annie Fischer,\u00a0Radu Lupu and\u00a0<a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/reviews\/instrumental\/murray-perahia-returns-beethoven-style\/"\"><strong>Murray Perahia<\/strong><\/a>. Many of these featured in our\u00a0 list of the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/20-greatest-pianists-all-time\/"\"><strong>greatest pianists of all time<\/strong><\/a>.<sup id=\""cite_ref-limelight_4-1"\" class=\""reference"\"\/><\/p>\n<h2>Andr\u00e1s Schiff: recommended recordings<\/h2>\n<h3>Bach: <em>Goldberg Variations<\/em><\/h3>\n<p><em>ECM 4721852\u00a0(2003) (recorded 2001)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>From our review: \u2018Twenty years after his first\u00a0<em>Goldberg<\/em>s recording (Decca, 1982), Andr\u00e1s Schiff returns to the\u00a0<strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-are-variations\/"\">Variations<\/a><\/strong> with a performance that improves on its already impressive predecessor. In this live recording, Schiff achieves a purer sound quality and greater sensitivity in his playing. It is, at times, hard to believe this note-perfect performance is recorded live, captured from a concert in Basel.\u2019<\/p>\n<div class=\""monetizerprice-comparison-container"\" data-position=\""adhoc"\" hidden=\"\"> <h5 class=\""monetizerprice-comparison-title\" monetizer-title=\"\" style=\""background-color:\" color:=\"\"\/> <div id=\""monetizer__deals"\" data-type=\""price-comparison"\" data-config=\"'{"shopId":"1378","market":"gbp_en","template":"default","searchKeywords":"https:\\\/\\\/www.amazon.co.uk\\\/Bach-Goldberg-Variations-BWV-988\\\/dp\\\/B000094HLA\\\/ref=sr_1_1","excludeKeywords":"","geolocation":true,"limit":"4","priceRange":"11.2-20.8","sid":"term-classicalmusic-4-pcs-txt-pos"}'\"\/> <div class=\""monetizerprice-comparison-explanatory-text\" body-copy-extra-small=\"\" editor-content=\"\"\/><\/div> <p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Schubert: Piano Sonatas D894 & D960, Moments musicaux, Four Impromptus (D 935)<\/h3>\n<p><em>ECM 4811572<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\""monetizerprice-comparison-container"\" data-position=\""adhoc"\" hidden=\"\"> <h5 class=\""monetizerprice-comparison-title\" monetizer-title=\"\" style=\""background-color:\" color:=\"\"\/> <div id=\""monetizerdeals"\" data-type=\""price-comparison"\" data-config=\"'{"shopId":"1378","market":"gbp_en","template":"default","searchKeywords":"https:\\\/\\\/www.amazon.co.uk\\\/Schubert-Sonatas-Moments-Musicaux-Impromptus\\\/dp\\\/B00TTUODZA\\\/ref=sr_1_1","excludeKeywords":"","geolocation":true,"limit":"4","priceRange":"14.7-27.3","sid":"term-classicalmusic-4-pcs-txt-pos"}'\"\/> <div class=\""monetizer__price-comparison-explanatory-text\" body-copy-extra-small=\"\" editor-content=\"\"\/><\/div> <p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos 1 & 2<\/h3>\n<p>Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra \/ Charles Dutoit<br\/><em>Decca 4146722<\/em><\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.prestomusic.com\/classical\/products\/8050127--mendelssohn-piano-concertos-nos-1-2"\"><strong>Buy from Presto Music<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><h3\/>\n<h3>Bart\u00f3k: Piano Concertos<\/h3>\n<p>Budapest Festival Orchestra \/ Iv\u00e1n Fischer<br\/><em>Elatus 0927467352<\/em><\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.prestomusic.com\/classical\/products\/7952827--bartok-piano-concertos-nos-1-3"\"><strong>Download from Presto Music<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>Pic: Steve Bowbrick<\/em><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> All you need to know about the Hungarian-born pianist and conductor Andr\u00e1s Schiff, who now divides his time between the UK, Italy and Japan 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How old is Andr\u00e1s Schiff?<\/h2>\nSchiff was born on 21 December, 1953.<\/p>\n

Where was he born?<\/h2>\nAndr\u00e1s Schiff was born in Budapest, to Jewish parents. He was an only child.<\/p>\n

When did Schiff leave his native Hungary?<\/h3>\nHe emigrated from Hungary in 1979. Unable to gain US citizenship, he instead took Austrian citizenship in 1987, living in both London and Salzburg.<\/p>\n

How old is Andr\u00e1s Schiff?<\/h2>\n
Schiff was born on 21 December, 1953.<\/p>\n

Where was he born?<\/h2>\n
Andr\u00e1s Schiff was born in Budapest, to Jewish parents. He was an only child.<\/p>\n

When did Schiff leave his native Hungary?<\/h3>\n
He emigrated from Hungary in 1979.^{Unable to gain US citizenship, he instead took Austrian citizenship in 1987, living in both London and Salzburg.<\/p>\n}