Claudio Arrau

Chilean-American concert pianist, one of the great pianists of the 20th century. In a career that spanned eight decades, Arrau was prized for an aristocratic approach to the great works of the 19th century.

He showed his musical abilities early. His dad, Carlos Arrau, died before he was a year old and his mom supported the family by giving music lessons. When he was four, he startled his mom by playing from memory some of the pieces her students were learning. A child prodigy, he gave his first concert at five and began international tours at nine, in 1912. He made his Berlin debut in 1914 and toured Europe in 1918. In 1927, he won the Grand Prix Internationale des Pianistes, in Geneva.

He moved to the U.S. in 1941, performing in the U.S. and abroad, winning many international awards. He later resided in Germany, which claimed his mind and his intellect , though his heart always remained loyal to Chile.

Arrau had stopped performing in June 1989 after the death of his wife, Ruth Schneider, a German-born mezzo-soprano whom he married in 1937. He was visiting Austria for a rare appearance, a private recital to open a museum when he was stricken with stomach problems. He died on 9 June 1991 of complications from emergency intestinal surgery in Muerzzuschlag, Austria.