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A soul-searching rendering

The Standard, Barry Millington

On the day he would have been 95, the musical world gathered at The Barbican to pay tribute last night to Alfred Brendel, one of the truly great pianists of our time. Given the respect in which he was held over a career lasting more than half a century, it was perhaps not so difficult to persuade several dozen top-calibre musicians to give their services in aid of the Alfred Brendel Young Musicians Trust, which supports aspiring pianists.

“… [Adrian Brendel] gave a soul-searching rendering, with Tim Horton, of Liszt’s introspective, little-known Elegie No. 2 for cello and piano. All were performances of the highest quality…”

No less quirky [than Mauricio Kagel’s Fall Short of Victory marches] was Kagel’s Hippocrates’ Oath for three left hands at one piano, the appendages in question supplied by Rattle, Horton and Aimard, though the latter was actually required to tap the side of the instrument for most of the piece…

Over it all hovered the spirit of Brendel, one felt, smiling benevolently, if wryly, at the fuss made on his behalf.

Photo credit: Chris Christodoulou

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10/09/2026