Claudio Arrau
Piano
1903 - 1991

www.arrauhouse.org


 'ArrauHouse' - A Chronology 

 Posthumous Period - From 1991

1991

 

Chile

 

Claudio Arrau's funeral:
Memorial services held in Santiago on 14 and 15 June, where Arrau's body laid in state.
Burial in Chillán, his birthplace, on 16 June.
Three days of national mourning decreed by the Chilean Government.

1991

Chile

 Informative, 126-page book, entitled Claudio Arrau: El Maestro, published in Spanish in June by the Sociedad Editora Revista Ercilla Ltda, Santiago, with the sponsorship of SONY, containing valuable information and photographs from the Ercilla magazine and the Arrau Corporation.

1991

Germany




 To memorialize The First Honorary Member, the Düsseldorf's Robert Schumann-Gesellschaft instituted the Arrau-Medaille, a decoration intended to be awarded periodically to a pianist especially committed to the spirit and tradition of Claudio Arrau's keyboard artistry.
Recipients:
András Schiff (1994), Martha Argerich (1997), Murray Perahia (2000), ...

1993

Chile


 A 100-page book by Sonia Quintana Rojas, entitled Claudio Arrau: Un prodigio apacible, published in Spanish in November by the Empresa Editora Zig-Zag S.A., Santiago, ISBN 956-12-0815-6, containing mostly previously published information about the Maestro.

1995

 

Netherlands


 Philips releases posthumously a limited edition, 7-CD box set collection [446 859-2] entitled The Final Sessions, containing Arrau's last recordings of 1988, 1990 and 1991, consisting of previusly unreleased items by Schubert [432 987-2 and 434 101-2], Debussy [432 626-2], Bach [434 904-2] and Beethoven [432 173-2]. Also released separately.

1995


 

 

 

 

Japan


 

 

 

 

A Bohemia Art Video Production entilted '50 Years of the Spring Festival in Prague ' was broadcast on 01 July by Channel 11 of the NHK BSTV (Nippon Hõsõ Kyõkai 's / Japan Broadcasting Corporation's Satelite Broadcast Television) from 01:30 pm to 02:30 pm.

This private video recording in colour, of 60-minute duration, shows segments from the First Sping Festival in Prague of 1946, as well as of musicians who participated in the Festival over the past 50 years.

 Conductors shown with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra include Vaclav Talich, Rafael Kubelik, Karel Ancerl, Ernest Ansermet, Leonard Bernstein, Adrian Boult, Herbert von Karajan, Yevgeni Mravinsky, Charles Munch, Hermann Scherchen, and Leopold Stokowski.

Soloists include Claudio Arrau, Pierre Fournier, Lev Oborin, David Oistrakh, Svyatoslav Richter, Artur Rubinstein, and Daniil Shafran.
1996 France Excerpts from Chopin's Nocturne No. 1 (Op 9 No. 1) used in the film Chacun cherche son chat [aka When the cat's away] directed by Cédric Klapisch.

1998

Germany

 Philips reissues a 14-CD set [462 358-2], entitled Beethoven - Claudio Arrau, containing Beethoven's complete concerto cycle including the triple concerto, as well as the complete sonata cycle including variations and a rondo, from its celebrated 1962-to-1970 recording stock. 224 Bit A/D transfer.

1998

England



 Under the title "Reputations - Claudio Arrau", the October issue of Gramophone magazine contains, on pages 30 and 31, an article by music critic G., being a very tight compendium of essential features in Maestro Arrau's artistry, including brief biographical details, an appreciation of Arrau's rich sound as projected from stage, and an overall assessment of his recordings for various labels over the decades.

2001

Germany


 Philips issues a 7-CD set [468 391-2] containing a comprehensive selection of Chopin's works, entitled Chopin - Claudio Arrau, and including complete Préludes, Waltzes, Ballades, Scherzos, and Nocturnes, as well as Barcarolle, Fantasia in F minor, Poloniase-Fantaisie, and the two Piano Concertos, from its celebrated 1970-to-1984 recording stock.

2001




 

England
& USA

First ever publication of Part 1 of a 1976 conversation held with Claudio Arrau by piano writer Peter Warwick, appearing in the September/October 2001 issue of PIANO International magazine (London, New Jersey) under the title A master's perspective. The interview took place in Arrau's home in Chester, Vermont, on 31 July 1976. Present also were Mrs Arrau, Professor Philip Lorenz (assistant to Arrau on his Edition of the Beethoven piano sonatas for Peters) and Leslie Warwick. Arrau converses about his personal recollections of, inter alia, Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) and Eugen d'Albert (1864-1932), with some references to Pembauer, Schnabel, and Fischer. Cover page photograph.
Pages 34 to 37 and 39 to 41. Four inside photographs.

Part 2 of the above interview, appearing in the November/December 2001 issue of PIANO International magazine, where Maestro Arrau reminisces about some of the most revered pianists of his youth, including Schnabel, Casadesus, Fischer, Carreño and Cortot, as well as some less known players (Riccardo Viñes, Elly Ney, Arthur Friedheim, Sophie Menter, Moriz Rosenthal, Arthur de Greef, Emil von Sauer, Leopold Godowsky). Arrau states that he premiered several of Jean Françaix's pieces for piano in France.
Pages 26, 27, and 29 to 33. One inside photograph.

2002

Mexico


 Publication in Spanish of the book Cuatro aproximaciones al arte de Arrau, a compilation of four essays by Héctor Vasconcelos ["Primus inter pares"?, The interpreter, The maestro, The recordings], with a foreword by Mario Lavista.
DGE ediciones, México. ISBN 968-5011-23-0.

2002

Chile

Publication in Spanish of the book Arrau: el Hombre y el Artista, by Antonio Landauro.  [Description forthcoming]
Impresores Santa Cecilia, Chillán.  NRPI 125.759.  Limited Edition.

2002

Chile

Report filed by journalist Inés María Cardone, entitled "Los tesoros de Arrau ", published (in Santiago) by ´La Tercera´ in ´Mujer a Mujer´ magazine No. 1045 of 19 October. Part of Maestro Arrau's cherished belongings is being donated by daughter Carmen Arrau to the Chillán Municipal Council for an Interactive Arrau Museum said to be launched in 2003. However, Chillán's City Mayor, Mr Aldo Bermucci, is quoted as saying that the Maestro's most valuable assets are being administered in the U.S. by his nephew and testamentary executor, Mr Agustín Arrau, who has not fully responded to requests for such assets to be made available for the Museum. Pages 7 to 9, with photographs.

2003

France

Launching on 13 January of 'arrausite ' - an inspiring, reliable, comprehensive, multi-part website on things Claudio Arrau, developed in French by Monsieur Claude Aubrun in time to mark the Maestro's centenary celebrations.
http://arrausite.free.fr/Index.html

2003

 

 

 

Chile

 

 

 

 Feature article by Marcelo Simonetti in El Sábado magazine, inserted in El Mercurio newspaper of Saturday 31 January 2003. The article, entitles Arrau Eterno, with a cover page photograph stating Retrato de un gigante , is a quick journalistic compilation of various aspects of Arrau's life, on the occasion of his 100 anniversary. The writer covers from childhood to Germany to fame, from family to music, from technique to interpretation, from non-political stands to political controversy to support for humanitarian causes, from his numerous recordings to his most outstanding concerts and recitals, with an account of admiring pianist Emil Gilels' emotional reaction to Arrau's 1968 Moscow performances.
[Pages 14 to 18. Photographs]

2003

Germany

 A 10-CD selection of Philips recordings including music by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, and Debussy, issued in Germany as Claudio Arrau - An Anniversary Tribute (with the inclusion of Chopin's Scherzos from Arrau's 1953 recordings for American Decca).

2003

 

 

 


 

France

 

 

 

 

 

 Publication in French of the book Appassionata: Claudio Arrau, prodige, dandy, visionnaire, by André Tubeuf, music critic, author, and friend of the Maestro in later years.N
An intimate and respectful portrait of the Maestro. The writer’s personal memories, anecdotes and meditations on art intermingle throughout the book, in an informed overview of the 20th century musical world.
Arrau the person is described as attaching importance to dress, being fond of social dancing, loving song and great singers of whom he kept records, being passionate about nature and trees in particular, and being a musical visionary.
The essence of the book lies in elucidating the battles waged by Arrau to overcome the child prodigy he was and become the ideal interpreter his Teacher Martin Krause saw in him. Pages are devoted to describe the close bond developed between the young Claudio and his exceptional Teacher who was intent in conveying onto the child the traditions of the romantic century.
Nil edition, Paris, 2003. ISBN 2-84111-282-9.

2003

 

France


 A 55-CD, comprehensive Universal Arrau Heritage edition, covering Bach [3-CD, 476 1156-2], Beethoven [11-CD, 473 782-2], Brahms [4-CD, 475 024-2], Chopin [8-CD, 475 029-2], Debussy [3-CD, 473 915-2], Liszt [6-CD, 473 775-2], Mozart [7-CD, 475 294-2], Schubert [6-CD, 473 926-2], and Schumann [7-CD, 475 286-2], largely from Philips recordings, plus some items from British Columbia (EMI, Schubert), RCA Victor (Bach, 1942), and rare American Decca (Beethoven 1952, Chopin 1953).

2004


 

 

Chile


 


 Brief personal appreciations given by Chilean art personalities, published on 05 May by "Revista Verónica", in Saturday insert No. 42 of "La Nación" newspaper, Santiago, under the title "Claudio Arrau, el Maestro". Opinions collected were given by: sculptor Marta Colvin (1970 National Arts Award - NAA), composer Alfonso Letelier (1968 NAA), composer Juan Amenabar (Deputy Dean, Faculty of Arts), journalist Luis Sánchez Latorre (1983 NAA), theatre director Pedro Mortheiru (NAA), Fernando Cuadra (Dean of Arts, Chilean National University), musicologist Gastón Soublette (Professor with the Aesthetics Institute, Catholic University), pianist María Iris Radrigán (member of "Trío Arte" and lecturer with the Catholic University), journalist Lucía Gevert Parada (former Ambassador in Germany), and writer Roque Esteban Scarpa. Pages 12, 13 and 22. Cover page photograph. Photographs inside.

2004/
2005

Germany

 Publication in German of Die Klaviertechnik in der Tradition von Claudio Arrau [Piano Technique in the Tradition of Claudio Arrau], by Christoph Öhm-Kühnle, with the assistance of Daniela Ballek. Verlag Dohr, Köln. 42 pages, illustrations, photographs. ISBN 3-936655-22-7.

2005

Chile

 Publication in Spanish of 'Claudio Arrau, 100 Años', by Luis Merino Montero, issued with the sponsorship of the Memorial Cultural de Ñuble. 
A Chilean perspective on Claudio Arrau, from his early years in Chillán. 
Part One, written by musicologist and professor Merino, has the value of reliable academic research.
Other parts of interest include printed media articles and commentaries, correspondence, and a bibliography.
Less valuable sections include an incomplete chronology by a contributing writer, and journalistic accounts of an itinerant Arrau Expo in celebration of the Maestro's centenary.
A 181-page, 27.8 x 21.2 cm publication containing essays, photographs, illustrations, press articles, and speeches.  ISBN 956 7813 33 7.

 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Chile
.

The "Museo Interactivo Claudio Arrau León" [MICA] was inaugurated in Chillán on 5 December, thanks to the sponsorship of various public figures and organisations, most substantially the Banco de Crédito e Inversiones, as well as the personal dedication of Chillán's Lord Mayor at the time, Councillor Aldo Bernucci Díaz.

The Museum was built at the exact place where the Arrau's family home and birthplace of Claudio Arrau once stood, later destroyed by the 1907 and 1939 major earthquakes.

The Museum's objectives include researching, collecting, exhibiting, disseminating information, and promoting education about the Maestro, as well as encouraging piano music and young piano talents.  

Local cultural development is also supported and promoted through related activities such as competitions, exhibitions, festivals, recitals, concerts, publications, et al.
 
http://www.museoarrau.cl

 2006

 Australia




 Launching on 03 February of 'ArrauHouse ', a reliable, comprehensive, multi-part, resource, reference, and educational website on Claudio Arrau's facts and music making, conceived and developed in English by Mr J.M. López-Araneda to honour the Maestro on his 103 birth anniversary and beyond.   
http://www.arrauhouse.org
[From February through to May 2005, this site was tested as a trial pilot project, named ArrauHome, under the http://www.arrauhome.com and the http://www.arrauhome.org domains]

End of 'Posthumus Period' section


Last updated on 17 July 2007