Rudolf Serkin

Rudolf Serkin was one of the 20th century’s leading interpreter of Austro-German keyboard repertoire, especially famed for his powerful, direct, even austere interpretations of Beethoven and Brahms. Before the rise of Hitler, this Austrian pianist played throughout Europe, often with chamber ensembles led by Adolf Busch, the outstanding German violinist whose daughter Serkin would later marry. Their still unequalled recording of Schubert’s Piano Trio in E flat was made in London in 1938:

Serkin’s solo career in the US, where he would settle and take citizenship, was launched in 1936 by a performance of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall with Toscanini and the New York Philharmonic. The next year, playing Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto, he made the first of numerous guest appearances with the Minneapolis Symphony, but it wasn’t until 1961, already at the height of his fame and nearing 60, that he made his Schubert Club debut – with an all-Beethoven recital. Here are live performances of Beethoven sonatas he played in St. Paul. The “Waldstein” was on his program in 1977 and again in 1980 – this film of the second half of the finale dates from 1965:

This live performance of the “Hammerklavier”, featured in Serkin’s 1961 Schubert Club appearance, was recorded in 1968:

On the occasion of his 70th birthday in 1973, Serkin was interviewed by Isaac Stern. The result was this unusually revealing personal glimpse of the man and artist (in 3 parts):

Artist note by Richard Evidon