Aldo Ciccolini facts for kids
Aldo Ciccolini (born August 15, 1925 – died February 1, 2015) was a talented Italian pianist. He later became a French citizen in 1971.
Biography of a Piano Master
Aldo Ciccolini was born in Naples, Italy. His father worked as a typographer, and his family had a special title in the city of Macerata. Aldo started learning piano at a very young age. He joined the Naples Conservatory in 1934 when he was just 9 years old. This was a special permission from the director, Francesco Cilea. There, he learned piano from Paolo Denza and studied music theory with Achille Longo.
He began performing on stage at the Teatro di San Carlo when he was 16. However, by 1946, he had to play in bars to help support his family. In 1949, he won first prize (tied with another pianist, Ventsislav Yankov) at the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris. Other famous pianists like Paul Badura-Skoda also won awards at this competition.
Aldo Ciccolini became a French citizen in 1971. He taught piano at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1970 to 1988. Many of his students became well-known pianists themselves, including Akiko Ebi, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Artur Pizarro, and Nicholas Angelich. Other students included Fabio Mengozzi and Francesco Libetta.
Ciccolini was very famous for playing and promoting the piano music of French composers. These included Camille Saint-Saëns, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Charles-Valentin Alkan, and Erik Satie. He also played music by other composers like Déodat de Séverac and Jules Massenet.
He was also known for performing the music of Spanish composers such as Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados, and Manuel de Falla. He also played many pieces by Franz Liszt. The famous singer Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf once said that he was a wonderful partner to perform with.
On December 9, 1999, Aldo Ciccolini celebrated 50 years of his career in France. He gave a special concert at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. In 2008, he received a high French award called the Ordre national du Mérite.
His Final Years
Aldo Ciccolini passed away on February 1, 2015, at his home in Paris. He was 89 years old.
His Recordings
Ciccolini made more than 100 recordings for different record companies. These recordings included all the sonatas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. He also recorded all the solo piano music by Claude Debussy and two full sets of all the piano works by Erik Satie.
In 2002, Ciccolini won a special award called the Diapason d'Or. He received it for his recordings of all the solo piano music by Leoš Janáček and Robert Schumann. His complete set of Ludwig van Beethoven sonatas was re-released in 2006. He also recorded some less common pieces, like selections from Péchés de vieillesse by Gioachino Rossini and all the piano music by Jules Massenet.
See also
In Spanish: Aldo Ciccolini para niños
