Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky facts for kids
Aloys Kontarsky (born 1931, died 2017) and Alfons Kontarsky (born 1932, died 2010) were famous German brothers. They were both amazing pianists. Together, they formed a special duo called "Klavierduo Kontarsky."
They became known around the world for playing modern music. This music was often written for two pianos. They also played older, well-known classical pieces. Sometimes, they even played music with their younger brother, Bernhard, for three pianos! Sadly, Aloys had a stroke in 1983 and had to stop performing.
Contents
The Kontarsky Brothers: A Musical Journey
Early Lives and First Concerts
Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky were born in a town called Iserlohn in Germany. Aloys started learning piano from Franz Hanemann. He later studied music in Cologne and Hamburg.
The brothers played their first public concert together in 1949. They performed a piece called "Concerto for Two Pianos" by Stravinsky. In 1955, they officially formed their piano duo. They played together regularly from 1959.
Becoming Famous and Teaching Music
In 1955, the Kontarsky brothers won first prize. This was at a big German music competition for piano duos.
From 1962, Aloys and Alfons started teaching. They taught at the Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music. Aloys also joined a group called the Darmstadt International Chamber Ensemble. He taught at the Cologne Courses for New Music from 1963.
Alfons was part of important music groups. He was a professor at music universities in Cologne, Munich, and Salzburg. In 1965, Aloys also formed a duo with a cellist named Siegfried Palm.
Their Amazing Performances and Recordings
As a piano duo, the Kontarsky brothers were the first to perform many new musical works. These pieces were written by famous composers like Luciano Berio, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Pierre Boulez.
They traveled a lot, performing in Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. They also visited Australia and Southern Africa. They made many recordings of their music.
Some of their famous recordings include:
- Bartók's "Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion."
- Stockhausen's "Mantra," which the composer himself helped supervise.
- "Structures for two pianos" by Pierre Boulez.
They also played classical favorites. These included the complete "Hungarian Dances" by Brahms. They also played Schubert's "Fantasia in F minor." You can even hear them on the soundtrack of the 1990 movie Henry & June. They played Debussy's "Petite Suite."
In 1974, Alfons made a special recording. He played Schubert's "Arpeggione Sonata" using original old instruments. Aloys also played the tam-tam in Stockhausen's "Mikrophonie I." Alfons played the Hammond organ in "Mikrophonie II."
Later Years and Legacy
In 1959, Aloys married an actress named Gisela Saur. In 1983, Aloys had two strokes. This made it hard for him to move, see, and speak. His wife, Gisela Saur-Kontarsky, stopped her singing career to take care of him. In 2008, she received an award for her dedication.
Many students learned from the Kontarsky brothers. Some of their students became famous musicians themselves. These include York Höller and Steffen Schleiermacher.
Alfons Kontarsky received a special award in 1999. It was the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art.
See also
In Spanish: Aloys y Alfons Kontarsky para niños
