Charles Lynch (pianist) facts for kids

Charles Lynch (born October 22, 1906, died September 15, 1984) was a famous Irish pianist. He was known for playing new music by important composers of his time for the very first time.

Charles Lynch's Early Life

Charles Lynch was born in Parkgariff, a place in County Cork, Ireland. His dad was a soldier, and his mom's family was well-known in Cork. A famous writer named Maria Edgeworth was one of his ancestors.

When Charles was still young, his family moved to Greenock in western Scotland. There, at the Tontine Hotel, he gave his first public piano show when he was just nine years old. At fifteen, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He learned from great teachers like York Bowen and Egon Petri.

Becoming a Star in England

In the 1920s and 1930s, Charles Lynch became a very popular pianist in London. He was the first person in England to play Rachmaninoff's Piano Sonata No. 2. Rachmaninoff himself even helped Charles prepare for this performance!

A famous composer, Sir Arnold Bax, dedicated his Fourth Piano Sonata (from 1932) to Charles. Bax called him "Ireland's most imaginative pianist." Besides giving concerts, Charles also played regularly on the BBC radio. In 1937, he helped Sir Thomas Beecham at the famous Covent Garden opera house. Charles also worked for many years as the pianist for the Ballet Rambert dance company. He even helped its founder, Marie Rambert, start the company.

Returning Home to Ireland

When World War II started, Charles Lynch, who believed in peace, moved back to Ireland. There, he became the country's top concert pianist. During this time, he played many new pieces by leading Irish composers. These included Brian Boydell's Sonata for Cello and Piano (1945) and Sean Ó Riada's Nomos No. 4 (1959).

Charles also performed in the very first public show of English composer Ernest John Moeran's Cello Sonata in A minor. This happened in Dublin in May 1947. He played alongside the composer's wife, a cellist named Peers Coetmore.

A Historic Performance

In February 1971, at Trinity College, Dublin, Charles Lynch did something amazing. He played all of Liszt's piano versions of Beethoven's symphonies. He did this over four Saturday evenings in a row.

A music critic named Charles Acton wrote about Charles's incredible achievement:

"It's unlikely that Liszt himself ever played them all as a series. Since then, other great pianists have played individual symphonies. But Charles Lynch might be the first person ever to play all of them in a public series - and all in just four weeks. This could be a historic moment. It was certainly a huge physical, mental, emotional, and smart thing to do."

Charles Lynch kept giving public concerts all over Ireland. He did this until shortly before he passed away at 77 years old. He also taught music at University College, Cork. He gave special lessons, called masterclasses, at the Cork School of Music. In 1982, Charles received a special music degree from the National University of Ireland.

People noticed how still Charles sat while playing, even the hardest music. This made difficult pieces look almost easy. He didn't make many recordings, but his work includes music by Samuel Barber and Moeran's Violin Sonata. He also recorded music by Irish composers like Aloys Fleischmann.

Charles Lynch's Final Years

Towards the end of his life, Charles Lynch didn't have much money. He passed away in Cork at St. Finbarr's Hospital. He was buried in St. Finbarrs Cemetery, Glasheen Road, Cork, near where Sir Arnold Bax was buried.

Recordings of Charles Lynch

• Moeran: Sonata for violin and piano in E minor (with Geraldine O'Grady, violin), EMI Classics 5851542
• Bax: Sonata for violin and piano no. 3 (with May Harrison, violin), Symposium 1075
• Piano Vol. 1 (includes Fleischmann: Sreath do Phiano, Victory: Prelude and Toccata), New Irish Recording Company NIR001, 1971
• Sixty years of Music (includes Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, and pieces by Scarlatti, Chopin, and Tchaikovsky), Sound News Productions SM 55 (promoted by the Cork Dance Company), 1975