Egon Petri facts for kids
Egon Petri (born March 23, 1881 – died May 27, 1962) was a very talented Dutch pianist. He was known for his powerful playing and his deep understanding of music. Petri was also a respected teacher who helped many young musicians.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Egon Petri was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1881, but his family was from the Netherlands. He grew up in Dresden, where he went to a school called the Kreuzschule. Music was a big part of his life from a young age. His father, who was a professional violinist, taught Egon how to play the violin. While still a teenager, Egon even played with the Dresden Court Orchestra! He also studied how to compose music and understand music theory at the Dresden Conservatory.
Focusing on the Piano
Even though he started with the violin, Egon also took piano lessons. Two famous musicians, Ignacy Jan Paderewski and Ferruccio Busoni, strongly encouraged him to focus on the piano. Petri then studied with Busoni, who became a huge influence on him. Petri felt more like a close follower than just a student of Busoni. Following Busoni's lead, Petri spent a lot of time on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Franz Liszt. These composers, along with Busoni's own works, were central to the music Petri played.
Career and Teaching
During World War I, Petri moved to Switzerland with Busoni. There, he helped Busoni prepare Bach's piano music for publication. In the 1920s, Petri began teaching in Berlin. Many students came to learn from him, including famous names like Victor Borge and Vitya Vronsky. In 1923, he made history by becoming the first non-Soviet musician to perform as a soloist in the Soviet Union.
Life in Poland and Moving to America
In 1927, Petri moved to Zakopane, Poland. He held summer piano classes there until World War II started in 1939. From 1929 onwards, he also made many recordings for different music companies.
Petri managed to escape from Poland just one day before Germany invaded in September 1939. Sadly, he had to leave behind all his books, music, and letters, including his important conversations with Busoni. Luckily, these papers were found later.
After leaving Poland, Petri moved to the United States. He taught at Cornell University and later at Mills College in California. He decided he would never play in Germany again after the war. In 1955, he became an American citizen.
Languages and Legacy
Even though he was Dutch until he was 74, Egon Petri never actually lived in the Netherlands and wasn't very comfortable speaking Dutch. Once, when he played for Queen Wilhelmina, they spoke German. He was fluent in many languages, including German, English, French, Italian, Polish, and Russian.
Many talented pianists studied with Petri, such as Earl Wild, Ozan Marsh, and John Ogdon. Petri was known for his amazing piano technique and powerful sound. He was especially good at playing the large, complex pieces by composers like Beethoven, Liszt, and Brahms.
Egon Petri passed away on May 27, 1962, in Berkeley, California.
See also
In Spanish: Egon Petri para niños
