Fou Ts'ong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fou Ts'ong
Fou Ts'ong in 1965
Born	(1934-03-10)10 March 1934 Shanghai, China
Died	28 December 2020(2020-12-28) (aged 86) London, England
Occupation	Pianist
Spouse(s)	Zamira Menuhin ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1969)​ Hijong Hyun ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1976)​ Patsy Toh ​ (m. 1987)​
Parent(s)	Fu Lei (father)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	傅聰
Simplified Chinese	傅聪
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Fù Cōng

Fou Ts'ong (Chinese: 傅聰; pinyin: Fù Cōng) was a famous pianist from China. He was born on March 10, 1934, and later became a British citizen. He was the first Chinese pianist to become well-known around the world.

Fou Ts'ong became famous after winning third prize in a big piano competition in 1955. He also won a special award for playing mazurkas, which are Polish dances. He was especially known for playing the music of Chopin.

Early Life and Learning

Fou Ts'ong was born in Shanghai, China, on March 10, 1934. He came from a family who loved learning. His father, Fu Lei, was a famous translator. Fou Ts'ong also had a brother named Fu Min.

He first learned to play the piano from Mario Paci. Mario Paci was an Italian musician who started the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

Music Career

Starting His Career

In 1951, Fou Ts'ong played his first public concert in Shanghai. He performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5. After this, officials in China chose him to perform and compete in Eastern Europe.

In 1953, he won third prize at the George Enescu International Competition. That same year, when he was 19, he moved to Europe. He continued his piano training at the State College of Music in Warsaw, Poland. His teacher there was Zbigniew Drzewiecki.

In 1955, Fou Ts'ong won third prize at the V International Chopin Piano Competition. He also received a special award for playing Chopin's mazurkas very well. While he was studying in Warsaw, he also gave concerts in Eastern Europe.

Becoming an International Star

Mario Paci (center, second row) with his students in Shanghai, 1945. Fou Ts'ong is on the front left.

Around 1958 or 1959, Fou Ts'ong moved to London, England, for good. Soon, he started giving concerts in Europe and the United States. In 1959, he played at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

He played for the first time with the New York Philharmonic orchestra in November 1961. He performed Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2.

In 1963, Fou Ts'ong was nominated for a Grammy Award. This was for his recording of sonatas by Alessandro Scarlatti. In 1964, he gave his first solo concert in New York. Critics praised his "admirable lyricism" when he played music by Mozart, Schubert, and Debussy.

He returned to New York many times. One critic described him as an artist who used his great piano skills for music, not just for showing off. The critic also noted his "sensitive ear for color."

In 1967, Fou Ts'ong played the Grieg Piano Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. This was part of the BBC Proms. He also played in a piano trio with Hugh Maguire and Jacqueline du Pré. He performed in many other places too, including Australia, South America, and the Far East.

His Unique Style

Throughout his career, Fou Ts'ong was known for playing Chopin's music. His concerts often included many of Chopin's pieces. The famous writer Hermann Hesse once said that Fou Ts'ong's playing of Chopin was like hearing "the pure gold" of Chopin himself. He said it was a "wonder."

Experts also noted his special way of playing Debussy, Mozart, and later Schubert. They highlighted his "delicate touch and keen sensibility." Other famous musicians also praised Fou Ts'ong. In 1965, Martha Argerich said his recordings influenced her when she won the International Chopin Competition.

In 1994, his friends and fellow pianists, including Martha Argerich, released a CD called The Pianistic Art of Fou Ts'ong. In the notes for the CD, they called him "one of the greatest pianists of our times." The Chinese pianist Lang Lang has said that Fou Ts'ong was a role model for him. He praised Fou Ts'ong's "unique" understanding of music.

Fou Ts'ong also made recordings of Chopin's mazurkas and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 7.

Judging Competitions

Fou Ts'ong was often asked to be a judge at important music competitions. He was on the jury for the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition several times. He also judged the Chopin Competition in 1985 and 2010. In 2002, he was a judge for the Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition.

Personal Life

Fou Ts'ong was married three times. From 1960 to 1969, he was married to Zamira Menuhin. She was the daughter of the famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin. They had one son together. Their marriage ended.

He was briefly married to Hijong Hyun from 1973 to 1976. In 1987, Fou Ts'ong married the Chinese pianist Patsy Toh. They also had one son.

Later Years and Death

Fou Ts'ong passed away from COVID-19 in London on December 28, 2020. He was 86 years old.

See also

In Spanish: Fu Cong para niños