Nikita Magaloff facts for kids

Nikita Magaloff in 1965

Magaloff and Georg Solti in 1965

Nikita Magaloff (born February 21, 1912 – died December 26, 1992) was a famous Georgian-Russian pianist. He was known for his amazing piano playing and his special way of understanding music.

Early Life and Musical Training

Nikita Magaloff was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His family was noble and had Georgian roots. In 1918, when he was young, his family moved to Finland.

A family friend, the famous composer Sergei Prokofiev, first sparked his interest in music. Nikita later studied piano with Alexander Siloti. After that, he moved to Paris, France. There, he learned from Isidor Philipp at the Paris Conservatory. Philipp was the head of the piano department.

Magaloff also became friends with the composer Maurice Ravel in Paris. When Magaloff graduated in 1929, Ravel said he was "a great, a truly extraordinary musician."

Playing Style and Chopin's Music

Magaloff was especially known for playing the music of Frédéric Chopin. He often performed all of Chopin's piano works in a series of six concerts. He was the first pianist to record all of Chopin's complete works.

His recordings were special because he tried to play the music exactly as Chopin wrote it. He didn't add extra feelings or change things. For example, he preferred and recorded Chopin's own handwritten versions of the waltzes. These were different from the versions published after Chopin's death.

Magaloff's playing showed the elegant and refined style of his teacher, Isidor Philipp. However, Magaloff did not like the overly emotional interpretations of older pianists. He once described himself as a "vieux style" (old style) pianist.

Later Years and Teaching

As Magaloff got older, his playing changed. It became more passionate and daring. He once said that at age seventy, he realized that the thought of death made him feel a strong passion for life. His last recordings show this deep passion.

In 1949, Magaloff took over the master class of his friend Dinu Lipatti at the Geneva Conservatory. Lipatti was too ill to teach and sadly passed away the next year. Magaloff taught regularly until 1960. After that, his busy concert career took priority.

He toured all over the world, including the United States, South America, Japan, Israel, South Africa, and many countries in Europe. Even with his busy schedule, he still gave occasional master classes. He also served on juries for international piano competitions, like the Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition.

Many famous pianists were among his students. These include Martha Argerich, Maria Tipo, Ingrid Haebler, and Valery Sigalevitch.

Personal Life

Nikita Magaloff was married to Irene. She was the daughter of the famous violinist Joseph Szigeti. Magaloff had built his international reputation by performing concerts with Szigeti before World War II.

Nikita Magaloff passed away in Vevey, Switzerland, on December 26, 1992.

See also

In Spanish: Nikita Magalov para niños