The pianist David Wilde died on 23 October 2025. Although I never met him, I owe a great deal to him (as the video explains). See also this blog entry David Wilde, ‘magnificently berserk’ pianist and composer of The Cellist of Sarajevo Billed as ‘the 10-year-old Boy Prodigy’, he performed the Grieg Concerto at Blackpool, and broadcast it that year on the BBC Telegraph Obituaries 12 November 2025 ​David Wilde, who has died aged 90, was a thoughtful and dazzling pianist, thou

Jorge Bolet by Alan West-Durán: "Pianista luminoso" For those who read Spanish (or can use Google Translate), here is an unusually full article on Jorge Bolet by Alan West-Durán (La Habana, 1953), a Cuban poet, essayigst, translator and critic. He is a Profesor at Northeastern University (Boston). It's nice to read what a Cuban thinks of his compatriot. https://rialta.org/jorge-bolet-pianista-luminoso/ "Cuban musician Jorge Bolet achieved a unique and recognizable style. His

Jorge Bolet and The Devil, 1964: the video will explain! In late October and November, Bolet made a tour of South Africa (spring in the southern hemisphere).    Impresario Hans Adler told the Johannesburg Sunday Times in November 1962 that negotiations for the tour were already under way. This tour would also include a recital in Windhoek, formerly South West Africa, now Namibia)​​​. See South Africa page for more details

Jorge Bolet, Vienna, 23 May 1935 "But even in Cuba, they are aware of the secrets of Beethoven's style. This was demonstrated by the young, exceptionally charming southerner Jorge Bolet, whose "Appassionata" displayed such maturity, inner serenity, dazzling technique, and nuanced touch..."    Die Wiener Tag (7 July) The artist proved himself a refined musician. A clear, well-developed technique – only the fortissimo  attack was a little dry – provided the foundation for a per

​ On 6 March 1983, Gilels performed in London's Royal Festival Hall: Brahms    Variations on a Theme by Paganini Opus 35 (Book 1); Fantasias Opus 116Schumann    4 Klavierstücke Opus 32; Symphonic Studies Opus 13 Jorge was in London to record Liszt's Années de pèlerinage: Suisse  S160 during 8-11 March 1983 in Kingsway Hall, which would constitute volume 5 of his Liszt series for Decca. Peter Wadland, JB's producer for DECCA, remembers Bolet & Russian pianist Emil Gilels (1916

New website (link): Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920-1995)

As if it is not enough to maintain a website on Jorge Bolet, I've recently begun another on Italian legend Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli....

Sunday, 21 October 1956, Åmål in Västra Götaland County, Sweden.  Svenska Dagbladet says 'the famous American will visit the Music...

9 December 1955, Copenhagen, small hall of the Odd Fellow Palace.  Berlingske Tidende , a Danish newspaper, first published on 3 January,...

After his two month tour of Australia, Jorge gave a recital for the first time in Hong Kong, on 6 July 1965. 'Jorge Bolet - mark that...

A summary of JB's four appearances with The Cleveland Orchestra. 14 November 1944, Civic Auditorium, Grand Rapids, Michigan.  This was...

Santos Ojeda (January 18, 1917 – May 27, 2004) was a Cuban-born American classical pianist and pedagogue. His early years remind me of...

My first thought was that Jorge Bolet was teaching a young John McEnroe, later an international tennis player! Does anyone know who the...

1 February 1982, Hamman Hall, Rice University, Houston, Texas. Fantasy in F-sharp minor, op. 28 / Felix Mendelssohn -- Fantasy in C...

I'd always been surprised not to find that Jorge had played in Montevideo, only a short hop across the water from Buenos Aires. I've now...

In a BBC television interview in 1968, Bernard Levin asked Rubinstein if it helped for the audience to have a technical knowledge of the...

Res Gestae: The Stony Brook School Yearbook 1955 records a rectal by Jorge at his old high school on Long Island (Class of 1934) on 14...

The great Austrian pianist, Alfred Brendel died at his home in Hampstead, north London on 17 June 2025. I was privileged to hear him many...

Jorge Bolet, Hong Kong (March 1987). Two clippings from the South China Morning Post.

RARE VIDEO: Jorge Bolet plays Liszt in Atlanta. The first six minutes of Liszt, Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, S.173: Bénédiction...