In Clarín , 25 July, 1979, Jorge D'Urbano - who had reviewed Jorge's first appearance in Argentina in June 1955 - wrote: 'Jorge Bolet is a virtuoso pianist. This does not mean, in any way, that he lacks musicality. But his specific definition is that of a virtuoso, that is, capable of mastering the piano so completely that everything else fades into the background. He is capable of true pianistic feats, and has to his credit that these seem not to be a process at all, as

Jorge Bolet's only appearance in the fabled opera house in Buenos Aires was on Saturday, 21 July 1979. The programme consisted of Bach/Busoni Ciaccona, Liszt's Sonata in B minor and his Transcendental Études 7, 6, 12, 9 and 8. The Colón was performing an early opera by Verdi, I due Foscari (premièred on Tuesday 17th - it had first been performed there in 1850). The Argentinian paper of record La Nación seems not to have carried a review of JB's recital (so far as I can s

The Piano Files on Patreon has posted a little challenge. Jorge Bolet plays 'In Autumn' in recordings from 1952 and 1987. "To celebrate...

Jorge Bolet recalled by a Spanish friend from a meeting in 1981; I believe the friend to be Ramón Rodamiláns Vellido (Spanish, with English subtitles)

I've been looking at The Rhodesia Herald in the British Library. Quite a hard-hitting, critical review. Having now to get used to reading microfilm, which I've only used a few times before. The Rhodesia Herald (13 February) had a short article expressing surprise that TWO visiting pianists should be giving recitals within 7 days of each other. 'Most promoters would try to avoid such near-clashes if possible.' (Israeli pianist Joseph Kalichstein was the other.) This i

12 & 17 October 1971 Philharmonic Hall, Lincoln Center, New York City. Jorge mentions a brief lapse of memory on the conductor's part, which frightened him. Full details added to the relevant page. Oliver Daniel in his biography of Stokowski has this as taking place in Carnegie Hall (p.866). Bolet mentions that the conductor has a lapse during the first of the two concerts. 'The last movement of the concerto has a middle section which is briefly introduced by the orchestr

Various reports of JB’s South African tours on 1973, 1976 and 1980 from the Afrikaner newspaper Die Transvaler have been added.

Delighted confirm Jorge Bolet DID play in Chile (I had thought he hadn’t) June, 1983 in Chile, with Juan Pablo Izquierdo (born Santiago de Chile, 1935) and the Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago in the capital's Teatro Municipal. Again in 1984 (also June). Full details added to the relevant page.