Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920-1995), Italian pianist. Michelangeli was born in Brescia, Italy, and studied at the Istituto Musicale Venturi in Brescia and at the Milan Conservatory. In 1939 he attracted attention when he won first prize at the Geneva International Piano Competition. He went on to give concerts worldwide, making his debut in Britain in 1946 and in the United States in 1948.

Michelangeli delighted audiences with his range of feeling, his astonishing technique and mastery of counterpoint, and the clarity of his playing. Although his repertory was not large, he made acclaimed recordings of composers as diverse as Baldassare Galuppi, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Claude Debussy. A private man, he did not enjoy life as a concert pianist and canceled numerous engagements. Chronic illness also played a role in his cancellations. Michelangeli spent much of his life teaching piano and in 1964 founded a piano school in Brescia, his native city.