Special Pianist Rudolf Firkušný as remembered by his students
This special programme is dedicated to one of the world’s foremost 20th century pianists Rudolf Firkušný. This year music lovers around the country are celebrating the centenary of the birth of one of its most famous sons –a virtuoso par excellence who was moreover one of the last direct personal links to some of the country’s greats – Leoš Janáček, Bohuslav Martinů, Josef Suk, Alfons Mucha but also president Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk.
Rudolf Firkušný
There are musical events being held around the country throughout the year
dedicated to Rudolf Firkusny but perhaps the most significant celebrations
of the 100th anniversary of his birth were organized by the Janacek Academy
of Music and Performing Arts in the spring –five days of events including
concerts, master classes and a musicology conference. Among the guest
performers were outstanding pianists of the present day – Rudolf
Firkušný’s own students from the famous Julliard School of music in New
York – among them Sara Davis Buechner, Carlo Grante and Dora Novak
Willmington whose memories of their teacher you can hear in today’s show.
