The musician’s mastery lay in his sense of timing, which extended to his love of humour

Alfred Brendel's disciplined musicianship was tempered by a deliberately off-beat view of the world.

An intellectual’s pianist, he was concerned to expose the philosophical underpinning that lay beneath music’s surface

Der Pianist Brendel verzückt sein Publikum weltweit in ausverkauften Häusern. Als Autor erfreut er die Leser mit klugen Analysen und Humor. Hustende Zuschauer nerven ihn. Nun ist…

With little formal training but full of ideas, he focused on the core classical composers, winning over audiences (though not every critic) worldwide.

As the musical world mourns the celebrated pianist, we assess his wide recording legacy and pick the 12 best, from Russian rarities to quickfire Beethoven

Widely regarded as the ‘musicians’ musician’ Brendel was the first pianist to record all of Beethoven’s piano works during a much-garlanded career spanning 60 years

One of the greatest pianists of his generation who bestrode the musical world for six decades

Er wollte stets den Kern einer Komposition herausarbeiten. Jetzt ist der große Pianist und Musikvermittler Alfred Brendel gestorben.

Der Pianist Alfred Brendel war ein Antistar, der genau aus diesen Gründen ein Star wurde. Weil er sein Publikum nicht mit Tastenmagie behexte, sondern mit Demut und…

The musician’s mastery lay in his sense of timing, which extended to his love of humour

His technique was of the highest order, his performances unmatched – but it was always at the service of the music, not of his own reputation