Georges Cziffra
Listen to, buy or share
Buy
-
73,859
scrobbles
-
9,801 listeners
-
boatenge is listening to
Georges Cziffra – Transcendental Etude No. 3 in F, 'Paysage'
Tags
Biography
Georges (originally György) Cziffra (November 5, 1921–January 17, 1994) was a Hungarian virtuoso pianist.
Many of his recordings are regarded as controversial, claimed by some to be showy and unmusical. Others regard these attributions as professional jealousy, as there is generally little doubt that Cziffra had a remarkable virtuoso technique and was a master at improvisation.
A son of Hungarian Romas (his father, György Cziffra Sr., was a cimbalom player and played in cabaret halls and restaurants in Paris in the 1910s), born in Budapest, Cziffra became noted at the age of five, improvising on popular tunes in bars and circuses. His teachers at the Franz Liszt Academy included Ernő Dohnányi.
An attempted escape from Soviet-dominated Hungary led to imprisonment and forced labour in the period 1950–1953. In 1956, on the eve of the Hungarian insurrection and after a stunning account of Bartok’s second piano concerto (EMI References) Cziffra escaped with his wife (Soleilka - of Egyptian origin) and son to Vienna where his recital at the Brahmsaal caused a sensation. News of this event reached The New Yorker. His Paris debut the following year caused a furore - his London debut at the Royal Festival Hall in Liszt’s first concerto and Hungarian Fantasy similarly.
Many of his recordings are regarded as controversial, claimed by some to be showy and unmusical. Others regard these attributions as professional jealousy, as there is generally little doubt that Cziffra had a remarkable virtuoso technique and was a master at improvisation.
A son of Hungarian Romas (his father, György Cziffra Sr., was a cimbalom player and played in cabaret halls and restaurants in Paris in the 1910s), born in Budapest, Cziffra became noted at the age of five, improvising on popular tunes in bars and circuses. His teachers at the Franz Liszt Academy included Ernő Dohnányi.
An attempted escape from Soviet-dominated Hungary led to imprisonment and forced labour in the period 1950–1953. In 1956, on the eve of the Hungarian insurrection and after a stunning account of Bartok’s second piano concerto (EMI References) Cziffra escaped with his wife (Soleilka - of Egyptian origin) and son to Vienna where his recital at the Brahmsaal caused a sensation. News of this event reached The New Yorker. His Paris debut the following year caused a furore - his London debut at the Royal Festival Hall in Liszt’s first concerto and Hungarian Fantasy similarly.
Top Tracks
Top Albums
-
Chopin : Waltzes/Impromptus: Georges Cziffra
5,757 listeners23 tracks
Released:
-
Liszt: 7 Hungarian Rhapsodies
138 listeners10 tracks
Released:
-
Chopin: Walzer & Impromptus
25 listeners23 tracks
Released:
-
Oeuvres pour piano (disc 4)
11 listeners11 tracks
Listening Trend
9,801listeners all time
73,859scrobbles all time
Recent listeners trend:
Start scrobbling and track your listening history
Last.fm users scrobble the music they play in iTunes, Spotify, Rdio and over 200 other music players.
Create a Last.fm profile






