Dinu Lipatti

Dinu Lipatti (March 19, 1917 – December 2, 1950) was a Romanian pianist whose career was tragically cut short by his death from Hodgkin's disease at age 33. He was much admired for his delicate sense of rhythm and timing, which he used to particularly good effect in the music of Chopin.

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Lipatti was born in Bucharest into a musical family: his father was a violinist, his mother a pianist, and his godfather was the violinist and composer George Enescu. He finished second at the 1934 Vienna International Piano Competition, which led to Alfred Cortot, who thought he should have won, resigning from the jury in protest. Lipatti subsequently studied under Cortot, Nadia Boulanger, Dukas (composition) and Munch (conducting) in Paris.

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Lipatti's career was interrupted by World War II. Fleeing his native Rumania in 1943, Lipatti settled with his wife in Geneva, where he accepted the position as piano professor at the conservatory. It was at this time that the first signs of his ilness emerged, and following the war his performances were less frequent owing to this. He died at age 33 in Geneva.

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Lipattis playing was characterized by the utmost integrity combined with a phenomenal pianistic technique, which was always employed judiciously and in the quest for musical perfection. Despite a relatively short playing career and a relatively small recorded legacy, Lipatti is considered among the finest pianists of the 20th century. He is particularly noted for his interpretations of Mozart and Chopin, but he also made recordings of Liszt, Enescu, Ravel's Alborada del Gracioso, the Schumann and Grieg piano concertos, and Bach. His recording of Chopin's Waltzes has remained in print and been a perennial favorite of many classical music-lovers.

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In addition to his pianistic endeavours, Lipatti was also a noted composer writing in a neoclassical vein with clear gallic and rumanian touches.

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March 19: March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). There are 287 days remaining....

1917: 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar....

1950: 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar)....