John Ogdon

John Andrew Howard Ogdon (January 27, 1937 – August 1, 1989) was a pianist and composer born in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ogdon attended Manchester Grammar School, before studying at the Royal Manchester College of Music (the predecessor of the Royal Northern College of Music) between 1953 and 1957. His tutors there included Iso Elinson and Gordon Green. After college, he spent six weeks receiving tuition from Egon Petri in Basle.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He gained international fame by winning the International Piano Competition in memory of Franz Liszt in Budapest in 1961, and first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1962, along with Vladimir Ashkenazy.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

John Ogdon attempted monumental tasks such as a complete recording of Rachmaninov's works for piano, but it was never released.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His own compositions include piano works, chamber music, a string quartet and a piano concerto. A planned symphony based on the works of Herman Melville was never completed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1973, Ogdon experienced a severe breakdown. His illness was never fully diagnosed, but was thought to be schizophrenia (possibly inherited from his father) or manic depression. Ogdon withdrew from the concert platform, and spent time in hospital, where his treatments included a course of electric shock therapy.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He returned to performing in public around 1983, playing at the opening of the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham and in 1988 released a well-received four-disc recording of Sorabji's Opus clavicembalisticum, shortly before he died of pneumonia, brought on by undiagnosed diabetes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The BBC made a film about his life titled Virtuoso, based on his biography, written by his wife and fellow-pianist, Brenda Lucas Ogdon. John Ogdon was played by Alfred Molina, who won a Best Actor award from the Royal Television Society for his performance.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

January 27: January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 338 days remaining (339 in leap years)....

1937: 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar)....

August 1: August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining....

John Ogdon related Images and Photos (experimental)

Dr. John: Mercernary	Dr. John: Mercernary	John 3:16	John Q (BD)
John Q (DVD) (WS)	John F. Kennedy (Paperback)	John Woo	John Cena
John Thaw	John Hurt	John Cena	John Hurt