Rudolf Serkin

Rudolf Serkin 1903-91, Austrian-American pianist, b. Bohemia. Serkin gave joint recitals with Adolf Busch and made his U.S. debut (1933) with the Busch chamber players. He was a soloist (1936) with the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra under Toscanini. Serkin and Busch brought the entire cycle of Beethoven piano-and-violin sonatas to New York audiences in 1938. In 1939 he joined the staff of the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, and was later (1968-75) its director. He also became director of the Marlboro School of Music in Vermont in 1951. His son Peter Serkin, 1947-, b. New York City, is also a noted concert pianist. The younger Serkin is known for his performances of the standard classical repertoire and of pieces by contemporary composers.

Serkin, Rudolf (b Eger, Bohemia, 1903; d Guilford, Vt., 1991). Austrian-born pianist (Amer. cit. 1939). Début Vienna 1915. Salzburg début 1925. Played in chamber mus. and sonata recitals with the violinist Adolf Busch, whose son-in-law he became. Amer. début with Busch, Washington DC 1933. Settled in USA. Head of pf. dept. at Curtis Inst. from 1939, becoming dir. 1968–76. One of greatest pianists of his time. Art. dir. of Marlboro mus. fests. in Vermont, which he helped to establish 1950.