Kraus, Detlef

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Kraus, Detlef

Kraus, Detlef, distinguished German pianist; b. Hamburg, Nov. 30, 1919. He made a notable debut at the age of 16, performing the complete Well-tempered Clavier in 2 successive recitals in Hamburg, and then continued his studies with Edwin Fischer and later with Wilhelm Kempff in Berlin and Potsdam. In 1958 he performed a cycle of Beethoven piano sonatas in London, in 1970 he gave Beethoven cycles in Tokyo, Valencia, and Pittsburgh, and in 1980 he played all of the solo piano works of Brahms in N.Y. He also taught classes at the Folk-wang Hochschule für Musik in Essen. His playing is remarkable for its freedom from pedantry; his interpretations are notable for their spontaneity. He publ. Johannes Brahms als Klavierkomponist: Wege und Hinweise zu seiner Klaviermusik (Wilhelmshaven, 1986; Eng. ed., 1988).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire