Wallace, Lucille (1898–1977)
Wallace, Lucille (1898–1977)
American pianist whose career centered around the proper historical and musical interpretation of piano music . Born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 22, 1898; died in London, England, on March 21, 1977; married Clifford Curzon (the pianist), in 1931.
Lucille Wallace was born in Chicago in 1898 and educated at the Bush Conservatory there before continuing her education at Vassar College. In 1923, she enrolled at the University of Vienna to study music history with Guido Adler and social history with Alfons Dopsch. In 1924, she went to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger . Having by this time developed a strong interest in playing the harpsichord, Wallace took lessons in Paris from Wanda Landowska . She also studied piano with Artur Schnable in Berlin. A musical scholar as well as a performing artist, throughout her active career Wallace grappled with the most difficult problems of proper interpretation and historical accuracy. In 1931, she married the brilliant British pianist Clifford Curzon. In the early 1950s, she gave up her performing career in order to devote her full time and energy to raising the two orphaned sons of the singer Maria Cebotari .
sources:
"Lucille Wallace," in The Times [London]. March 23, 1977, p. 18.
Salter, Lionel. "Wallace, Lucille," in New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Vol. 20. London: Macmillan, 1980, p. 175.
John Haag , Athens, Georgia