In this episode of Classic Archive we discover one of the major pianists of the 20th century: Wilhelm Kempff.
All thoughout his career, he imposed himself as one of the greatest performers of German romantic music and more particularly Beethoven. This is the Kempff we see in this program, giving a recital of music by Schumann (in 1961) and Beethoven (in 1970, at the bicentenary of the composer’s birth) for French TV.
First, we listen to The Prophet Bird from Woodland Scenes, op.82 and Butterflies, op.2 (Schumann).
Then comes the Sonata in C sharp minor, the “Moonlight Sonata”, with,  to finish, the Sonata in E minor, op.90 No.27 (Beethoven).