CARLO ZECCHI (1903-1984)
Italian pianist and conductor

Carlo Zecchi was a pupil of Ferruccio Busoni and Artur Schnabel (who was, incidentally, the best man at Zecchi's wedding in 1936).  As an exact contemporary of Vladimir Horowitz, it is interesting to draw parallels and contrasts.  To my ear, Horowitz erupted from the Russian school while Zecchi is squarely in the Italo-Germanic school of his two teachers.

Many believe Carlo Zecchi to have been Italy's greatest pianist after Busoni.  I count myself among them.  Apologies to the followers of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and Sergio Fiorentino, both magnificent pianists.

His Chopin is extraordinary.  When he plays, the mazurkas, the waltzes, and even the etudes, dance in a way I have never heard them do so before.  His recording of the first Ballade, now my favorite of all, speaks volumes as would the recital by the best Shakespearean actor of a glorious epic poem.  And the Barcarolle and the Berceuse are perfection.

Perhaps the most extraordinary recording here is of Stravinsky's Trois Mouvements de Petrouchka.  This is the first time I have ever heard a pianist sound relaxed in navigating what I am told - I would not dare to try to play it myself - is one of the most difficult works for piano ever written, the Danse Russe.

I have included some private recordings by Carlo Zecchi from 1980 which, while not reflecting the genius of his playing in the recordings from the '30s, '40s and '50s, are nonetheless beautiful and of interest.

Carlo Zecchi was also a fine chamber musician and a conductor, much admired by Arturo Toscanini which admiration ceased to be reciprocated when Toscanini revealed himself to Zecchi as the worst sort of tyrant.

At the end, for those of you who understand Italian, are marvelous recordings of Zecchi speaking about his life as a pianist and conductor.

Siciliana (arr by Respighi)