FOU TS-ONG
Chinese pianist (b 1934)

Fou Ts-ong studied piano in his native China with Mario Paci, an Italian who founded the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. In 1953, he continued his training at the Warsaw Conservatory, and has lived in London since 1960. Martha Argerich, Leon Fleisher, and Radu Lupu, all close friends, have acknowled his influence on them and are obliged to Fou Ts'ong for his new ideas and for opening new musical horizons them.

Fou Ts-ong is one of those pianists who just plain plays with style.  I enjoy his playing even when I disagree with his approach as one would arguing with an old friend.  But when he hits me in the soft spot, wow!

Fou Ts-ong won the Best Mazurka Prize at the 1955 Chopin Competition.  Judging by the recordings below, one can see why.  Without trying to imitate the Polish style, he captures the essence and rhythm of the music in a wonderful way.  His Chopin Preludes are also marvelous, and all his own.

Interspersed among the solo performances are concerto recordings by Fou Ts-ong including a splendid rendition of the Schumann concerto conducted by Peter Maag, a great and unsung conductor, and a recording of the Mozart F major concerto for three pianos with Ashkenazy and Barenboim.

Scarlatti  Keyboard Sonatas

in D minor, K 32 - in D major, K 164 - in D major, K 484 - in F♯ major, K 318
in A major, K 500 - in E♭ major, K 474 - in B♭ major, K 550 - in A major, K 208
in F major, K 107 - in E major, K 380 - in E major, K 531 - in G major, K 210
in C major, K 461 - in G major, K 304 - in C minor, K 99 - in F major, K 540
in E major, K 162 - in E major, K 163 - in C♯ minor, K 246 - in C♯ minor, K 247
in F major, K 378 - in F major, K 379 - in D minor, K 213 - in D major, K 443
in B major, K 262 - in E major, K 215 - in C minor, K 158 - in E♭ major, K 193
in F minor, K 481 - in C major, K 513 - in E minor, K 394 - in C major, K 95

recorded in 1984