Wilhelm Backhaus

Wilhelm Backhaus ('Bachaus' on some record labels) (26 March 1884 – 5 July 1969) was a German pianist and pedagogue. He was particularly well known for his interpretations of Beethoven and romantic music such as that by Brahms. He was also much admired as a chamber musician. He seems to have favoured Bösendorfer pianos as he can be seen playing this instrument in commercial videos with Karl Böhm and Hans Knappertsbusch conducting. Also see his original photograph and handwritten letter of appreciation of the Bösendorfer in their main showroom in Vienna.

Born in Leipzig, Backhaus was the son of a well-known architect. He began learning piano at the age of four with his mother, an amateur pianist. The boy's talent was spotted by Artur Nikisch, at whose recommendation Backhaus studied under Alois Reckendorf at the Leipzig Conservatory between 1891 and 1899, then took private piano lessons with Eugen d'Albert in Frankfurt. As a boy of 9 or 10 he was taken to hear both of the Brahms piano concertos performed by d'Albert — and conducted by Brahms himself.

He made his first concert tour at the age of sixteen. In 1905 he won the Anton Rubinstein Competition with Béla Bartók taking second place. He toured widely throughout his life - in 1921 he gave seventeen concerts in Buenos Aires in less than three weeks. Backhaus made his U.S. debut on 5 January 1912 as soloist in Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto with Walter Damrosch and the New York Symphony Orchestra.He taught at the Curtis Institute of Music in 1926. In 1930 he moved to Lugano and became a citizen of Switzerland. He died in Villach in Austria where he was due to play in a concert. His last recital a few days earlier in Ossiach was recorded.

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