The first comprehensive biography of John Ogdon was published in 2014, an event that was greeted in the Daily Mail with: 'Mad maestro who attacked his wife in front of the Queen'. In the British sensational press, therefore, not a word about the generosity and modesty of this 'gentle giant', who was undoubtedly the most important British pianist of the 1960s. In 1962 he won (together with Vladimir
… Ashkenazy) the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Ogdon excelled in Liszt, Busoni, Rachmaninov, Scriabin and many more. His ability to play intricate sheet scores appears to have been phenomenal. Ogdon makes you feel the music is being composed in real time, such is the ferocious vitality of his playing, according to The Guardian in its review of the aforementioned biography. His plea for lesser known repertoire (both contemporary and nineteenth-century) was also exceptional. This box contains a CD (after the LP release of 1968) with the piano work of Carl Nielsen (including the beautiful contemporary Chaconne op.32). Ogdon dedicated an LP to the forgotten Parisian virtuoso and hermit Alkan in 1972, a year before his mental collapse. More than a decade later, he still managed to release Sorabji's almost unplayable Opus Clavicembalisticum (not in this edition). (HJ) a year before he collapsed mentally. More than a decade later, he still managed to release Sorabji's almost unplayable Opus Clavicembalisticum (not in this edition). (HJ) a year before he collapsed mentally. More than a decade later, he still managed to release Sorabji's almost unplayable Opus Clavicembalisticum (not in this edition). (HJ)more
