Great Performers: William Kapell

Born in New York in 1922, Kapell studied first with his mother and then with the legendary Olga Samaroff at the Juilliard School. He had the first of several competition wins at the age of ten, and it was winning the Naumburg Award that would launch his career, his subsequent New York recital debut, aged 19, winning him a Town Hall Award. In 1945 he signed with RCA Victor, for whom he would produce a wide array of recordings until his untimely death in 1953.

A firebrand with a volcanic temperament and diligent work ethic, Kapell worked tirelessly and held himself to a very high standard, continuing to coach with legendary artists like Artur Schnabel and Rudolf Serkin while already a renowned performer. He was not always a favourite with the critics; he received challenging reviews on his final tour of Australia and at the airport prior to departure he swore he would never return to the country. The plane that he boarded was the one that crashed, killing him and all aboard.

Kapell's many recordings (still too few for a talent of his stature) capture his stunningly vivid music-making, his intensity palpable with his deeply shaped phrasing and rhythmic vitality. He had a broad repertoire spanning the entire history of keyboard music, his Bach spacious and reverent yet not lacking the passion he brought to all of his performances. What little Mozart we have glows with both charm and depth, and his account of Beethoven's Second Concerto has been beloved for over seven decades for its buoyant exuberance. His Schubert and Schumann showcase his lushly lyrical phrasing and rich singing tone.

Chopin was a true love for Kapell, from the deceptively deep mazurkas to the towering sonatas, and his readings epitomize the Romantic quest for emotional expression: his passion and boldness are tempered with tender nuancing and sumptuous tonal colours. His Liszt Mephisto Waltz, put on disc at his very first RCA session in 1945, is a reference reading of the work, despatched with a remarkably brisk tempo and blazing intensity, while his Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 is one of his most heartfelt recordings, filled with fervour and momentum.

Two further 20th-century concertos capture Kapell's playing at its fiery best: Prokofiev's Third and the Khachaturian Piano Concerto. The latter was his first concerto recording, a 1946 account with the Boston Symphony under the legendary Serge Koussevitzky that brought the pianist tremendous acclaim for his stunningly vibrant playing. Some critics consider his impassioned account of the Prokofiev to be peerless for its robust drive, frenzied agitation, and profundity of emotion – a work perfectly aligned with his character.

More than twice as many years have passed since William Kapell's death than he lived, yet his name endures as his recordings continue to thrill listeners with their heartfelt, honest pianism. Despite a tragically short life, he lives on as one of the keyboard immortals.

[Due to geo-blocking restrictions, some tracks might be unavailable in certain territories.]