Radu Lupu

Radu Lupu is a discreet man, not given to embroidering his life, taste or desires, preferring to let the music “speak” for him. His attitude has resulted a certain amount of incomprehension and sharp remarks; but to focus on his prickly side, his spiky hair or the chair he plays on, is to ignore the only thing a music lover should be interested in: his musicality. And musicality there is; each of his concerts, each of his (relatively rare) recordings confirms this. Schubert always has pride of place. Over the years, Radu Lupu has recorded a great number of Sonatas , the eight Impromptus and the Moments musicaux (that we can hear on his complete recordings for Decca in 2010), as well as the lieder recorded with Barbara Hendricks and some four-handed works with Daniel Barenboim. He offers a convincing and sensitive interpretation of Schubert, where his close connection with the Germanic world is evident. The miniature German Dances Op. 33 and the short Impromptus Op. 142 introduce the impressive Sonata No. 21 D. 960 , an unbelievable musical testament, for which the pianist won a Grammy Award in 1995.