Piano Man: Life of John Ogdon - Hardcover

Charles Beauclerk

4.54

39 ratings by Goodreads

9780857200112: Piano Man: Life of John Ogdon

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0857200119 ISBN 13: 9780857200112

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, 2014

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The first full biography of John Ogdon; a tortured genius and arguably the greatest British pianist of all time. From the beginning of his professional career as a soloist John Ogdon was hailed as a musician of rare understanding and phenomenal technical gifts. Able to play and memorize just about any score at sight, tales of his impossible exploits at the keyboard are legion. Yet Ogdon was a man of extremes and it was this very extremity, while the source of much of his gift, that also led to appalling suffering. Here was a man whose feelings were inexpressibly deep and often tormenting, and Ogdon's glory days, following his coveted Tchaikovsky prize in 1962, came to a sudden end in 1973 when he suffered a severe mental breakdown which led to his being certified insane and made patient of the Court of Protection. Over the course of several harrowing years Ogdon would spend large periods of time in and out of psychiatric wards and halfway houses. The drugs and treatments prescribed sometimes affected his coordination, and his reputation suffered as a result. Yet Ogdon's commitment to his art remained undimmed, and until the end he drew out performances of tremendous beauty and conviction from the depths of his ravaged heart. In this illuminating biography, Charles Beauclerk explores the life of a brilliantly inspired artist, for whom music was both his cross and his salvation.

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Review:

'A fascinating, unflinching, and honest account of Ogdon's astonishing virtuosity' Guardian

'Beauclerk's prose is eloquent, readable and rich in literary allusion ... the great pianist emerges from this biography as not only a lovable being, but a heroic one' The Sunday Times

'Violent, paranoid ... and Britain's most sublime pianist. A gripping new book lays bare the brilliant but tortured life of John Ogdon.' Daily Mail

'For those of us familiar with piano playing, Piano Man will knock you to the floor in awe ... Please read this book' The Times

'Sympathetic, perceptive, full of colour' Daily Mail

'The author has pieced together a detailed narrative of his strange life. Beauclerk [is] touching in his attempts to capture the sheer oddity of Ogdon.' Telegaph

'The author has produced a definitive life of his subject, with much that is new...This authoritative biography will appeal to music lovers, especially those who remember Ogdon in his greatest years' The Lady

'An elegant prose stylist, he can draw on classical and literary allusions and not hamper the pace. This is perhaps the most riveting, intimate and revealing biography of a musician I have read' Gramophone'

'[An] engrossing study of the tragic John Ogdon' Choice Magazine

'Enormously insightful and well-written. This is an absorbing read, and will come as a real eye-opener for those who knew little about the gentle giant' Pianist

'Charles Beauclerk brings sympathy, a knowing eye and a fluent style. A compelling, well-rounded celebration of a precious pianist of extraordinary gifts' --BBC Music

About the Author:

Charles Beauclerk is the author of a biography of his ancestor Nell Gwyn and a book on Shakespeare.

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