Pianist Rudolf Serkin's son, classical pianist Peter Serkin has died at 72

Peter Serkin, 72, famed pianist who studied at Curtis Institute of Music

 

Died from pancreatic cancer.

Peter Serkin, 72, famed pianist who studied at Curtis Institute of Music

 

Article from the New York Times:

Peter Serkin, 72, Dies; Pianist With Pedigree Who Forged a New Path

 

Farewell to an obstinate artist who refused to be pigeonholed and was often a champion of modern composers !

 

I had to look him up, because it wasn’t a familiar name to me.

 

His father, Rudolf Serkin, was one of the great pianists of the 20th Century, with a special affinity with Beethoven. Born in Central Europe in 1903, he emigrated to the US in 1939 like so many other artists at the time. He died in 1991.

 

I had no idea Peter Serkin was in his 70s. I'm old enough to have seen his father play with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. Peter might already have been at Curtis.

 

Unsurprising that he is fairly unknown here. I saw him with Tashi at The Bottom Line opening for Braxton quartet and solo in Rockport playing Diabelli Variations last year. Anyone who doesn’t know the name Serkin is ignorant of a great American musical family. RIP.

 

Saw him once playing Mozart in the late 1980s. That was a memorable concert. RIP.

 

I find it eerie that he and Benjamin Orr both died of pancreatic cancer, and both of them were born in 1947.

 

And he also died of cancer, which is sad.

 

Listening at the moment to Lorraine Hunt Lieberson singing accompanied by Peter Serkin .
Peter was great friends with composer Peter Lieberson and when the latter married Lorraine Hunt , Peter Serkin formed a professional relationship with her .
All three have now passed but we are left with a fine recorded legacy from all three .
Listen here to the great mezzo with the great pianist ,

 

A talented and unique artist. May he rest in peace.