Dinu Lipatti first expressed his artistic personality in Romania. Then, he studied in France. After that, being settled in Switzerland, he performed concerts throughout Europe. He left some deep marks everywhere he went and there are so many witnesses of his life and value. He was born in a music lovers’ family, as George Enescu himself was his godfather. Music accompanied him throughout his short life for, at the end of it, with a Beethovenian score  in his hand, his last words were :  “It is not enough to be a great composer to write this kind of music, you must have been chosen as an instrument of God.”

The sparkle of his genius shone like a comet, his life followed an alert rhythm, he proved in a very short time – only 33-years-old – that he deserved to reach a higher place.

Modesty and gift – qualities of an angel

Being hard on himself and unusually modesty,  “Dinu Lipatti gives the impression that he is embarrassed   byhis own genius.” – the pianist Clara Haskil wrote about the one with whom she had a beautiful friendship, along with whom she played in countless tours and with whom she had an amazing correspondence. In 1933, when he got the 2nd prize at the International Piano Competition  in Vienna, the jury’s judgement being very harshly contested by Alfred Cortot who strongly supported Dinu Lipatti’s superiority, the young pianist talked about his competitor: ... I managed to win the 2nd prize. The 1st prize was won by a very experienced Polish, with confidence and calm.”

In 1936 he started his career as a soloist pianist beginning with a series of concerts in Germany and Italy, and his reputation kept flourishing after every public appearance. At the beginning of World War II, he returned to Bucharest where he gave  a number of piano recitals as a soloist or together with George Enescu.

A divine artist

In 1943 he decided to settle in Switzerland with his wife and he became  a professor at the Geneva Conservatory. While he was preparing for a tour in America, he discovered he was suffering  from leukemia. On 16^th September 1950, although physically weakened, he gave his last public concert in Besançon, France. During the second part of the recital he wanted to play all of the 14 Waltzes in C  sharp minor by Chopin. Yet, his powers weakened and after a long break during which the public did not want to leave the hall, Dinu Lipatti returned on stage andset himself at the piano and startedplaying the Jesus bleibt meine Freude motif from the Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. Together with this prayer, one of the richest and shortest careers ever known in the modern interpretative art, ended. In the same year, 1950, at the beginning of December, Dinu Lipatti – the divine artist – left  us forever.

Remarkable works

His compositions, among which Fantaisie for piano, violin and cello, Op. 1 (1933), The Gypsies, an orchestra suite, Op. 2 (1934), Concertino in Classical Style for Piano and Chamber orchestra, Op. 3 (1936), A Concertante Symphony for Two Pianos and a String Orchestra, Op. 5 (1938), A Sonatina for the Left Hand (1941), remained mostly original.

The recordings on vinyl records, inspite of all their technical imperfections of the time, are the living proof of Dinu Lipatti’s pianistic art, interpretations full of human kindness and a high stylistic plenitude, of fineness and spiritual nobility, of poetry and grace.

On Monday, 6^th October, 2014, today’s  Performer of the Day section included in the Arpeggio programme, is dedicated to the pianist Dinu Lipatti. We will listen to the Grand Brilliant Waltz in E-Flat, Op. 18 by Frederic Chopin and the Waltzes for Piano Four-Hands, Op. 39 by Johannes Brahms (accompanied by Nadia Boulanger).