In memoriam: Alfred Brendel (1931-2025)

© Jiyang Chen CC BY-SA 4.0

The Faculty of Music is sorry to learn of the passing of Alfred Brendel, who died on 17 June 2025 at the age of 94. Brendel was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University in 1983 and was also an Honorary Fellow of Exeter College. A celebrated pianist, Brendel was known for his interpretations of Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart, and Liszt, and was the first pianist to record the complete solo piano works of Beethoven.

In Brendel's honour, the post of Alfred Brendel Curator of Music at the Bodleian Libraries was endowed in 2012. Current postholder Martin Holmes comments:

It has been an honour for me to have the name of such a distinguished figure associated with my job title. I was lucky enough to meet him several times and particularly privileged to have lunch with him only two weeks ago. He was a giant among pianists who will be greatly missed but his vast legacy of recordings and writings will live on.