Jacques Klein
Encyclopedia
Jacques Klein was a Brazil
ian composer
and pianist
.
Born to a Jewish family in Aracati
, he grew up in the nearby city of Fortaleza
, where he began to study piano at the Conservatório Alberto Nepomuceno, which had been founded by his father. At the beginning of the 1940s he moved to Rio de Janeiro
, where he studied with Liddy Mignone at the Conservatório Brasileiro de Música, where he himself began to teach in the 1950s. At the age of thirteen he temporarily left classical music
and set up a jazz
trio with his friends Dinarte Rodrigues (on guitar
) and Breno Porto (on drums
). The trio began to perform once a week on Rádio Jornal do Brasil, starting in 1946. In 1948 Klein returned to classical music, and studied with William Kapell
in New York
and with Bruno Seidlhofer in Vienna
. In 1953 he won first prize at the Geneva International Music Competition
, which launched his international career. In 1954 Klein appeared with the London Philharmonic. In 1955 he was chosen as the best pianist of the year in London, and received the Harriet Cohen Medal. He formed a duo with the violinist Salvatore Accardo
, and also gave memorable performances with the pianist Friedrich Gulda
. He taught at the school of music of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and at the University of Miami
in the United States
. He made a number of recordings of the Brazilian samba
. His many students include Egberto Gismonti
, Clelia Iruzun, and Arnaldo Cohen
.
The Latin American Music Center of Indiana University
awards a Jacques Klein Prize for the best performance of a solo piano work by a Brazilian composer in his memory; the prize is worth $500.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
.
Born to a Jewish family in Aracati
Aracati
Aracati is a city in the state of Ceará, northeast of Brazil. The population of Aracati is 61,431 . It is part of the microregion of Litoral de Aracati, which is one of the four microregions that make up the macroregion of Jaguaribe. - Notes :...
, he grew up in the nearby city of Fortaleza
Fortaleza
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
, where he began to study piano at the Conservatório Alberto Nepomuceno, which had been founded by his father. At the beginning of the 1940s he moved to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, where he studied with Liddy Mignone at the Conservatório Brasileiro de Música, where he himself began to teach in the 1950s. At the age of thirteen he temporarily left classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and set up a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trio with his friends Dinarte Rodrigues (on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) and Breno Porto (on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). The trio began to perform once a week on Rádio Jornal do Brasil, starting in 1946. In 1948 Klein returned to classical music, and studied with William Kapell
William Kapell
William Kapell was an outstanding American pianist who was killed in the crash of a commercial airliner.-Biography:...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and with Bruno Seidlhofer in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. In 1953 he won first prize at the Geneva International Music Competition
Geneva International Music Competition
The Geneva International Music Competition is a music competitions held in Geneva, founded in 1939 in the Geneva Conservatory for a wide variety of instruments, voice, conducting, and chamber music.-See also:* List of classical music competitions* World Federation of International Music...
, which launched his international career. In 1954 Klein appeared with the London Philharmonic. In 1955 he was chosen as the best pianist of the year in London, and received the Harriet Cohen Medal. He formed a duo with the violinist Salvatore Accardo
Salvatore Accardo
Salvatore Accardo is an Italian violin virtuoso and conductor.He is highly regarded for his interpretations of Paganini, J. S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, contemporary works, chamber music, and opera conducting....
, and also gave memorable performances with the pianist Friedrich Gulda
Friedrich Gulda
Friedrich Gulda was an Austrian pianist and composer who worked in both the classical and jazz fields.Born in Vienna as the son of a teacher, Gulda began learning to play the piano from Felix Pazofsky at the Wiener Volkskonservatorium, aged 7...
. He taught at the school of music of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He made a number of recordings of the Brazilian samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
. His many students include Egberto Gismonti
Egberto Gismonti
Egberto Gismonti Amin is a Brazilian composer, guitarist and pianist.Gismonti began his formal music studies at the age of six on piano. After studying classical music for 15 years, he went to Paris to study orchestration and analysis with Nadia Boulanger and the composer Jean Barraqué, a disciple...
, Clelia Iruzun, and Arnaldo Cohen
Arnaldo Cohen
-Biography:Cohen graduated in Engineering from the Federal University, Cohen also studied violin and piano and started his professional career as a violinist of the Rio de Janeiro Opera House Orchestra...
.
The Latin American Music Center of Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
awards a Jacques Klein Prize for the best performance of a solo piano work by a Brazilian composer in his memory; the prize is worth $500.
- Dicionário Cravo Albin de Música Popular Brasileira (in Portuguese)http://www.dicionariompb.com.br