Overview

• Brendel’s family announced he died at his London home on June 17, 2025, at age 94.
• Born in Wiesenberg, Czechoslovakia, in 1931, he was largely self-taught and gave his first major recital at 17.
• He gained international recognition in the 1960s after signing with Philips and moving to London, where his repertoire ranged from Mozart and Beethoven to Schoenberg and Berg.
• Knighted as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1989, he retired from performance in 2008 following farewell concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic in Vienna and at Carnegie Hall in New York.
• A prolific writer and poet, he authored influential essays such as Musical Thoughts and Afterthoughts and published poetry collections including Cursing Bagels.