Radu Lupu
He initially regarded himself as a composer but gave up composing about four years later, believing he would be much better as a pianist. These victories launched his international career, which included appearances with major orchestras and at major festivals worldwide.
- field
- Pianist
- nationality
- Romanian
- known_for
- Winning three major international piano competitions (Van Cliburn, George Enescu
Lore & Background
Lupu was born in Galați, Romania to a Jewish family, the son of an attorney and a linguist. He initially regarded himself as a composer but gave up composing about four years later, believing he would be much better as a pianist. These victories launched his international career. He is also noted for performances of Bartók, Debussy, Enescu, and Janáček.
Reader's Guide
Lupu's career was marked by a thoughtful, autodidactic approach, as he described himself, drawing influences from conductors like Furtwängler and Toscanini. His legacy endures through his recordings and his reputation as one of the greatest pianists of his time, though his career was sometimes marked by critical dispute, as seen in mixed reviews of his early performances.
Did You Know?
- Lupu initially regarded himself as a composer but gave up composing about four years after starting, believing he would be much better as a pianist.
- He studied at the Bucharest Conservatory with Florica Musicescu, who also taught Dinu Lipatti.
- He made over 20 recordings for Decca Records from 1970 to 1993.
More in Classical Virtuosi 1-24
Elsewhere in the Classical Virtuosi universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record