Daniel Barenboim

Daniel Barenboim has succeeded at the highest levels as pianist and conductor. Born in Argentina, but also raised in Israel, Barenboim's musical talents were encouraged by his parents. He was taught by Nadia Boulanger but was also greatly influenced by Wilhelm Furtwangler, whose compositions he has consistently championed. Barenboim's career as a concert pianist started in the early 1950s followed shortly after by his first recordings.

Over his long career Barenboim has recorded complete cycles of the Beethoven and Mozart Piano Sonatas, and in his capacity as a conductor - which now takes up most of his time - Beethoven, Schubert and Bruckner symphony cycles and Wagner's operas. In recent times Barenboim has been an outspoken critic of Israeli policies; he also performed Wagner in Israel which proved highly controversial. His most recent project was the creation of the West-Eastern Divan designed to pool the collective talents of Israeli and Palestinian musicians.

Key Works: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 - 9, Piano Concertos, Piano Sonatas, Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 1 - 9, Mozart: Piano Concertos, Piano Sonatas, Wagner:

Key Artists: Jacqueline Du Pré, Zubin Mehta, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman