Anatol ugorski pianist claudio

The Soviet refugee pianist Anatol Ugorski died this morning at the age of 80.

Settling in Germany, he was vastly respected as a Beethoven pianist, despite – perhaps because of – a tendency to take extremely slow tempi.

His daughter Dina Ugorskaja acquired even greater authority in Beethoven. Her last recordings, stricken with cancer, are legends among Beethoven interpreters. Dina died four years ago this month, aged 46. Both father and daughter earned a perpetual place in the pantheon.