傅聪

Fou Ts'ong or Fu Cong (Chinese: 傅聰; pinyin: Fù Cōng; 10 March 1934 – 28 December 2020) was a Chinese pianist. One of the first Chinese pianists to achieve international fame, Fou was especially acclaimed for his interpretations of the music of Frédéric Chopin. He has been noted by The New York Times for his "sensitive ear for color", "elusive gift of melody", and his "impetuous spirit".

Life and career

Mario Paci (second row center) with his colleagues and students in Shanghai, 1945. In the front row are two of his youngest students: Fou Ts'ong (front left) and Wu Yili (front right).

Fou Ts'ong was born in Shanghai on 10 March 1934 to a family of intellectuals; his father was the translator Fu Lei. Fou first studied piano with Mario Paci, the Italian founder of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. In 1953, Fou moved to Europe to continue his training at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw (at present Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw) with Zbigniew Drzewiecki, where he impressed his professors with his grasp of the mazurka rhythm. His mastery was confirmed when he won 3rd prize and the special Mazurka Prize at the 1955 International Chopin Piano Competition.

In 1958, Fou moved to London. He made his debut with the New York Philharmonic under Paul Paray in Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 (Op. 21) in November 1961. A performing and teaching career that took him throughout the world continued, and he was especially acclaimed for his interpretations of Chopin. Hermann Hesse proclaimed him to be the only true performer of the composer's work. Among Fou's friends are the fellow pianists Martha Argerich, Leon Fleisher and Radu Lupu, who, acknowledging his influence upon their musical development, were "obliged to Fou Ts'ong for all his new ideas and for opening new musical horizons for all of us."

He was a member of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition's jury in 1991, 1999 and 2007.

From 1960 to 1969, he was married to Zamira Menuhin, the daughter of Yehudi Menuhin, and they had one son. Their marriage ended in divorce. He later married the Chinese pianist Patsy Toh. He lived in London.

Fou's parents Fu Lei and Zhu Meifu were persecuted during the Cultural Revolution and committed suicide in September 1966. Fou Ts'ong had a brother named Fu Min.

Fou died of COVID-19 in London on 28 December 2020 at age 86.

References