Wilhelm Kempff

German composer Wilhelm Kempff (1885-1991).
World-renowned pianist and composer. As a performer he stressed lyricism, charm, and spontaneity in music, particularly effective in intimate pieces or passages. He always strove for a singing, lyrical quality, occasionally slipping into a slight degree of affectation in his phrasing. He avoided extreme tempos and display for its own sake. A lesser-known activity of Kempff was composing. He composed for almost every genre.