Michael Ponti
Encyclopedia
Michael Ponti is a concert and recording pianist.
.
From 1951 to 1953 Ponti attended DeMatha Catholic High School. He graduated from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland
, in 1955. Then he studied with Erich Flinsch (who had been a pupil of and an assistant to Emil von Sauer
) in Frankfurt from 1955 to 1961.
In 1964, Ponti won first prize in the Busoni-Wettbewerb piano contest in Italy. Soon afterward, he made his Vienna debut by performing the solo part in Bartók
's 2nd Piano Concerto
, with Wolfgang Sawallisch
conducting. Since then, he has toured quite widely, including a 1977 visit to Australia. Also in 1977, he founded his own trio (with violinist Robert Zimansky
and cellist Jan Polasek).
, Ignaz Moscheles
, Charles-Valentin Alkan
, Sigismond Thalberg
, Moritz Moszkowski
and Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff
. In addition, he committed to disc the complete piano music of Scriabin
, much of which was otherwise unavailable then, though it has since been recorded by Vladimir Ashkenazy
and Piers Lane
. He also recorded the complete piano music of Tchaikovsky
and Rachmaninoff
. His output amounts to more than 80 discs, and much of his output has been released on CD.
In the late 1990s, Ponti suffered a stroke that left him without the use of his right hand and arm in terms of his playing skills. Although he has gone through extensive rehabilitation, he has not been able to return to a concert schedule or to recording. He continues to live in Bavaria
, in southern Germany with his American-born wife.
Life and career
Ponti was born in Germany, but has lived in the United States for most of his life. He studied piano in Washington DC with Gilmour McDonald from 1954 to 1955, McDonald having been a pupil of the legendary virtuoso Leopold GodowskyLeopold Godowsky
Leopold Godowsky was a famed Polish American pianist, composer, and teacher. One of the most highly regarded performers of his time, he became known for his theories concerning the application of relaxed weight and economy of motion in piano playing, principles later propagated by Godowsky's...
.
From 1951 to 1953 Ponti attended DeMatha Catholic High School. He graduated from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, in 1955. Then he studied with Erich Flinsch (who had been a pupil of and an assistant to Emil von Sauer
Emil von Sauer
Emil Georg Conrad von Sauer was a notable German composer, pianist, score editor, and music teacher. He was a pupil of Franz Liszt and one of the most distinguished pianists of his generation...
) in Frankfurt from 1955 to 1961.
In 1964, Ponti won first prize in the Busoni-Wettbewerb piano contest in Italy. Soon afterward, he made his Vienna debut by performing the solo part in Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
's 2nd Piano Concerto
Piano Concerto No. 2 (Bartók)
Béla Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Sz. 95, BB 101 is one of the composer's more accessible compositions for audiences. It is especially notorious for being one of the most difficult pieces in the repertoire....
, with Wolfgang Sawallisch
Wolfgang Sawallisch
Wolfgang Sawallisch is a retired German conductor and pianist.-Biography:Sawallisch was born in Munich, and studied composition and pianoforte there privately: at the conclusion of the war, in 1946 he continued his studies at the Munich High School for Music and passed his final examination for...
conducting. Since then, he has toured quite widely, including a 1977 visit to Australia. Also in 1977, he founded his own trio (with violinist Robert Zimansky
Robert Zimansky
-Biography:Robert Zimansky was born in Iowa City, Iowa.After early studies with John Ferrell at the University of Iowa, Zimansky studied at the Juilliard School in New York with Sally Thomas and Ivan Galamian...
and cellist Jan Polasek).
Recordings and reputation
Ponti is fondly remembered by a generation of music lovers for his wide-ranging recordings of the unknown romantic repertoire on the Vox Records|Vox and Candide labels. He recorded a series of concertos, many of which had never been recorded before, and some of which have been unrecorded since, by such composers as Clara SchumannClara Schumann
Clara Schumann was a German musician and composer, considered one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era...
, Ignaz Moscheles
Ignaz Moscheles
Ignaz Moscheles was a Bohemian composer and piano virtuoso, whose career after his early years was based initially in London, and later at Leipzig, where he succeeded his friend and sometime pupil Felix Mendelssohn as head of the Conservatoire.-Sources:Much of what we know about Moscheles's life...
, Charles-Valentin Alkan
Charles-Valentin Alkan
Charles-Valentin Alkan was a French composer and one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of his day. His attachment to his Jewish origins is displayed both in his life and his work. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of six, earning many awards, and as an adult became a famous virtuoso...
, Sigismond Thalberg
Sigismond Thalberg
Sigismond Thalberg was a composer and one of the most distinguished virtuoso pianists of the 19th century.- Descent and family background :...
, Moritz Moszkowski
Moritz Moszkowski
Moritz Moszkowski was a German Jewish composer, pianist, and teacher of Polish descent. Ignacy Paderewski said, "After Chopin, Moszkowski best understands how to write for the piano"...
and Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff
Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff
Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff was a classical musician and composer who studied under Franz Liszt....
. In addition, he committed to disc the complete piano music of Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
, much of which was otherwise unavailable then, though it has since been recorded by Vladimir Ashkenazy
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy is a Russian-Icelandic conductor and pianist. Since 1972 he has been a citizen of Iceland, his wife Þórunn's country of birth. Since 1978, because of his many obligations in Europe, he and his family have resided in Meggen, near Lucerne in Switzerland...
and Piers Lane
Piers Lane
Piers Lane is an Australian classical pianist. His performance career has taken him to more than 40 countries. His concerto repertoire exceeds 75 works.- Early life :...
. He also recorded the complete piano music of Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
and Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
. His output amounts to more than 80 discs, and much of his output has been released on CD.
In the late 1990s, Ponti suffered a stroke that left him without the use of his right hand and arm in terms of his playing skills. Although he has gone through extensive rehabilitation, he has not been able to return to a concert schedule or to recording. He continues to live in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, in southern Germany with his American-born wife.