Pianist and Conductor Jean-Pierre Marty has Died, Aged 91

Marty made a number of recordings both as pianist and conductor, as well as authoring three academic books

French pianist and conductor Jean-Pierre Marty has passed away at the age of 91.

As a child, Marty was a pupil of Alfred Cortot and Julius Katchen. He began his professional career early, when at the age of thirteen he began to play duos with the cellist Pierre Fournier, and he soon moved on to solo concerto appearances. In addition, Marty studied harmony, counterpoint, and composition with Nadia Boulanger.

At the age of 21, Marty began to experience severe muscular issues, which ultimately put an end to his career as a concert musician. Having emigrated to the United States in 1958, he began to study conducting with Robert Irving and Thomas Schippers. As conductor, he appeared in opera companies in Marseille, Lyon, Washington, and New York, as well as at the Spoleto Festival with composer Gian Carlo Menotti.

He also made a number of recordings for EMI and the French Radio label, and his recording of Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites was particularly well received. In addition, he continued to record as a pianist, and completed the works of Schumann from op. 1 to op. 32 over the course of eight discs.

Marty was the author of three academic books, the most renowned of which was The Tempo Indications of Mozart. This English-language volume was published by Yale University Press in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Marty later succeeded his former teacher Nadia Boulanger as Director of the American Conservatory of Fontainebleau.

Our condolences to Marty's family, friends, and colleagues.