Missouri Classical Music News and Notes

Alfred Brendel, the pianist who during his six decades of performances has mastered the works of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, will retire from the concert stage next year.

The Austrian native, who turns 77 in January, will give his last concert on Dec. 18, 2008, in Vienna. . . .

Brendel's final North American engagements will be in February and March, with performances in New York, Boston, Montreal, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Chicago and Pittsburgh. . . .

His final concert will be with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, a few weeks before he turns 78. He will perform Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9, known as the "Jeunehomme" ("Young Man").

My career is atypical. I have not been a child prodigy. . . . I have a good memory but not a phenomenal one. I am not a good sight-reader. I am completely at a loss to explain why I made it . . .