He was a phenomenon in many ways. Menahem Pressler, the solo pianist and chamber musician, was in this country primarily the founder and an active part of the legendary until the end Beaux Arts Trios known. In the founding line-up of 1955, Daniel Guilet played the violin and Bernard Greenhouse the cello. In recent years, however, Pressler has become the much admired Methuselah on the concert stage. At least since 2008, when Alfred Brendel, who was eight years his junior, ended his career, Pressler remained behind as by far the oldest active pianist. He was there for 85 years and was rediscovered in many places, not only as a chamber musician and lecturer in master classes, but also as a soloist. “I now have almost more stage commitments than when I was young,” he said at the time with mock desperation.
Pianist Menahem Pressler dies at 99
