John Ogdon. Collection of prize certificates, plaques and autograph documents, 1960s-1980s

John Ogdon

Collection of prize certificates, plaques and autograph documents, including his framed winner's certificate for the legendary 1962 Moscow Tchaikovsky Competition

comprising:

printed winner's certificate for the 1962 Second International Tchaikovsky Competition ("II International P.I. Tchaikovsky Competition...April-May 1962 Moscow John Ogdon..Ist Prize [trans.]..."), signed by the chair of the judges Emil Gilels and other members of the judging panel, including Thomas Armstrong, Yakov Flier, Bruno Seidlhofer and Magda Tagliaferro, overall size 35 x 48.5cm, framed and glazed, [Moscow] 7 May 1962, some discolouration; together with Ogdon's copy of the printed competition programme, with his own annotations regarding his choice of pieces; and also five other prize certificates and plaques: The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (1963), for the most promising new classical recording artist; Der Deutsche Schallplattenpreis (1968), for the recording of Busoni's Piano Concerto op.39 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (1968), for Busoni's Piano Concerto op.39; The 6th Festival Internacional Cervantino in Mexico (1978), for his participation in the 'Jornada Cultural'; Committee of the City of Budapest (1978), for his participation in the Budapest Arts Week

together with a collection of c.16 miscellaneous autograph documents, including:

the autograph manuscript of the complete libretto of Ogdon's (incomplete) opera A Garland for [J.S.] LeFanu, 64 pages, plus blanks, in a small 4to exercise book, printed wrappers, the text in blue and black ballpoint pen, including 2 pages of notes at end, as well as other autograph annotations on the inside lower wrapper ("...Remember to take the tablets..."), no place or date [c.1985?], creasing along the centre; c.6 draft concert programmes (including at Wigmore Hall); a five-page essay on Liszt's transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies, signed by Ogdon ("J.O."); a page of reminiscences concerning Sir John Pritchard ("With Sir John Brenda and I remember so well the Tours of Germany of 1963 & 1964...We also premièred Alan Rawsthorne's 2-Piano Concerto at the Proms...All went well - I often put the record on and it is an exciting piece..."); a 2-page manuscript entitled "Intuition and reason"; and two photocopied documents, including a 1984 contract between Ogdon's wife, the pianist Brenda Lucas, and Michael Kerr, regarding the rights to a film based on their book Virtuoso, and two letters written by Ogdon's children Annabel and Richard

...Certain artists should have a lack of compromise. Bartok's music contains Folk music, strength but no rigidity. Survival depends upon resources that until now have been free...By accusation we shift the blame to others. Yehudi mentions the homeless in Pakistan, Argentine, South America. We must accept collective guilt...

the loose autograph documents c.26 pages in all, various sizes, some on telephone-message paper, one on an envelope, no place or date [1980s and possibly earlier]; together with a copy of the first edition of Brenda Ogdon and Michael Kerr, Virtuoso. The Story of John Ogdon (1981), signed by Brenda Ogdon

John Ogdon (1937-1989) is perhaps the greatest pianist that Britain has ever produced, celebrated for his astounding technical ability, colossal emotional range, penetrating intellect and physical stamina. Although he had come to the attention of the musical world as early as 1958 with his performance in Liverpool of Busoni's monumental concerto (a favourite work of his), it was his winning of the coveted first prize, together with Vladimir Ashkenazy, of the 1962 Moscow Tchaikovsky competition (with a stupendous performance of Balakirev's fiendish Islamey ) that announced to the world the emergence of a performing genius.

In addition to his prodigious talents as a pianist, Ogdon was not only a passionate composer, writing as many as 200 works, primarily for his own instrument, but also an enthusiastic writer of notes on music, to which one short essay in the present collection attests. Many of his manuscripts are now preserved in the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.