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Jörg Demus

1928 – 2019

Austrian pianist

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About Jörg Demus

Lived 1928 – 2019 (aged 90). Jörg Demus was an Austrian pianist and composer.

Jörg Wolfgang Demus (2 December 1928 – 16 April 2019) was an Austrian classical pianist who appeared internationally and made many recordings. He was also a composer and a lecturer at music academies. In composition and playing, he focused on chamber music and lieder. He played with singers such as Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, as a piano duo with Paul Badura-Skoda, and with string players such as Josef Suk and Antonio Janigro. Demus was instrumental in bringing the historic fortepiano to concert podiums. He was a member of the Legion of Honour, among many awards. He is regarded as one of the leading Austrian pianists of the immediate post-World War II era.

Early life and education Demus was born in St. Pölten; his father was the art historian Otto Demus, and his mother was a concert violinist.

His playing of Bach's works showed their structure as well as melodic lines. He favoured Schumann's music, revealing a high degree of playful levity besides romantic expressiveness. His playing of Debussy's music stands out in Klangsinn, a sense for a colourful impressionist sound world.

He recorded several of his own compositions with cellist Maria Kliegel, including Poetische Sonate (Poetic Sonata) in G minor, Op. 8, Liebe (Love), Op. 21, after Verlaine's Crimen Amoris, the Cello Sonata in C minor, "Il Tramonto", Op. 35, and Nacht der Sterne (Starry Night), Op. 14.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna
Awards
Robert Schumann Prize of the City of Zwickau; Jakob Prandtauer Prize; Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art; Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition; Legion of Honour; Mozart Medal (Mozartgemeinde)

People in Jörg Demus's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jörg Demus's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jörg Demus?

Austrian pianist (1928–2019)

When was Jörg Demus born?

Jörg Demus was born on 2 December 1928 in St. Pölten.

When did Jörg Demus die?

Jörg Demus died on 16 April 2019 in Vienna.

What was Jörg Demus's occupation?

Jörg Demus was a pianist and composer.

What nationality was Jörg Demus?

Jörg Demus was Austrian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jörg Demus

· Wikidata: Q695717

· DBpedia: Jörg Demus

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jörg Demus. https://biography.guide/jorg-demus/

MLA: "Jörg Demus." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jorg-demus/.

Chicago: "Jörg Demus." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jorg-demus/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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