At nearly 90 years old, Aldo Ciccolini’s steps are no longer steady, his back is hunched, but his hands – thin fingers but still full of life – still fly over the piano keys as if time cannot touch them.

In Chopin’s Nocturne Op.62 No.1, he is not only playing music, he is telling a story with the breath of his soul. Each note sounds like quiet lines of poetry, sad but holy, full of poetry and humanity.

He does not need a big stage, just a piano and dim lights, he turns every space into a cathedral of emotions. And when the music ends, what remains is not just applause, but a deep gratitude for art and a great soul.

Aldo Ciccolini (1925–2015) was an Italian pianist, later a naturalized French citizen, known for his refined playing and his dedication to French classical music. Born in Naples, he began studying piano at the age of nine at the Naples Conservatory and gave his debut at the Teatro San Carlo at the age of 16.

In 1949, he won the Marguerite Long–Jacques Thibaud Competition in Paris, launching his international career. ​

Ciccolini is best known for his performances of works by French composers such as Erik Satie, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. He was also the first to record the complete piano works of Satie, bringing his music back to light.​
Wikipedia

In addition to his performing career, Ciccolini was also a dedicated educator, teaching at the Paris Conservatoire from 1970 to 1988, training many famous pianists such as Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Nicholas Angelich. ​

One of his most memorable performances was Chopin’s Nocturne Op.62 No.1, where he demonstrated a perfect combination of technical virtuosity and deep emotion. Even at the age of nearly 90, he still conveyed the subtlety and depth of the work, making listeners feel the timeless beauty of the music.​

Aldo Ciccolini passed away on February 1, 2015 in France, leaving behind a rich musical legacy and a profound influence on the world of classical music. ​

You can enjoy his performance in the video below: