I was too curious, so I'm really ashamed to admit that I had to Google Walter Wilhelm (really?) Gieseking and that this possibility didn't suggest itself (I was thinking Schnabel, Kempff, Ney, and even Backhaus, etc.).

I guess I didn't know about his storied past. Is this really him? Why was there a riot?

I've heard a lot about his remarkable memory. His Debussy recordings are, of course, rather legendary.

Pretty interesting link here:

http://home.t-online.de/home/RWKrause/Gieseking.htm

I should listen to more Gieseking, I think. For some reason, I'm starting to detest Lipatti's "Chopin's Sonata #3," which I've always liked. Maybe a change of CDs in the CD player is necessary. :-)

Thanks for the link. Interesting person indeed.

Ready to give the next clue?

I'll give a *really* easy one because I've given you the answer already.

Clue: Romanian pianist whose pianist was cut short by leukemia. (4, 7, 2nd letter of last name is "i")

Ok, to make it a tad more challenging -- studied with famous French pianist (6, 6).

Oops -- it was his *career* that was cut short by leukemia....

That is easy for sure.
Dinu Lipatti
Alfred Cortot

Yes, so you get the clue now.

(I can't believe that I forgot about Gieseking.... Oh well.)

This composer (#1) was probably most famous for conducting the premiere of a very well known symphony. The composer (#2) who wrote that symphony was present at the premiere, who also was conducting - but required the assistance of composer #1 due to composer #2's disability.

Composer #1 (7,6; with "L" from Lipatti as the last letter of first name, and the 3rd letter of last name)
Composer #2 (9)

I have to get to work, so carry on without my confirmation.

I was thinking that it had to Beethoven's 9th, but it seems like he conducted the premiere himself. Will have to look more later.

Oh, ok -- I guess I was right after all:

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclop....-9-(Beethoven)

The story about Beethoven's need to be turned around is well known, but I had no idea that someone else was also doing the conducting (that makes sense, I suppose).

I'll try to post a clue later. If someone wants to jump in, feel free.

"The conductor was Michael Umlauf, the musical director of the theater, who was assisted by the composer standing at his side. The assistance must have been largely at the level of the overall conception, since Beethoven was quite deaf by this point in his life, and at one point in the performance he had to be turned around to acknowledge the audience's cheers."

This clue is not as difficult as it seems.

Clue: A (lesser?) museum in (city: 5 letters) currently has an exhibition on this character, whose (shortened) real name is (6, 5). This character is in turn linked to the composer (6 letters) buried in the (4, 8) cemetery. The painter (9 letters) painted a portrait of the composer, which can be found at this museum (6 letters).

1. City
2. Character (2nd letter of first name, 6 letters, = "u")
3. Composer
4. Cemetery
5. Painter
6. Museum where portrait is located.

Will see if I got it right.

1. Paris (of course, where else could it be with a clue by 111op? :) )
2. Lucile Dupin (pen name George Sand)
3. Chopin
4. Père Lachaise
5. Delacroix
6. Louvre

I have the dubious honour of having, while standing at Chopin's grave in 1970, picked up one of the cement wreaths that were placed around the statue and accidentally dropped it, whereupon it smashed on the stone beneath. I managed to stash the remnants in the shrubbery and escape, as I thought, unseen.

I believe my name was finally removed from Interpol alerts in 1995 after the mandatory 25 years had expired, and I finally felt able to safely visit Paris again.

Harzer

harzer- I've always wondered if THAT was you!

Without waiting answer confirmation from 111op, I'll carry on with providing the next clue:

This (nationality: 8, *not in Europe*) architect (last name 5) recently attended the opening ceremony of a building at an American institution.
To make this clue European-oriented, the architect's most famous European building is a museum in this city (6 letters, last letter "o" from Chopin).
Hint: the museum has a total of 5 branches, 2 in US, 3 in Europe.

Just checking in from an E. Village coffee shop.

That's funny, harzer.

I've not been to Pere Lachaise. Visiting cemeteries isn't really high on the list for me, honestly. :-)

Just a little thing -- I was looking for Aurore, but Lucile must have been one of the names too (she had a couple of names), but usually I think that her name is shortened as Aurore Dupin.

The exhibition is currently being held at the Musee de la Vie Romantique.

Anyway, the answers to your clue, yk, are obviously American, Gehry and Bilbao (and the Guggenheim Museum).

It's late. This clue is not exactly a a very fair one, but it will have to do.

Clue: I was surprised to find out that this Belgian chocolatier (I'm making it easier by giving away the nationality) (2 words: 6, 9, 4th and 5th positions of the first name = "r") has a shop in (town: 5 letters, 1st = "m") in (country: 6 letters, 3rd = "e").

You may have to look at a European map to figure this one out. I looked on the chocolatier's website, but this shop is not listed. On the other hand, the card I received with my chocolates lists this location. I was surprised as this town/city is definitely not on the same scale as London, Paris, etc.

Yes, yk I am the wreath-wraith who incurred the wrath of Ruth - don't ask me who Ruth is though, babe.

harzer

How about Malmö in Sweden? I am still looking for the name of the choc maker.

Yes, that's correct, harzer.

I don't want to subject you to my trip report for Paris, but the name of the chocolatier is mentioned in it. In any case, just take the next clue. I just find it surprising that he would bother to open a shop in Malmo of all places (not even Stockholm).

By the way, I think that Gehry is Canadian -- sorry about the lapse, yk.

111op- BTW, I was looking for Canadian, rather than American. But I guess you're right. He was born in Canada, but he naturalized and became an American citizen.

To others reading the clue, the building I was mentioning is the Stata Center at MIT, opened in May 2004.
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2004/stata-main-0512.html

Quite an interesting building. Would like to go see it myself when I find myself in Boston.