Persons of Interest – Clifford Michael Curzon

Persons of Interest

Clifford Michael Curzon, pianist

Clifford Michael Siegenberg was born on 18 May 1907 in Islington. He was to be described by the music critic of the Daily Telegraph as “the leading British pianist of his generation.” His parents were Michael Siegenberg (1878–1925), a furniture salesman, and Constance Mary Young (1882–1962). The family can be seen in the 1911 census in Southend-on-Sea.

In 1914 Michael changed the family name to Curzon (announced in the London Gazette).

Clifford began to play the piano at age six and entered the Royal Academy of Music at twelve. While studying in Berlin, he met harpsichordist Lucille Wallace from Chicago. Lucille’s page on the Vassar website tells us that, “smitten with Curzon, she invited him to her villa in Austria … [which] been made possible through an inheritance from her father, whose fortune had been made from the Red Cross Toothache Remedy”. They married in Paris in 1931.

Clifford died on 1 September 1982 and his obituary appeared in The Times, mentioning his “matchless poise and eloquence” and “beautiful touch.” Clifford and Lucille are buried side by side in Patterdale, Cumbria.

The newspaper clipping comes from the Sarasota Herald Tribune of 14 March 1957.

On the second and fourth Mondays of each month, we share a short story provided by a member about a person of interest in their one-name study. So whether your person is good, bad, or simply interesting or unusual, please send us your story. This post is from Guild member Jessica Feinstein.

Why not submit a story (200-300 words OR a bit longer if need be) about a person of interest in your own one-name study. Email each story and image(s) to marketing@one-name.org.