Just in: Major pianist dies of Covid

News media in China are reporting the death of the international pianist Fou Ts’ong, having previously reported that he was hospitalised in London with Covid-19. He was 86.

Fou Ts’ong came to attention in 1955 at the Chopin International Competition in Warsaw, taking third prize and a special Mazurka award.

He moved to London three years later, marrying  Zamira Menuhin, daughter of Yehudi. Together they were prominent members of the Barenboim-Du Pré and Argerich-Kovacevich social circles. They had a son together and divorced in 1969. Fou Ts’ong later married the London-based Chinese pianist Patsy Toh.

UPDATE: The French pianist Francois-frederic Guy, who has spoken to the family, writes: The great FOU TS’ONG passed away this afternoon..He got COVID .
He was one of my mentors and a musical father to me ..
His Debussy, Chopin and MOZART remain legendary…

UPDATES:

How did we get from Fou Ts’ong to Lang Lang?

Tributes from Martha Argerich and more