Claudio Arrau was a Chilean pianist and composer who was widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century. He was known for his interpretations of the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He was also a prolific recording artist, having made over 200 recordings of classical music. Arrau was born in Chillán, Chile, in 1903 and began studying piano at the age of four. He went on to study at the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany and later at the Vienna Academy of Music. He made his debut in Berlin in 1922 and went on to perform in major cities around the world. He was awarded numerous honors throughout his career, including the Order of Merit of Chile and the Order of Isabella the Catholic of Spain.