Artur Balsam; One of Foremost Accompanists in U.S.

Artur Balsam, 88, an ensemble pianist known for years as one of the nation’s foremost accompanists. He began his career in the early 1930s accompanying violinist Yehudi Menuhin. For more than 30 years--until the 1970s--Balsam was heard with such other great musicians as Nathan Milstein, David Oistrakh, Zino Francescatti, Pierre Fournier and Mstislav Rostropovich. Also considered a great chamber player, he performed often with the Kroll, Juilliard, Budapest and other string quartets. He made about 250 recordings, particularly of the Mozart piano concertos. In New York City on Thursday of pneumonia.