Curzon was born in Islington, London, the younger son and second of three children of Michael Siegenberg, a Jewish antiques dealer, and his wife Constance Mary, née Young.

A family friend introduced him to Sir Thomas Beecham, who was sufficiently impressed by Curzon's playing to engage him as soloist in Mozart's Coronation Concerto at the Queen's Hall.

[5] In addition to frequent concerts in Britain, he toured Europe in 1936 and 1938 under the auspices of the British Council,[9] and made his US debut in 1939, returning regularly for many years after the Second World War.

Established pianists of the time generally ignored concertante works by such composers as Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Vincent d'Indy and Frederick Delius, with which Curzon made a mark.

During the war, shortage of time prevented him from undertaking the British premiere of Aram Khachaturian's Piano Concerto,[11] but his friendship with Benjamin Britten led to many joint concerts by the two musicians.

Max Loppert, his biographer in Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, wrote that in the works of these Austro-German classical masters "he was unequalled for sensitivity and directness of manner, beauty of tone and an inner stillness.

Another biographer of Curzon, William Mann, wrote: The virtues which he applied to Mozart's piano concertos—he regarded them as the most perfect music ever composed—included line-drawing that colours itself and a control of structure through harmony and feeling for ensemble, which was overwhelming when the conductor was sympathetic.

He achieved them with Britten often, and also with Daniel Barenboim and Sir Colin Davis[2]Curzon suffered throughout his career from stage fright and, unlike most star pianists, he played not from memory at concerts but with the score on his music stand.

[2] In private life, Mann records, Curzon was "an ideal host, a lively raconteur, a keen connoisseur of painting and literature, and appreciative of other countries and their cultures, food, drink and language.

On his gravestone are inscribed the opening words of Franz von Schober's poem "An die Musik": "Du holde Kunst" (O fairest art), familiar from Schubert's setting.