Brigitte Engerer, known as the Grande Dame of Music, passed away in Paris on Saturday, aged 59.

Expressing regret at her passing away, the Maltese Embassy in Paris said music world mourned this giant of a piano player described by Stanislas Neuhaus as 'one of the most brilliant and most original pianists of her generation.

Her playing, he said, is characterised by her artistic sense, her romantic spirit and range, the perfection of her technique, as well as an innate skill of connecting with the audience.

Brigette Engerer gave her first concert at the age of nine at the Theatre des Champs Elysees. It was 50 years later at the very same theatre that she gave her last concert.

Early in her career, one of the greatest maestros the world has ever seen, Herbert von Karajan invited her to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – then she was only 25 years old. Invitations by the great Daniel Barenboim and Zubim Mehta soon followed. Engerer played in the most prestigious theatres in the world accompanied by the ultimate orchestras including the Orchestre de Paris and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Malta's Embassy in Paris made history when in May 2011, it organised a concert in which Engerer was the main performer. That day Brigitte Engerer received an emotional standing ovation but more emotional for Malta was the ceremony which followed the concert during which she received her Maltese citizenship from then parliamentary secretary Mario de Marco.