Annie FISCHER: Hungarian Lioness of the Keyboard
arffizc268@hotmail.com Alan Albes | London | 04/14/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Annie Fischer wasn't included in Philip's `Great Pianists of the 20th Century' series which annoyed a number of her admirers and pianophiles; however, this wonderful BBC recital form the Edinburgh Festival of 1961 will certainly help to alleviate their disappointment. The Brahm's 3rd Sonata that begins her programme is played with such energy, sheer intensity, poetry and passion as to make you think Fischer's very life depended upon it; climaxes are truly massive and the `chorale' theme of the Finale is played so powerfully and majestically as to send shivers down the spine. Fischer is so totally absorbed in the re-creative process that the odd slip isn't surprising - there are much higher ideals at stake here than mere mortal accuracy! Her total involvement spills over into the Bartók 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs which are full of character and charm - those strumming cimbalom chords, haunting melodies and excitingly final `piu vivo'. If Brahm's influences her brilliant Liszt `Un sospiro', Grandes Etudes de Paganini No.6 and the gorgeous central theme of Dohnànyi's less often played Rhapsody in C major [its outer sections recalling Prokofiev] - then so be it; with playing of such grand virtuosity and sincerity, whose complaining? Engrossing form first note `til last. Annie Fischer was a great artist and her playing shows us what is missing from today's recitalists."
Dont Miss this great disc
Ryan Morris | Chicago, IL | 03/26/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Annie Fischer is still underrated by even the most knowledgeable pianophiles. Some people hear it, some dont, fortunately, I do. This disc is a treasure, specifically for the Brahms Sonata, which many great pianists(who were included in the Philips set) dont pull off half as well as Fischer does. I would even say that I didnt ever enjoy the sonata or respect it as much till I heard it hear. This was my first experience with Fischer and unfortunatley I havent seen this disc in stores since I bought it. So I would recommend getting it here, you may never encounter a better Brahms Sonata, or enjoy Bartok's piano music so thoroughly or hear Un Sospiro played with such a convincingly feminine touch-, romantically that is."
Annie Fischer Non Pareil
T. R. Wilson | 03/14/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Your initial post: Mar 13, 2008 6:46 PM PDT
Preface: I wrote the following in response to Ryan Morris review. I'm adding some notes to that response.
T. R. Wilson says:
Dear Ryan Morris, RIGHT ON! That you should write so insightfully about Maestra Fischer is amazing, in that you never heard her live, and this was your "first expererience" with her playing. I did my undergraduate study with one of her very dear, close friends and colleagues, Edward Kilenyi, and the met Fischer in NYC, hearing her live many times. You are right, her Brahms sonata is simply the only recording of it that comes close to anything. This entire recording is just astounding, as was every one of the 9 or 10 times I heard her in person. I always wondered that the next performance would be an "off night" that she wouldn't be as great; she was always, consistently greater than her previous performances. The only peformer of comparison is Maria Callas. Would you, should you read this, be in touch with me? I recommend you order the entire Beethoven Sonatas of Fischer, and everything you can of hers'. I admire and love many pianists. I'm not one of those "Oh, there are not pianists like the ones of the old days..." No, We have the glorious Mitsuko Uchida, the divine Bach of Angela Hewitt, the Romantic magnificence of so many, Leif Ove-Onsndes, Bronfman, Krystian Zimerman, my list goes on, as I lived in NYC and LA for 25 years and heard them all in live performances and have a great collection of recordings.. so let us be in touch, as you please. You obviously have a naturally acquired taste for the best and I want to share with you my thoughts and hear more of yours. with sincerest regards, T. R. Wilson
Additional Notes:
The Brahms Sonta on this recording is a great lesson for every pianist who wants to know the true meaning of why composers make specific indications in their scores: take "pesante" for instance. Brahms marks this at various places in this Sonata. It means, literally, "heavily" but that must be taken as not only an indication of tone and sound, but, metaphorically. This marking appears in the opening of Chopin's 1st Ballade, and is sadly overlooked in most performances and recordings, espeically after Chopin indicates a decresendo... One must carry the "heaviness" even while playing softly. Not easy, but that is what Chopin meant.
Throughout the whole of this recording of the Brahms, follow the score, listen to how assidiously Fischer adheres to every expressive marking. Rarely does one hear the difference in "espressivo" and "dolce" so clearly as Fischer plays.
This Sonata is a very early work of Brahms. In my opinion, it exhibits much more of what Brahms later displayed in his symphonic works than in his deeply intimate piano works, mostly brief, with only one or two ideas expressed. The Sonata is a huge, exploratory work, with a huge range of feeling, temperment, and technical requirements. Fischer misses nothing.
The other works on this great recording show her abilities in understanding of the ravishing Liszt etudes; the Bartok, her sense for the simplicity yet precision necessary to make riveting interest of Bartok's exploration of Hungarian folk idioms.
Again, this recording is most valuable, for the lessons it offers in pianism, while not to be confused with its greatness for Fischer's understanding of the particular works she plays, and the widely varying differences in touch and approach to them, the specific interpretive qualities and stylistic differences among the varied composers and their work. She was not just a pianist, while she was certainly one of the greatest, she was first and foremost a musician. Love you forever, my dear Annie; hope many people take advantage of this rare opportunity to hear such the great variety Fischer explores in the music of her native Hungarians."
Track Listings (23) - Disc #1