Edwin Fischer plays Bach,Mozart and Schumann

[Guest]

A further perusal of my little book listing all the 78s I was given in the early 80s revealed an unfamiliar name, Edwin Fischer and as the pieces recorded by him were unknown to me (shame I hear you cry!) they form my next project after Lili Kraus. I kinda hope they will generate a little more interest but who knows? The performances are of
Bach, Piano (Cembalo?) Concerto in F minor
Mozart, Piano Concert in E flat major, K.482
Schumann, Fantasy in C minor , Op 17
The Bach is very concise and melodic, the slow movement being a "paler shade of "whiter shade..."" if that's not too obscure. The Mozart is a big production, Trumpets, Horns and Drums to beef up the texture. The 3rd movement is odd in that there is a contrasting section, Andante cantabile before we return to the rumpty-tumpty rhythm of the movements start and end..with a sort of false ending to keep you on your toes. Learned Board members will no doubt be able to identify the cadenzas. The Schumann is a rhapsodic piece as its title suggests and the pianists task is to control the ebb and flow of the music keeping the listener involved. I think that Fischer does this superbly with a limpid tone for passagework and contemplative sections but with plenty of muscular drive elsewhere. I also have three Schubert impromptus by him but thought I would put them up at a later date with a Schubert Sonata in A minor by Lili Kraus and any other Schubert piano pieces I've got.

http://www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/transcriptions_07.php

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

thank you Clive, Edwin Fisher playing Bach is another heavenly pursuit!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Edwin Fischer and as the pieces recorded by him were unknown to me (shame I hear you cry!)

Was I that loud?!

As Calum says, a heavenly experience and thanks as ever for making these available. (or if you prefer!)

[amateur51]

Was I that loud?!

As Calum says, a heavenly experience and thanks as ever for making these available. (or if you prefer!)

Thirded clive - Edwin Fischer was a class act & I look forward to hearing how your clean-up sounds

[decantor]

I kinda hope they will generate a little more interest but who knows?

Clive, I apologise that my appreciation of your Lili Kraus recordings went unexpressed, but it was real none the less. She was barely more than a name to me, but now I know her as a formidable player.

Edwin Fischer was much more than a name to me, but I still found his Bach concerto fascinating. Even allowing for the limitations of an elderly recording, I feel one can still discern the differences between his approach and that of a modern player (eg the romantic cantabile touch in the Largo, or the sonorous fistfuls in the Presto), but Bach's integrity is fully maintained. I was less convinced by the rather leaden band, but the experience was eminently worthwhile.

I also appreciate the chance to hear again the pianists of my parents' generation, which I first heard on the original 78s - Solomon, Kentner, Moiseiwitch, Schnabel, Joyce - and Schweitzer's individual take on Bach's organ works. Please rest assured that my computer and I are grateful for your labour and for making its product available to us.

[clive heath]

If those of you who have given the Edwin Fischer a listen found that the Mozart was a little dull then I agree. What I had forgotten to take into account was the late recording date (1949) and the consequent improvement in microphone quality which meant that the violins, for example, were captured in mid-fi (unlike earlier recordings) and their attack (the resin on the string) was sharing acoustic space with the surface noise. So I have reprocessed this piece and the result will, I hope, be more rewarding. It seems that the cadenzas were Fischer's own.

My thanks to decantor for his generous response to what might well have sounded like a whinge but was really only an observation.

[clive heath]

Schumann's Fantasy was broadcast in a wonderful live performance by Horovitz a day or two ago (I've not been able to find the relevant playlist, was it "Sunday Morning"?) and I'm now listening to the comparably excellent recording by Edwin Fischer which has also been recently re-uploaded as a result of further critical listening like the Mozart referred to above. The Schumann is a fascinating piece of music.