Sviatoslav Richter’s comment that Hungarian-born Annie Fischer (1914–1995) was ‘a great artist imbued with a spirit of greatness and genuine profundity’ is just a sign of the esteem in which her fellow musicians held her. Curiously, of all the mid-century pianists, she seems to have been among the least recorded, due to her profound dislike of the studio.

Winner of the Franz Liszt International Competition in 1933, she made recordings of Schumann and Liszt with Klemperer (a close friend), Bartók with Markevitch and Mozart with Sawallisch. She also recorded all the Beethoven sonatas for Hungaroton, over a 15-year period.

Annie Fischer’s ‘unerring awareness’ (David Threasher) of the shifting moods in the Schumann Piano Concerto has been caught in wonderful sound by the WDR engineers in this ‘live’ recording which has never been issued before.

In the two Beethoven works, ‘she is powerfully authoritative’ (David Threasher). Both these ‘live’ recordings have never been published before.

Maurizio Pollini said Fischer’s playing was marked by ‘a childlike simplicity, immediacy and wonder’ while the distinguished writer Bryce Morrison commented on her ‘depth and spiritual serenity’. All these recordings are great additions to her relatively small discography.

Contents:
Schumann
- Piano Concerto
Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester / Joseph Keilberth
Saal 1, Funkhaus, Koln, 28 April 1958

Beethoven
- Eroica Variations & Fugue op.35
- Piano Sonata no.30, op.109
Saal 1, Funkhaus, Koln, 11 February 1957

Mono