Edwin Fischer on APR: 19th Century Masters

Swiss pianist Edwin Fischer (from the booklet accompany the album being discussed)

This past Friday Appian Publications & Recordings (APR) released its second album of remastered recordings of Swiss classical pianist Edwin Fischer. Like the previously released album of studio recordings of piano concertos by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the new release is a three-CD set. The new album presents studio recordings made between 1934 and 1950 of the three major masters of the nineteenth century: Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms.

Availability of this new release is more than a little problematic. As of this writing, it seems to have eluded Amazon’s radar. Here in the United States the most reliable source seems to be Barnes & Noble. Unfortunately, even though the album was released less than a week ago, it is already “temporarily out of stock.” On the other hand it is in stock at Presto Music, but that would involve delivery from the United Kingdom. The good news is that the Presto Web page also includes a download option, which includes a digital version of the accompanying booklet, as well as the 56 tracks distributed across the three CDs.

These days Fischer is not as well known as some of his more prominent students. Those students include Alfred Brendel and Daniel Barenboim. Personally, however, the students of greater interest to me are Paul Badura-Skoda and Jörg Demus, both of whom have made impressive recordings of the three composers represented in this new Fischer release.

Of those three composers, the one given the least attention on the Fischer album is Schumann. His only selection is his Opus 17 Fantasie in C major. The most attention is allotted to Schubert with both sets of four impromptus (D. 899 and D. 935), the D. 780 Six moments musicaux collection, and the D. 769 “Wanderer” fantasy. The four short Brahms compositions are less systematic in their selection. However, the first CD in the set includes both the Opus 5 (third) piano sonata in F major, preceded by a recording of the Opus 25 (first) piano quartet in G minor. The string players on that recording are violinist Vittorio Brero, violist Rudolf Nel, and cellist Theo Schürgers.

Sadly, none of the selections are given the technical and expressive respect they deserve. Given Fischer’s reputation, my guess is that the limitations of recording practices during his lifetime did not sit well with him. I dare not speculate on why this would be the case. However, I find myself regretting that none of the selections were recordings made during concert performances. In all likelihood Fischer had much to offer to his prize pupils, but none of these recordings give much indication of what those offerings would be.