Leguin Fischer

Robert Schumann wrote some of the greatest works ever written for piano, four hands. Martha Fischer and Bill Lutes turn in beautiful performances of this great music.

Johann Sebastian Bachs organ artistry made a powerful impression in St. Catherines Church when he applied for the coveted organists post at the Principal Church of St. James in Hamburg in 1720. Since Bach, unlike his rival, was unwilling to contribute the immense sum of four thousand marks as his dowry, he did not prevail but instead found a new job in Leipzig a few years later. In Leipzig he initially discharged other duties before he again came forward as an instrumental composer with a dazzling cycle of organ chorales in 1739. Andreas Fischer has freshly recorded this Third Part of the Clavierübung on his very own St. Catherines organ certainly in a rendering that would have brought joy to Bach, who could not praise enough this instrument outstanding in every respect.

Dvorák’s Violin Concerto has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts on disc, one that it entirely deserves. Its critics (starting with Joachim and Brahms) dismissed it for not adopting the usual sonata-form first movement structure, instead welding the truncated opening to the gorgeous slow movement. But really, how many violin concertos are there where you can really say that the best, most characterful and highly developed movement is the finale? And what could possibly be bad about that? Clearly Fischer and Suwanai understand where the music’s going: the performance gathers steam as it proceeds, and really cuts loose in that marvelous last movement. Suwani displays a characteristically polished technique and fine intonational ear (lending a lovely purity of utterance to the slow movement), but she’s not afraid to indulge in some “down and dirty” gypsy fiddling in the finale, or in the two Sarasate items that open the program.

First there was rhythm - pulsing, driving, primal rhythm. And a new word in musical terminology: Barbaro. As with sticks on skins, so with hammers on strings. The piano as one of the percussion family, the piano among the percussion family. The first and second concertos were written to be performed that way. But the rhythm had shape and direction, myriad accents, myriad subtleties. An informed primitivism. A Baroque primitivism. Then came the folkloric inflections chipped from the music of time: the crude and misshapen suddenly finding a singing voice. Like the simple melody - perhaps a childhood recollection - that emerges from the dogged rhythm of the First Concerto's second movement. András Schiff plays it like a defining moment - the piano reinvented as a singing instrument. His "parlando" (conversational) style is very much in Bartók's own image. But it's the balance here between the honed and unhoned, the brawn and beauty, the elegance and wit of this astonishing music that make these readings special.

These musical sketches dedicated to the American Southwest. A journey to magic powerspots deep in the Havasu Canyon, to ghost towns along the Turquoise Trail where time stands still. This spiritual journey merges with Frank's excellent instrumental abilities to compose a tender and moody piece of music with a very dense and gripping atmosphere. Sparingly used synthesizers add colour, the occasionally used percussion offers a gentle rhythmical hold and enhanced is the overall feeling of "well-being" by some brilliantly playing studio musicians on sax and live-percussion, adding a touch of sparkle where it is needed.

Throughout the seven decades of Annie Fischer’s (1914–1995) prolific career, her amazing talent for music was accompanied by a sound foundation in the art, exceptional skills, precision and an outstanding intelligence as a performer. Despite her superior technical skills, she never indulged in virtuosity for just virtuosity’s sake: she complemented her brilliant technique with varied key-pressing and a refined, sophisticated sound. The honesty, artless simplicity, purity and deep musicality of Annie Fischer’s piano performances can still be enjoyed today through the studio recordings.

Frank Fischer takes a giant leap forward on his second album on the German Innovative Communication label. Drawing dual inspiration from the tropical coastline and rugged outback of Australia and from the mighty deserts of the southwestern United States, Frank has created a marvelously relaxed work that conveys the unhurried freedom of the great wide-open spaces. Tales of Mullumbimby is like taking a wonderfully relaxed and relaxing instrumental journey when you are in no hurry to get anywhere and can simply enjoy the pleasant ride.