Edwin Fischer - Piano Playing from the Heart [12CDs Box Set] (2010) FLAC

The Swiss pianist Edwin Fischer (1886–1960) first came to prominence in the 1920s. In 1932 he formed his own chamber orchestra, and was one of the first performers to be interested in presenting music of the Baroque era in an historically accurate way. Though his performances were not particularly historically accurate, he did conduct concertos by the likes of Bach and Mozart from the keyboard, which at the time was most unusual. His interpretations, even of Bach, were romantically conceived, but still compelling.

The first five CDs in this set are devoted to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, beginning with a number of keyboard concertos with Fischer as both soloist and conductor. Then comes Fischer's complete Well-Tempered Clavier, recorded between 1933 and 1936, which is one of the landmarks of the Bach discography. This recording remains the yardstick against which all pianists measure themselves in this repertoire.

CDs 6, 7 and 8 are devoted to music by Mozart and include a number of solo works as well as five major concertos, two of which are conducted from the keyboard by Fischer himself.

CDs 9 and 10 move to Beethoven and include a magnificent performance of the ‘Emperor’ Concerto conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler, as well as Concertos Nos 3 & 4 conducted by Fischer from the keyboard. Also heard are Beethoven’s ‘Pathétique’ and ‘Appassionata’ piano sonatas.

The next CD includes eight solo Impromptus and six Moments Musicaux by Schubert, and the final CD is devoted to a live performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.2 conducted by Furtwängler made at a concert in Berlin in November 1942, coupled with a 1939 studio recording of the Adagio from Furtwängler’s Symphonic Concerto in B minor.

CD 1[70:57]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Concerto No.1 in D Minor, BWV 1052[21:25]
Keyboard Concerto in A BWV1055[14:36]
Keyboard Concerto in F minor BWV1056[10:18]
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D BWV1050[24:07]

CD 2[76:53]
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F BWV 1047[12:53]
Concerto in C for 3 keyboards, BWV106[18:56]
Harpsichord Concerto in E BWV1053[20:46]
Fantasia in C minor BWV906[4:09]
Fantasia and Fugue in A minor BWV904[7:35]
Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor BWV903[12:06]

CD 3[79:30]
Das wohltemperierte Klavier[Book I]

CD 4[78:55]
Das wohltemperierte Klavier[Book I]
Das wohltemperierte Klavier[Book II]

CD 5[79:26]
Das wohltemperierte Klavier[Book II]

CD 6[67:21]
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano Concerto No. 17 in G K453[24:50]
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K466[29:32]
Piano Sonata No. 10 in C K330[12:01]

CD 7[78:05]
Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat K482[31:57]
Piano Concerto No.24 in C minor K491[27:58]
Piano Sonata No. 11 in A K331[14:20]

CD 8[63:57]
Piano Concerto No. 25 in C K503[30:30]
Rondo in D K382[7:19]
Fantasia in C minor K396[7:44]
Fantasia in C minor K475[11:06]
Romanze in A flat K Anh205[3:44]
Minuet in G K1/1e (arr. E. Fischer)[2:44]

CD 9[77:54]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat Op.73 ‘Emperor’[38:59]
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor Op.13 ‘Pathetique’[17:46]
Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor Op.57 ‘Appassionata’[20:51]

CD 10[68:43]
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op.37[35:21]
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Op.58[33:10]

CD 11[78:38]
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Impromptus, D.899 No. 1 in C minor[8:30]: No. 2 in E flat major[4:19]; No. 3 in G Flat major[5:03]; No. 4 in A flat major[7:34]
Impromptus, D.935 No. 1 in C minor[8:40]; No. 2 in A flat major[4:48]; No. 3 in B flat major[9:34]; No. 4 in F minor[4:58]
Moments musicaux D780 No. 1 in C[4:29]; No. 2 in A flat[6:09]; No. 3 in F minor[1:41]; No. 4 in C sharp minor[4:18]; No. 5 in F minor[1:16]; No. 6 in A flat[6:36];

CD 12[59:09]
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat Op.83[47:46]
Wilhelm FURTWÄNGLER (1886-1954)
Adagio - Sehr langsam: Symphonic Concerto in B[11:09]

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