Edith Fischer

{{Short description|Chilean pianist}}

File:Edith Fischer and Jorge Pepi-Alos 003 (cropped).jpg

Edith Fischer (born February 18, 1935) is a Chilean pianist. She is notable for her renditions of the full cycle of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas, which she has performed live twelve times.

Biography

File:Elena Waiss junto a su familia.jpg

Fischer was born in Santiago, on February 18, 1935. Her mother, Elena Waiss, played the piano and harpsichord, and her father, Zoltán Fischer (1910-1970), the violin. Likewise, her brother, Edgar Fischer, plays the cello; her nephew, Rodolfo, is a conductor; and her niece, Alicia, plays the violin.{{cite web |title=Edith Fischer: "La música verdaderamente importante llega, nadie queda indiferente" « Diario y Radio U Chile |url=https://radio.uchile.cl/2019/12/25/edith-fischer-la-musica-verdaderamente-importante-llega-nadie-queda-indiferente/ |website=radio.uchile.cl |access-date=31 August 2021 |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |title=Elena Waiss (1908-1988) : : una mujer en la música chilena. |url=https://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/6693 |website=repositorio.uc.cl |publisher=Repositorio UC -- Dirección de Bibliotecas UC |access-date=31 August 2021 |date=1999}}

Fischer's mother was her first teacher. At age 12, she played Mozart's Piano Concerto in G major with an orchestra at the request of Hermann Scherchen, with the National Symphony Orchestra of Chile.{{cite web |title=Festival Internacional Piano Málaga - Edith Fischer |url=https://www.fipma.es/Eduardus_Halim.x.htm |website=fipma.es |publisher=Festival Internacional Piano Málaga |access-date=31 August 2021 |language=en}}

Between 1952 and 1954, Fischer was a student of Claudio Arrau in New York City, with a scholarship that she obtained to travel to the United States. About Arrau as a teacher, she points out: "Arrau as a teacher instilled in us that we should not imitate, but that each one had to find his own personality as a performer."{{cite news |last1=Gallegos |first1=Álvaro |title=Edith Fischer: "Arrau nos inculcó que no había que imitar" |url=https://www.latercera.com/culto/2018/11/21/edith-fischer-claudio-arrau/ |access-date=31 August 2021 |work=La Tercera |date=21 November 2018 |language=es}} She was also a student of the pianist Dinu Lipatti.{{cite web |title=Edith Fischer – Centro DAE |url=http://www.centrodae.cl/wp_cdae/?p=1382 |website=centrodae.cl |access-date=31 August 2021 |language=es}}

Fischer has toured South and North America, as well as India, Israel, and Japan. She is also a soloist in international orchestras. She has performed the cycle of Beethoven 32 sonatas as well as the complete piano work of Maurice Ravel.{{cite web |title=Edith Fischer |url=https://www.ypf.nl/en/jury-member/edith-fischer/ |website=Young Pianist Foundation |access-date=31 August 2021}} The complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas has been performed 12 times live.{{cite news |title=Edith Fischer, en la Argentina |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/edith-fischer-en-la-argentina-nid110007/ |access-date=31 August 2021 |work=La Nación |date=9 September 1998 |language=es-AR}}

In 1989, Fischer created the "International Piano Week Festival" in Blonay, Switzerland. In 2007, Fischer returned to live in Chile.{{cite news |author1=El Mercurio Online |title=Edith Fischer: "Claudio Arrau me legó el amor y respeto por la música" |url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/magazine/2008/05/29/306298/edith-fischer-claudio-arrau-me-lego-el-amor-y-respeto-por-la-musica.html |access-date=31 August 2021 |work=Emol.com |date=29 May 2008 |language=Spanish}} Her husband is the pianist, Jorge Pepi-Alos, with whom she forms a piano duo. Jorge Pepi-Alos, officiated the August 2021 festival season alone as his wife remained in Chile for health reasons.{{cite web |author1=Keystone ATS |title=La Semaine internationale de piano de retour à St-Légier-La Chiésaz |url=https://www.lfm.ch/actualite/suisse/romandie/vaud/la-semaine-internationale-de-piano-de-retour-a-st-legier-la-chiesaz/ |access-date=31 August 2021 |language=fr-FR |date=9 August 2021}}

Awards

Fischer is the recipient of the Dinu Lipatti award in London, and the first prize at the Munich International Competition.

National Music Award, President of the Republic of Chile, together with Mauricio Redolés and Chabelita Fuentes, in 2022

Discography

  • Camille Saint-Saëns, Claude Starck: Violoncello. English Chamber Orchestra, Peter-Lukas Graf, Edith Fischer. Claves, 1975{{Cite web|title=Camille Saint-Saëns, Claude Starck, English Chamber Orchestra, Peter-Lukas Graf, Edith Fischer – Cellowerke (1975, Vinyl)|language=es|url=https://www.discogs.com/Camille-Saint-Saëns-Claude-Starck-English-Chamber-Orchestra-Peter-Lukas-Graf-Edith-Fischer-Cellower/release/14187217|website=discogs.com}}
  • Beethoven – Sonata No. 16 Op. 31,1, G Major / Sonata No. 17 Op. 31,2, D Minor. Claves, 1987{{Cite web|title=Beethoven, Edith Fischer – Sonata No. 16 Op. 31,1, G Major / Sonata No. 17 Op. 31,2, D Minor (1987, CD)|language=es|url=https://www.discogs.com/Beethoven-Edith-Fischer-Sonata-No-16-Op-311-G-Major-Sonata-No-17-Op-312-D-Minor/release/11344688|website=discogs.com}}
  • Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms: Obras para piano. Claves, 1988{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/es/Edith-Fischer-Klavier-Schumann-Mendelssohn-Brahms-Werke-F%C3%BCr-Klavier-Von/master/1800043|title=Edith Fischer ,Klavier Schumann*, Mendelssohn*, Brahms* - Werke Für Klavier Von|website=discogs.com|language=es}}
  • The Complete Sonatas of Beethoven. Olympia, 1989{{Cite web|url=https://musicbrainz.org/release/cbd739a7-2071-47af-af26-c6c0d9e59d45|title=Release "The Complete Sonatas of Beethoven, Volume Two" by Beethoven; Edith Fischer - MusicBrainz|website=musicbrainz.org}}
  • Ravel / Debussy. His Master's Voice{{Cite web|title=Edith Fischer, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy – Sonatine, Canope Etc (Vinyl)|language=es|url=https://www.discogs.com/Edith-Fischer-Maurice-Ravel-Claude-Debussy-Sonatine-Canope-Etc/release/12680105|website=discogs.com}}

References