Fisher was one of the keyboard giants from the past !
Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 08/29/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The pianism of Edwin Fisher is out of context in these times where the skillful and the technique seem to prevail above the soul of the score .
In this order of ideas , you must avoid to play with ravishing intensity because if you come to a Concert Hall it is well supposed you assist to get a funny entertainment . This distorted state of reasoning has murdered the real sense of catharsis this ancient and almost out fashioned greek therm .
And if this concept reaches a high status , forget the essential Beethoven meaning in the art .
Furtwangler stated in a letter that Beethoven seeked in a Piano Sonata the same effect that Sofocles writing a tragedy .
This brief but precise comment is fundamental when you listen Fisher , because he belonged to the ancient tradition , that old heritage of masters of the past who gave a special importance to intention above the expression ; or to put in Confucio words : the love is the effort far beyond the prize .
Fisher will never give the romantic mood you may be well expect in the Piano Concert op. 58 . He sounds with soverignity , and noblesse mood .
The Pathetique is really great . I must confess I have my special five beloved versions , this one ; the William Murdoch version (see my review) ; Daniel Barennboim in a video recital of the middle eighties , the mono Wilhelm Kempff set of the fifties and a Paul Badura Skoda reading (a pupil of Fisher casually?) in a 1978 vynil recording .
The Fantasy is a minor piece . But it is very effective too .
If you want to know the basic facets of this unforgettable artist and unfairly known in this continent , please acquire as soon as you can these unvaluable treasure recording ."