Thomas Fischer has a particular interest in discovering and performing rarely played 19th-century piano music, focusing on composers like Franz Liszt, Sigismund Thalberg, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, and Ernesto Lecuona.
Composer Biography
Leopold Godowsky, a Polish-Jewish composer and pianist, was described by his contemporaries as a 'wizard of technique' and is known for his challenging paraphrases of other composers' works.
Composer Biography
Louis Moreau Gottschalk, an American pianist and composer, was predicted by Chopin to become one of the greatest pianists of his generation after a concert in Paris before Gottschalk's 16th birthday.
Composer Biography
Santiago de Masarnau Fernández, a Spanish pianist and composer, was a polymath who studied philosophy, Latin, mathematics, and physics in addition to music, and was named a nobleman by the Spanish court at age 13.
Composer Biography
Ernesto Lecuona, a Cuban composer and pianist, started composing at age 11 and worked as a silent movie pianist at 12, later having a song nominated for an Oscar in 1942.
Historical Context
The piano became a prominent solo instrument in 19th-century Spain, similar to the rest of Europe, with its peak coinciding with the opening of the Real Conservatorio in Madrid in 1830.
Performer Biography
Thomas Fischer, the pianist on this album, studied piano with Heiner Costabél, who was a student of the renowned pianist Claudio Arrau.
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