Edwin Fischer cuts the modern temperament in Johann Sebastian Bach

Before there was the sensation of pianist Glenn Gould, with all his accessories, from blazing finger-speed gimmicks to his rather strange personality, there was the moderate, almost practical Swiss pianist and conductor Edwin Fischer. Preceded by generations of romantic interpreters of Johann Sebastian Bach's repertoire, Fischer introduced the baroque ideal as we know it today. Often labeled as one of the finest pianists of the 20th century, Fischer was noticed shortly after World War I. In the early 1930s, he founded his own chamber orchestra, which recorded in subsequent years Bach's keyboard concertos, among several other works. He also recorded the full cycle of the Well-Tempered Clavier in the 1930s.

Generally speaking, Fischer is able to produce what is regarded as authentic renditions of the Germanic repertoire, ranging from Bach to early romanticism, Franz Schubert or so. One of his most acclaimed assets is the fact that he successfully avoids taking advantage of the special features of modern pianos for non-stylistic embellishments and effects.

Nearly eighty years after the legendary recordings, and fifty years after Fischer's passing, the sounding evidence proudly stands up and defends the quality in Edwin Fischer's timeless musicianship. The fluid rhythm, non-romantic approach and fiery temperament are only a few points of artistic profoundness, which has stood the test of time.