Lisy Fischer
Elisabeth (Lisy) Fischer (born August 22, 1900 in Zurich , died June 6, 1999 in Newcastle upon Tyne ) was a Swiss pianist from a talented Jewish family. She was considered a child prodigy and gave recitals in Geneva at the age of 11 under the guidance of Lucien Grou de Flagny and later Charles Barbier.
Live and act
Private
Lisy Fischer was born in Zurich as the daughter of Arthur Fischer (from Eylau in Prussia, now Iława in Poland) and Bertha Hochstetter (from Liedolsheim , Germany). She had great musical talent and learned to play the piano at an early age. Soon she was considered a child prodigy and performed publicly. Her father was a salesman and could only support her and her career in a modest way. From the age of 15 she was able to enjoy an education at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin until she graduated on April 1, 1920.
Fischer married Ernest Simson from Düsseldorf in 1923 in Berlin-Charlottenburg . In 1924 their daughter Gabrielle was born in Amsterdam . Lisy Fischer gave concerts and gave piano lessons at this time. When the family moved to England is not documented. After the death of her husband in 1988, she continued to live with her daughter in England until her death. Lisy Fischer died on June 6, 1999 and is buried in the Jewish sector of Preston Cemetery in North Shields .
Family environment
Lisy Fischer was one of four members of the maternal Hochstetter family who made a career in music or literature. One cousin was the composer Kurt Weill . Another cousin, Gustav Hochstetter , professor of literature at the University of Brussels , was a writer and poet. He was also a friend of Wilhelm Busch . His older brother, Caesar Hochstetter (born January 12, 1863 in Ladenburg , died during the Holocaust ) was also a musician and composer who worked with Max Reger . He dedicated the piece of music watercolors to him . Her husband's grandmother, Rosette Wiener, was a sister of the medalist Jacob Wiener .
Career
Lisy Fischer's career was badly affected by the two world wars. The family lived in neutral Switzerland, and Lisy Fischer was already performing in Geneva at the age of 11 and was looked after by well-known teachers. In 1915, despite the war, she was accepted at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin, where she graduated in 1920. Her teachers, especially Martin Krause , Rudolf Maria Breithaupt and Wilhelm Klatte , thought a lot of her talent and discipline. The director of the conservatory at the time, Alexander von Fielitz , also tried to find her by sending a letter to sponsors for her studies, as her father could not support her enough due to the war and she had to give piano lessons while studying. Her teacher, Professor Breithaupt, also thought very highly of her and wrote her the dedication on his photo on May 12, 1919: “The unconscious produces the greatest and deepest effects. For my student, Lisy Fischer, who is very aware of what she does. " In her diploma she was praised: “The certainty, clarity and purity of her conception, the simplicity and naturalness of her execution, give her lecture a rare objectivity, calmness and technical competence. Their seriousness combined with rare clarity and precision, as well as the fine musical dexterity [...] gives this unusual presentation technique its necessary charm. "
Between 1920 and 1922 Fischer performed in many German cities such as Baden , Berlin, Braunschweig , Cologne , Görlitz , Guben , Hanover , Leipzig , Magdeburg and Stettin (now Szczecin in Poland). After her marriage, she continued to live in Switzerland, where she often gave concerts on Swiss radio between 1922 and 1927. Unfortunately, no sound documents can be found, as a research on Swiss radio showed. The further course of her career in England is not documented.
Critic Voices
| date | publication | Excerpt |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 1912 | Le Genevois | "Mature artistic temperament, perfect technique, light touch and a fine, delicate style." |
| February 10, 1913 | ABC | "She is destined to become a well-known artist when she has grown so that her feet can hit the pedals." |
| June 15, 1915 | La Suisse | "Miss Fischer demonstrated a graceful and brilliant technique." |
| July 6, 1917 | General Music Newspaper | "Lisy Fischer, a doll on the way to the butterfly, shows very fine tones and rhythm." |
| January 21, 1919 | Berliner Mittagszeitung | "The childish, young pianist, Lisy Fischer, showed an extraordinary talent." |
| January 7, 1920 | Berlin stock exchange courier | “Her technique is well-groomed, her touch easy and she plays with a lot of feeling and understanding. She shows the individuality of her own personality. " |
| November 27, 1920 | Crossener Tageblatt | «It bears the name of the best and most famous pianist - Edwin Fischer . She shares much more with him than great ability - the concept of great art. Unusual agility and ability bring these two people together. Due to her maturity with a rich artistic personality, she already shows great individuality and meets the demands of the audience. Fräulein Fischer is a child prodigy in the truest sense of the word. " |
Awards
- 1920: Professor Gustav Hollaender medal
Individual evidence
- ^ L'Écho de Paris , January 20, 1913, and Le Gaulois , January 28, 1913.
- ^ Tribune de Genève , June 6, 1915, and La Suisse , June 25, 1915.
- ^ Letter from your teacher Alexander von Fielitz, dated March 14, 1919.
- ↑ Watercolors, Op. 25 at IMSLP .
- ↑ Ben Weiss: Collection of Historical and Commemorative Medals. historicalartmedals.com, accessed August 17, 2019 .
- ^ Photo by Rudolf Maria Breithaupt with a dedication for Lisy Fischer.
- ↑ Certificate No: 13149 of the Stern Conservatory, Berlin, for Miss Lisy Fischer from April 1, 1920.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Fischer, Lisy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Fischer, Elisabeth (baptismal name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Swiss pianist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 22nd August 1900 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Zurich , Switzerland |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 6, 1999 |
| Place of death | Newcastle upon Tyne , England |