Isolde Ahlgrimm
Encyclopedia
Isolde Ahlgrimm was a Viennese harpsichord
ist and fortepianist
.
Ahlgrimm and Fiala presented their long-running series of Concerte für Kenner und Liebhaber ("Concerts for connoisseurs and amateurs") in Vienna between 1937 and 1956; this involved 74 different programs of music from the 16th to the 20th centuries, much of this repertoire receiving its first modern performance.
, in its original form as a keyboard work, an idea also adopted at that time by her younger colleague, Gustav Leonhardt
(born 1928).
She performed the work for the first time in 1952 and recorded it a year later as Volume 9 of her JS Bach series. From 1937, Ahlgrimm was the first fortepianist in Europe to use original Viennese instruments in the performance of the music of W. A. Mozart
. In 1951, she presented the entire solo output of Mozart in a series of nine concerts (The Mozart Cycle), on original fortepianos by Michael Rosenberger (1790) and Anton Walter
(1787).
She gave the first performance of Bach's The Musical Offering
in its original form, (recorded with Nikolaus Harnoncourt
in 1955). With Erich Fiala, she prepared the first recordings of the Bach harpsichord concertos using original string instruments of the baroque era (drawn from Fiala's extensive collection), tuned to low pitch (c. A = 417) and strung in gut. The ensemble—led by Rudolf Baumgartner
and including Nikolaus and Alice Harnoncourt alongside other leading Viennese musicians—was named the Amati Orchestra, since all of the string instruments they used had been made by either members of the Amati
dynasty or their students.
Ahlgrimm was a close friend of the German composer Richard Strauss
and performed a 79th birthday concert for him in Vienna's Konzerthaus (Mozart-Saal) in 1943. Strauss composed a concert-ending to a suite of dances from his last opera, Capriccio
(1942), arranged by Ahlgrimm for solo harpsichord at Strauss's suggestion. The Capriccio Suite was first performed by Ahlgrimm in 1946 and was later published by Edition Schott
.
From 1945 to 1949 and from 1964 to 1984, Isolde Ahlgrimm was Professor of Harpsichord at the Vienna Academy (later known as University of Music and Performing Arts). From 1958 to 1962, she taught at the Mozarteum Salzburg. She served on the juries of many European harpsichord competitions, including those at Bruges, Rome, Geneva and Leipzig.
In addition to her numerous concerts and recordings, Isolde Ahlgrimm published many articles on various aspects of performance practice. A Dictionary of ornamentation, left unpublished at her death, has been completed by her colleague and Viennese musicologist, Helga Scholz-Michelitsch.
A biography of Ahlgrimm, Isolde Ahlgrimm, Vienna and the early music revival, by her student, Peter Watchorn
, was published by Ashgate Publishing in 2007.
(also: Austrian Harpsichord Music, G. F. Handel: Eight "Great" Suites, 1720: Eterna).
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
ist and fortepianist
Fortepiano
Fortepiano designates the early version of the piano, from its invention by the Italian instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori around 1700 up to the early 19th century. It was the instrument for which Haydn, Mozart, and the early Beethoven wrote their piano music...
.
Revival of early music
Together with her husband, instrument collector Erich Fiala (1911–78), Ahlgrimm played a central role in the revival of interest in the use of period instruments for the performance of Baroque and Classical music.Ahlgrimm and Fiala presented their long-running series of Concerte für Kenner und Liebhaber ("Concerts for connoisseurs and amateurs") in Vienna between 1937 and 1956; this involved 74 different programs of music from the 16th to the 20th centuries, much of this repertoire receiving its first modern performance.
Career
She was the first to perform and record virtually the entire output of JS Bach for harpsichord. She performed The Bach Cycle in 12 programs in Vienna, 1949–50 and 1952–53. Before some 600 subscribers at the preconcert lectures for four of the programs in the first Bach Cycle, Ahlgrimm was the first harpsichordist to argue the case for performing Bach's last work, The Art of FugueThe Art of Fugue
The Art of Fugue , BWV 1080, is an incomplete work by Johann Sebastian Bach . It was most likely started at the beginning of the 1740s, if not earlier. The first known surviving version, which contained 12 fugues and 2 canons, was copied by the composer in 1745...
, in its original form as a keyboard work, an idea also adopted at that time by her younger colleague, Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt is a highly renowned Dutch keyboard player, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. Leonhardt has been a leading figure in the movement to perform music on period instruments...
(born 1928).
She performed the work for the first time in 1952 and recorded it a year later as Volume 9 of her JS Bach series. From 1937, Ahlgrimm was the first fortepianist in Europe to use original Viennese instruments in the performance of the music of W. A. Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. In 1951, she presented the entire solo output of Mozart in a series of nine concerts (The Mozart Cycle), on original fortepianos by Michael Rosenberger (1790) and Anton Walter
Anton Walter
Anton Walter was a builder of pianos. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes him as "the most famous Viennese piano maker of his time".-Life:...
(1787).
She gave the first performance of Bach's The Musical Offering
The Musical Offering
The Musical Offering , BWV 1079, is a collection of canons and fugues and other pieces of music by Johann Sebastian Bach, all based on a single musical theme given to him by Frederick II of Prussia , to whom they are dedicated...
in its original form, (recorded with Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt is an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music from the Classical era and earlier. Starting out as a classical cellist, he founded his own period instrument ensemble in the 1950s, and became a pioneer of the Early Music movement...
in 1955). With Erich Fiala, she prepared the first recordings of the Bach harpsichord concertos using original string instruments of the baroque era (drawn from Fiala's extensive collection), tuned to low pitch (c. A = 417) and strung in gut. The ensemble—led by Rudolf Baumgartner
Rudolf Baumgartner
Rudolf Baumgartner was a Swiss conductor and violinist. In 1956 he founded the Lucerne Festival Strings chamber orchestra together with Wolfgang Schneiderhan....
and including Nikolaus and Alice Harnoncourt alongside other leading Viennese musicians—was named the Amati Orchestra, since all of the string instruments they used had been made by either members of the Amati
Amati
Amati is the name of a family of Italian violin makers, who flourished at Cremona from about 1549 to 1740.-Andrea Amati:Andrea Amati was not the earliest maker of violins whose instruments still survive today...
dynasty or their students.
Ahlgrimm was a close friend of the German composer Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
and performed a 79th birthday concert for him in Vienna's Konzerthaus (Mozart-Saal) in 1943. Strauss composed a concert-ending to a suite of dances from his last opera, Capriccio
Capriccio (opera)
Capriccio is the final opera by German composer Richard Strauss, subtitled "A Conversation Piece for Music". The opera received its premiere performance at the Nationaltheater München on October 28, 1942. Clemens Krauss and Strauss himself wrote the German libretto...
(1942), arranged by Ahlgrimm for solo harpsichord at Strauss's suggestion. The Capriccio Suite was first performed by Ahlgrimm in 1946 and was later published by Edition Schott
Schott Music
Schott Music is one of the oldest German music publishers. It is also one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe and is currently the second oldest music publishing house. The company headquarters of Schott Music was founded by Bernhard Schott in Mainz, Germany in 1770.Established in...
.
From 1945 to 1949 and from 1964 to 1984, Isolde Ahlgrimm was Professor of Harpsichord at the Vienna Academy (later known as University of Music and Performing Arts). From 1958 to 1962, she taught at the Mozarteum Salzburg. She served on the juries of many European harpsichord competitions, including those at Bruges, Rome, Geneva and Leipzig.
In addition to her numerous concerts and recordings, Isolde Ahlgrimm published many articles on various aspects of performance practice. A Dictionary of ornamentation, left unpublished at her death, has been completed by her colleague and Viennese musicologist, Helga Scholz-Michelitsch.
A biography of Ahlgrimm, Isolde Ahlgrimm, Vienna and the early music revival, by her student, Peter Watchorn
Peter Watchorn
Peter Watchorn is an Australian-born harpsichordist who has combined a virtuosic keyboard technique, musical scholarship and practical experience in the construction of harpsichords copied from original instruments of the 17th and 18th centuries...
, was published by Ashgate Publishing in 2007.
Selected discography
JS Bach: Complete Works for Harpsichord (Philips) (1951–56; released 1952–59):- Volume 1 – Das Wohltemperierte Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846–869
- Volume 2 – Six French Suites, BWV 812–817
- Volume 3 – Twenty Little Preludes, BWV 924–943
- Volume 4 – Six English Suites, BWV 806–811
- Volume 5 – Six Partitas, BWV 825–830
- Volume 6 – Das Wohltemperierte Clavier, Book 2, BWV 870–893
- Volume 7 – Goldberg Variations, BWV 988; Italian Variations, BWV 989
- Volume 8 – Sonatas for flute and obbligato harpsichord, BWV 1030–1032
- Volume 9 – Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080
- Volume 10 – Das Musikalische Opfer, BWV 1079 (w/ Harnoncourt)
- Volume 11 – Three sonatas for viola da gamba, BWV 1027–1029 (w/N. Harnoncourt)
- Volume 12 – Fifteen Inventions and Fifteen Sinfonias, BWV 772–801
- Volume 13 – Fantasias, Preludes and Fugues, BWV 903, 899, 904, 906, 944, 917, 918, 919
- Volume 14 – Toccatas, BWV 910–916; Passacaglia, BWV 582; Fugues BWV 575–577
- Concertos for One and Two Harpsichords, BWV 1052–1062 (w/ Friederike Bretschneider/Amati Orchestra/Erich Fiala, cond.)
- Italian Concerto, BWV 971; French Overture, BWV 831; Four Duets, BWV 802–805; Capriccio in B-flat, BWV 992 (recorded Philips, 1975)
(also: Austrian Harpsichord Music, G. F. Handel: Eight "Great" Suites, 1720: Eterna).