MARIAN FILAR
Polish pianist (1917 - 2012)

Marian Filar gave his first recotal at the Warsaw Conservatory at the age of six.  By the age of twelve, her was performing concerti with the Warsaw Philharmonic.  I know nothing of his early teachers, but at thirteen he was discovered by Zbigniew Drzewiecki with whom he studied extensively.

He was imprisoned by the Nazis during the war.  He spent time in seven different concentration camps and it is a miracle that he survived.  It was Walter Gieseking who convinced him not to give up playing after the war, and it was with Gieseking that he studied for a number of years while concertizing exptensively in Europe.

In 1950, he emigrated to the United States where he performed with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra.  In 1952 he played at Carnegie Hall for the first time.  He performed all over North and South America, and in Europe while teaching in Philadelphia, and ultimately performed again with the Warsaw Philharmonic in 1992.

What a pianist, everything I have heard him play, Chopin, Beethoven, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Szymanowski, is just beautiful.  And what gorgeous tone. So how is it that I have found only five recordings of his playing to share with you.  I know he recorded much more than this.  I have heard some of it.  Can it be that the playing of a musician of this stature is so little known that even those who regale us with treasured from their wonderful collections have nothing more to offer?

Beethoven  Piano Concerto 3 in C minor, Op 37
Johan Hye-Knudsen conducting the Copenhagen Radio Symphony

i Allegro con brio
ii Largo
iii Rondo - Allegro